Where System Builders Talk Shop... : Vista

Desktop Sales Accelerator Program

BOBblog — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 20:11:00 GMT

System Builders: Accelerate sales of Windows® Vista and 2007 Microsoft® Office system! Check out the Desktop Sales Accelerator – a Microsoft initiative to provide you with the essential training, tools, and resources to drive demand for PCs preloaded with genuine Windows® Vista and 2007 Microsoft® Office system. By participating, you will receive OEM SalesCenter vouchers along with entries to win great prizes, such as a Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 or a $500 American Express gift card. Start here: www.sellmoredesktop.com

Windows Vista® is Ready, Are you?

BOBblog — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 03:54:00 GMT

Get into Windows Vista and be able to confidently tell your customers why they need a Windows Vista PC from you today.

Take advantage of the sales tools and training materials in the Windows Vista Sales Accelerator to help you grow your business through increased sales of PCs with Windows Vista! When you register and complete ANY module in the program, you will earn entries for a chance to win an Xbox 360 Halo 3 Special Edition Console!

Increase your chances to win by completing other modules and earn an e-code valued at $25 for use on OEM SalesCenter after you have completed Module 1 or 2. Following completion of Module 3, you will receive a $50 e-code for use on OEM SalesCenter and a Microsoft Learning exam voucher!

Windows Vista ROI Calculator

BOBblog — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 20:06:00 GMT

Here is an excellent tool which helps companies determine the potential benefits and return on investment from implementing Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Enterprise developed by independent company called Alinean Inc.

http://www.alinean.com/microsoft/vistavalue/microsoft_Vista_Calculator.html

Webcast: Windows Vista is ready. Are you?

BOBblog — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 01:34:00 GMT

WHEN: Thursday, August 2, 2007 9 AM Pacific
Thursday, August 16, 2007 9 AM Pacific

WHERE: Part 1: http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6434
Part 2: http://www.msreadiness.com/CourseDetail.aspx?id=6435

Part 1 of 2: Windows Vista is Compatible.

Did you know that over 1.9 million hardware devices are compatible with Windows Vista? Did you know that Windows Vista has 4 times as many logo’d apps than XP did in a similar timeframe and that 48 out of 50 most used applications work with Windows vista today? This webcast will tell you everything you need to know about Windows Vista application and device compatibility, including tools, tips, and resources to help you get the facts to your customer base.

Part 2 of 2: Windows Vista: why your customers need it today.

By now, most PC buyers know that Windows Vista® offers enhanced security, reliability, and ease-of-use compared to previous versions of Microsoft® Windows®. Yet, some of them are still waiting to buy—waiting until they feel confident that Windows Vista is “ready.” Backed by the information in this presentation, you can tell them with confidence and actual customer evidence, that there’s no reason to wait to start enjoying the benefits of Windows Vista today.

Q&A for Adding Windows Vista Clients to Your Windows SBS 2003 Environment

BOBblog — Fri, 22 Jun 2007 01:04:00 GMT

Hello Everyone, below are the follow-up questions & answers from the Adding Windows Vista Clients to Your Windows SBS 2003 Environment webcast presented on Thursday, June 21, 2007. To download the PowerPoint presentation, please visit BOB Wired at: http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentpage.aspx?pageid=4078. There you will find a link with a username & password to access a number of BOB Team documents.

Q: Did you say only 32-bit versions of Windows Vista can use the Connect Computer wizard?

A: No, both 32-bit and 64-bit Windows Vista clients are supported. However, when creating Active Directory computer accounts using the Set Up Client Computers wizard, during the mobility options section, you can select to deploy the Connection Manager to your clients—the Connection Manager is not compatible with the 64-bit version of Windows Vista.

Q: What is the best practice about deploying Outlook 2003 with the Connect Computer wizard if Windows Vista is preloaded with Outlook 2007? In other words, should we still install Outlook 2003 using the wizard?

A: No, Outlook 2003 should be unselected during the Assign Applications section when creating the computer accounts on the server using the Set Up Client Computers wizard.

Q: Do these updates to Windows SBS 2003 appear in the normal Microsoft Updates site or must they be hunted down per these links?

A: Currently the patches must be downloaded manually.

Q: When adding Windows Vista to a Windows SBS 2003 domain, how can we configure and push Outlook 2007 down instead of Office 2003?

A: Use the Set Up Client Applications wizard to add the Outlook 2007 application, and then use the Assign Applications wizard to deploy it.

Q: All versions of Windows SBS to date require the user to have "local admin" rights…users should not be required to be local admins. Don't you think?

A: An excellent point, and very true. Unfortunately for current and previous versions, this will remain the case. However, looking forward to Windows Small Business Server codename “Cougar,” this exact issue is being addressed!

Q: Three of my clients will be adding Windows Vista PCs to their network, must these clients also upgrade their Windows Small Business Server 2003 machine to R2?

A: No, however you need to install at least SP1—although SP2 is the latest available service pack and is recommended.

Q: Does the Exchange Server 2003 update to support OWA for Windows Vista clients effect Windows XP clients?

A: No, the functionality of Windows XP clients will not change.

Q: Are there any issues with using Outlook 2007 instead of Outlook 2003, as in Office 2007 is installed on the client?

A: No, Outlook 2007 is fully supported with Windows SBS 2003 and Exchange Server 2003.

Q: How can we set the Administrator to use “elevated” privileges all the time?

A: You can turn off the User Account Control (UAC) feature using Group Policy. See \Computer Configuration\Windows Settings\Local Policies\Security Options to set the UAC options. This is, of course, not recommended.

Q: How can I troubleshooting issues with migrating user profiles that use redirected folders?

A: Please see http://download.microsoft.com/download/5/6/1/561c9fd7-0e27-4525-94ec-4d2d38f61aa3/TSHT_SBS.htm. Search the page for “user profiles.”

Q: Are there Group Policy scenarios that have been put together as learning examples?

A: Yes. Please see http://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/WebCastEventDetails.aspx?culture=en-US&EventID=1032329674.

Q: Why do Windows Vista connected systems to Windows SBS 2003 take forever to start up? Constantly loading background stuff causes the workstation to not allow for Outlook 2003 or other programs to load.

A: If you are experiencing this behavior consistently (not just the first boot after joining the domain), you may need to look at resource availability—additional memory, a faster CPU, or a faster hard drive. Note that Windows Vista introduced low-priority I/O and several system components take advantage of that, which may result in more continuous hard drive activity. However, applications such as Outlook 2003 have a higher priority for I/O, so they will take precedence over background tasks, for example disk defragmentation or anti-virus scans.

Q: Can you configure the new GPOs from the Windows SBS 2003 server or does it need to be done from the Windows Vista client?

A: In order to use the new XML-based templates, the GPOs must be managed from a Windows Vista (or Windows Server 2008) machine.

Q: I've had trouble using folder redirection with Windows Vista clients to a Windows SBS 2003 server. Do we need to have the patches mentioned during the webcast in order to make it run properly?

A: The patches for updating the Connect Computer wizard do not effect folder redirection. I am not aware of any patches that address issues with that functionality.

Q: What are the effects of having printers published on the Windows SBS 2003 server that do not have Windows Vista drivers?

A: In order to allow Windows Vista clients to successfully use these printers, it is necessary to obtain updated driver files from the manufacturer.

Q: Is there a significant client (speed) advantage to the Windows Vista 64-bit version?

A: Yes. Overall, a 64-bit OS on a 64-bit capable processor does have some performance advantages over 32-bit computing.

Webcast: Adding Windows Vista Clients to Your Windows SBS 2003 Environment

BOBblog — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 01:11:00 GMT

WHEN: Thursday, June 21, 2007 9AM Pacific

WHERE: http://msreadiness.com/WS_abstract.asp?eid=15005649

WHAT: As a computer professional, you understand the benefits that Windows Vista adds to a small business environment. You know that increased security, better manageability, and enhanced productivity will improve the ROI for your SBS customers. If you’ve been wanting to know how to add Windows Vista clients to a Windows SBS 2003 environment, this is the webcast for you! We will identify the server and client-side updates required for joining Windows Vista clients to your Active Directory domain, including the ability to migrate pre-existing user profile information. The webcast will feature a live, step-by- step demonstration of updating Windows SBS 2003, adding computers to Active Directory using the Set Up Client Computer wizard, running the Windows Vista client update, and using the Connect Computer wizard on a Windows Vista client computer.

We also examine common administrative tasks, such as adding new printers, and how Windows Vista’s User Account Control (UAC) affects these tasks. Finally, we explore the new Group Policies in Windows SBS 2003 for Windows Vista clients and how you can use them to manage your mobile and desktop systems.

Windows Vista Deployment Center is Live!!

BOBblog — Tue, 15 May 2007 16:18:00 GMT

It’s been in the works for a while and now we are proud to present the Windows Vista Deployment Center. It may seem strange to think about it this way, but the OEM System Builder Technology Team has worked hard to make deployments simple, or at least simple for you to understand. And with the Windows OEM Preinstallation Kit (Windows OPK), the deployment itself is a snap.

The site starts out describing the benefits you get by using the Windows OPK to deploy Windows Vista, and moves on to describe what you should do before you begin. You will learn how to install the kit, and understand why you should use a network when installing Windows Vista (hint – it saves you time, and saving time means saving money), including a complete description of a typical network configuration. The details on network setup reveal just how easy it is to enable network based deployments.

Because getting ready for deployment is quick and easy, most of the site’s content focuses on the three deployment methods. The site helps you choose the method that matches your deployment needs, and provides in-depth, step-by-step instructions for each of the methods. The site walks you through every step of each procedure, with screen shots all along the way. And because you want to save as much deployment time as possible, the site describes simple automation procedures that you should follow to maximum your time savings.

The site does an excellent job describing typical preinstallation customization options, their benefits, and how (and why or when) you should add these options to your deployment method. These options include showing you how to do the following:

· Adding a custom OEM graphic so that your branding is displayed in prominent areas of the OS

· Enabling support for drivers not originally shipped with Windows Vista

· Increasing customer value by adding additional applications during Windows Setup

And finally, even though the site provides extensive descriptions of common deployment scenarios, the OEM System Builder Technology Team realizes that there are times when you just need a helping hand. For this reason, the site includes links to other support resources, as well as references to key deployment topics.

And because your customer relationship doesn’t end when you sell the PC, the site includes an end-to-end procedure that you can follow to enable Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE). Windows RE is a remarkable self-healing feature of Windows Vista that you can take advantage of. When it is enabled, it adds the ability to recover from up to 80 % of common system issues. Fewer support calls to you means happier customers, and less money spent resolving those issues.

Whether you are a new or existing system builder, the Windows Vista Deployment Center will help you deploy Windows Vista easier and faster, with features that increase the value of every PC you sell.

To access the site go to: http://oem.microsoft.com/opk

Windows Vista and Outlook 2007 in the Windows SBS 2003 Environment

BOBblog — Mon, 14 May 2007 23:30:00 GMT

Have you ever tried to use the Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 (Windows SBS) client deployment tools to join a Windows Vista-based computer to a Windows SBS network? You may have found that when you click Connect to the network now on the Network Configuration Web page, and error message is displayed. Additionally, when you try to use the Outlook Profile Settings option in the Setup Computer Wizard or in the Assign Applications Wizard to configure Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 for a Windows SBS network, the settings are not applied.

For the details on what's happening and how to resolve these issues, check out the Knowledge Base article below.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/926505

We will also be posting a more in-depth look at Windows Vista and Windows SBS 2003 in the near future, so please check back regularly or subscribe to our RSS feed!

Windows Vista Hardware Compatibility

BOBblog — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 05:22:00 GMT

You can find a list of compatible hardware for Vista at http://winqual.microsoft.com/hcl. This link is a list of hardware that has past the Windows Hardware Quality Labs testing and are certified.

We also released the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment tool. This is an inventory, assessment, and reporting tool that will find computers on a network and determine if they are ready to run the Windows Vista™ operating system. Here is the URL: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/solutionaccelerators/hardwareassessment/wv/default.mspx

SB: Deploying Windows Vista in Business. How to navigate the implementation waters.

BOBblog — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 22:07:00 GMT

Hi everyone,

If you are installing Windows Vista in a business environment, then this webcast is for you. I strongly recommend you attending.

Here are the details:

Event Date:
3/15/2007

Presenter:
Doug Thompson

Event Time:
9:00 AM Pacific, USA & Canada (DST) = GMT - 08:00

Duration:
60 minutes

Course Level:
100

Description:
Windows Vista improved security and manageability over Windows XP.

This webcast will touch on Application compatibility, Local and Group Policies, as well as performance and reliability. There are several new tools built into Windows Vista to address these common challenges and what are the changes you need to know about to make deployment a breeze.

To register, visit:

http://www.msreadiness.com/WS_abstract.asp?eid=15005316

Windows Vista Network Deployment Scripts

BOBblog — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 08:13:00 GMT

These are the scripts used when creating a custom WinPE for network Vista deployment.

startnet.cmd - <Capture an Image>

@echo off

@echo Initializing network...

wpeinit

@echo Waiting for network services...

:StartMon

ping -n 1 wds > NUL

if not %ERRORLEVEL%==0 GOTO StartMon

@echo Mapping network resource

net use g: \\wds\winbits /user:opk-wds\administrator dev

@echo Captureing image

imagex /capture fast /check /capture c: g:\install.wim “Vista Ultimate”

startnet.cmd - <Apply an Image>

@echo off

@echo Initializing network...

wpeinit

@echo Waiting for network services...

:StartMon

ping -n 1 wds > NUL

if not %ERRORLEVEL%==0 GOTO StartMon

@echo Mapping network resource

net use g: \\wds\winbits /user:opk-wds\administrator dev

@echo Partitioning hard drive

diskpart /s diskpart.txt

@echo Applying image

imagex /apply g:\install.wim 1 c:\

To partition the hard disk use diskpart /s diskpart.txt

Diskpart.txt

select disk 0

clean

create partition primary

select partition 1

active

format FS=NTFS quick

exit

Can a system builder sell an OEM copy of Windows Vista without attaching it to a peice hardware?

BOBblog — Sat, 24 Feb 2007 10:31:00 GMT

YES! YES! YES you can!!!!!!! As long as you do not open the package AND the end user is assembling their own PC (at that point the user is considered a system builder). As of August 2005, the licensing changed on all of the OEM licensing packs—1, 3, and 30.

If you open the pack, you must preinstall. If you are planning to preinstall OEM software onto new machines,

buy in the correct denominations (1, 3, or 30)
open the packs and
distribute the individual software licenses preinstalled on the new machines you are building.

If you don’t open the pack, you can redistribute to other system builders without any hardware. If you are planning to distribute software only to other system builders,

buy in the correct denomination (1, 3, or 30)
don’t open the pack, and
redistribute unopened packs to other system builders without any hardware.

OEM system builder software packs are intended for PC and server manufacturers or assemblers ONLY. They are not intended for distribution to end users. Unless the end user is actually assembling his/her own PC, in which case, that end user is considered a system builder as well.

For more details go here:

http://oem.microsoft.com/script/contentPage.aspx?pageid=555857

Automate your Vista Factory Installations

BOBblog — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 14:35:00 GMT

Copy the following text to notepad.

For the product key, enter the product key that corresponds to the version of Windows Vista you want to install.

Vista Default Product Keys:

Business - 4D2XH-PRBMM-8Q22B-K8BM3-MRW4W

HomeBasic - RCG7P-TX42D-HM8FM-TCFCW-3V4VD

HomePremium - X9HTF-MKJQQ-XK376-TJ7T4-76PKF

Ultimate - VMCB9-FDRV6-6CDQM-RV23K-RP8F7

Save the file as AutoUnattend.xml to the root of a USB key.

Insert the Windows Vista DVD and the USB key with the Autounattend.xml file into the new PC.
Boot the PC from the Windows Vista DVD.
Setup detects the Autounattend.xml and starts installing Vista with the customizations specified in the answer file.

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SetupUILanguage>
                <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>0409:0000409</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <DiskConfiguration>
                <Disk wcm:action="add">
                    <CreatePartitions>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Active>true</Active>
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Vista</Label>
                            <Letter>C</Letter>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                </Disk>
                <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <ImageInstall>
                <OSImage>
                    <InstallTo>
                        <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                        <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                    </InstallTo>
                    <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                </OSImage>
            </ImageInstall>
            <UserData>
                <ProductKey>
                    <Key>XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX</Key>
                    <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                </ProductKey>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
            </UserData>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OEMInformation>
                <HelpCustomized>false</HelpCustomized>
                <Manufacturer>Fabrikam</Manufacturer>
                <Model>SuperCool</Model>
                <SupportHours>7-11</SupportHours>
                <SupportPhone>1-800-XXX-XXXX</SupportPhone>
                <SupportURL>http://www.fabrikam.com</SupportURL>
            </OEMInformation>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>UABAAHMAcwB3ADAAcgBkAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>5</LogonCount>
                <Username>Administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
                <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>
                <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>UABAAHMAcwB3ADAAcgBkAEEAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Reseal>
                <Mode>Audit</Mode>
            </Reseal>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <PersistAllDeviceInstalls>true</PersistAllDeviceInstalls>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog:d:/sources/install_windows vista ultimate.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Basic Unattend Factory Installation

BOBblog — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 14:12:00 GMT

The simplest method to install Windows on new hardware is to start directly from the Windows product DVD with an answer file, autounattend.xml, saved on a USB flash device (UFD). This method is commonly known as the DVD boot method, and provides flexibility when network access is not available or when you install Windows Vista in a low-volume environment.

The following are the necessary components and values needed to automate your Windows Vista from a DVD.

Component	Configuration Pass
Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE Microsoft-Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\CreatePartitions\CreatePartition	1 windowsPE 1 windowsPE
Microsoft-Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\ModifyPartitions\ModifyPartition	1 windowsPE
Microsoft-Windows-Setup\ImageInstall\OSImage\InstallTo	1 windowsPE
Microsoft-Windows-Setup\UserData	1 windowsPE
Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep	3 generalize
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\OEMInformation	4 specialize
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\AutoLogon	7 oobeSystem
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\OOBE	7 oobeSystem
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\UserAccounts	7 oobeSystem
Microsoft-Windows-Deployment\Reseal	7 oobeSystem

Configuration Pass	Component	Value
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE	InputLocale = 0409:0000409 SystemLocale = en-US UILanguage = en-US UILanguageFallback = en-US UserLocale= en-US
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE\SetupUILanguage	UILanguage = en-US `WillShowUI = OnError`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration	`WillShowUI = OnError`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk	`DiskID = 0` `WillWipeDisk = true`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\CreatePartitions\CreatePartition	`Extend = true` `Order = 1` `Type = Primary`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\ModifyPartitions\ModifyPartition	`Active = true` `Format = NTFS` `Label = Vista` `Letter = C` `Order = 1` `PartitionID = 1`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\ImageInstall\OSImage	`WillShowUI = OnError`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\ImageInstall\OSImage\InstallTo	`DiskID = 0` `PartitionID = 1`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\UserData	`AcceptEula = true`
1 windowsPE	Microsoft-Windows-Setup\UserData\ProductKey	`Key = <RC1 product key>` `WillShowUI = OnError`
3 generalize	Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep	PersistAllDeviceInstalls = True
4 specialize	Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\OEMInformation	`HelpCustomized = false` Logo = c:\windows\system32\oobe\info\OEMLOGO.BMP `Manufacturer = <company name>` `SupportHours = <support hours>` `SupportPhone = <support number>` `SupportURL = <support URL>`
7 oobeSystem	Microsoft-Windows-Deployment\Reseal	`Mode = Audit`
7 oobeSystem	Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\AutoLogon	`Enabled = true` `LogonCount = 5` `Username = Administrator`
7 oobeSystem	Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\AutoLogon\Password	`Value = P@ssw0rd`
7 oobeSystem	Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\OOBE	`HideEULAPage = true` `ProtectYourPC = 3` `SkipMachineOOBE = true` `SkipUserOOBE = true`
7 oobeSystem	Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\UserAccounts\ AdministratorPassword	`Value = P@ssw0rd`

Is Windows Vista wiping out their out-of-box drivers? Here's how you preserve it!

BOBblog — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 21:48:00 GMT

In your autounattend.xml, add the Microsoft-Windows-PnpSysprep component. Set the PersistAllDeviceInstalls value to True.

Here are the details.

PersistAllDeviceInstalls

PersistAllDeviceInstalls indicates whether all Plug and Play devices will be uninstalled during the generalize pass and then reinstalled during the specialize pass.

Typically, OEMs install the Windows reference image on computers that all use the same hardware. Because the hardware is the same on each computer, you can specify that Plug and Play information remains on the computer during the generalize pass. This eliminates the need to reinstall the information during the specialize pass. As a result, staged builds will typically take less time.

Values

true	Specifies that Plug and Play devices are not uninstalled during the generalize pass. The devices then do not need to be reinstalled during the specialize pass.
false	Specifies that Plug and Play devices are uninstalled during the generalize pass and then reinstalled during the specialize pass. This is the default value.