Is it possible to assign a product key per edition when creating an unattended ISO?

[Hvergelmir]

When attempting to create an unattended installation image, it appears that the unattended.xml ends up in the root of the image. However, since there is only one unattended.xml it's unclear how to proceed to seed one key per edition included on the image. Is that even possible? Is there, for example, a way to add multiple keys and the setup will figure out the one to use based on whether the key is acceptable for the respective edition?

Thanks.

 

[crypticus]

leave it empty, i leave it empty and mine can pass through pro home home sl ltsc together in one iso

 

[Hvergelmir]

True that could work, but the result is not truly unattended then. I'll have to enter the product key either way, right?

 

[crypticus]

no it passes product key part if u set correctly here is mine for x64 and x86.

delete the x64 and x86 things at the end...


+ u can delete it from main folder and put them into boot.wim if u want to hide them..

these will install anything about windows 10
for win 8.1 and 7 i use only use one edition but the idea is the same.

 

[nuhi]

ege914 is right about leaving empty for Windows 10 will make it just skip over that, and if once activated, Windows 10 will use hardware to reactivate itself without a key once online.

However, there is also a way to copy unattended to each edition.
- First, isolate the .\sources\install.wim image as a standalone file, not in the ISO file structure.
For example rename it before loading any edition, make sure on the Source page it states "isolated" as the "type" next to it.
- Then when configuring unattended, enable the option "Copy to install image" in the toolbar of the Unattended page.
- On the Apply page make sure to not delete other editions.
- Repeat for each edition, that should do it.

Btw to get a prompt for editions, otherwise it was all pointless if fully unattended, make sure to enable Dual Architecture in the same toolbar once you create the image for boot.wim or external default autounattend.xml.

Juuust not sure if you have that external unattended file that it will allow for the install.wim internal ones to take over, I'm afraid those will be overwritten so you might need to leave the boot.wim without the unattended or try with just the winPE settings in it, leaving the rest for the built-in ones.
Let me know how it went.

 

[crypticus]

ege914 is right about leaving empty for Windows 10 will make it just skip over that, and if once activated, Windows 10 will use hardware to reactivate itself without a key once online.

However, there is also a way to copy unattended to each edition.
- First, isolate the .\sources\install.wim image as a standalone file, not in the ISO file structure.
For example rename it before loading any edition, make sure on the Source page it states "isolated" as the "type" next to it.
- Then when configuring unattended, enable the option "Copy to install image" in the toolbar of the Unattended page.
- On the Apply page make sure to not delete other editions.
- Repeat for each edition, that should do it.

Btw to get a prompt for editions, otherwise it was all pointless if fully unattended, make sure to enable Dual Architecture in the same toolbar once you create the image for boot.wim or external default autounattend.xml.

Juuust not sure if you have that external unattended file that it will allow for the install.wim internal ones to take over, I'm afraid those will be overwritten so you might need to leave the boot.wim without the unattended or try with just the winPE settings in it, leaving the rest for the built-in ones.
Let me know how it went.

i tried that but i always failed at combining x86 and x64 together... it always gave me strange errors. i really would appertiate a video guide to combine editions and 2 different architectures into one image. i can only combine same architecture editions in one image.. i can't even combine same architectured win7 win8.1 w10 together... failed at unattend or boot...

 

[Hvergelmir]

I'm confused.

But I still can only have a single autounattend.xml file ... even if I embed it in boot.wim the result will be the same, just a single one. Unless there is a way to coerce boot.wim into "branching" off per edition. I.e. have it boot into either setup scenario and have boot.wim preselect the edition contained in

If I get it right your technique works because you limit each component to a particular architecture. And the attached autounattendx64.xml contains them in pairs. Fair enough. But if I have two editions (Pro and Pro N, say) with the same processor architecture I am still stuck with only one possible product key, right?

ege914 is right about leaving empty for Windows 10 will make it just skip over that, and if once activated, Windows 10 will use hardware to reactivate itself without a key once online.

Fascinating. Even without a key stored in the BIOS?

However, there is also a way to copy unattended to each edition.
- First, isolate the .\sources\install.wim image as a standalone file, not in the ISO file structure.
For example rename it before loading any edition, make sure on the Source page it states "isolated" as the "type" next to it.
- Then when configuring unattended, enable the option "Copy to install image" in the toolbar of the Unattended page.
- On the Apply page make sure to not delete other editions.
- Repeat for each edition, that should do it.

I see. Of course that means I will end up duplicating the contents for each edition instead of having them shared inside a single WIM, right?

I guess in that case it's a better match for me to enter a key manually after installation.

Btw to get a prompt for editions, otherwise it was all pointless if fully unattended, make sure to enable Dual Architecture in the same toolbar once you create the image for boot.wim or external default autounattend.xml.

Ah, okay. Will give that a try. In my case the choice of edition as well as the partitioning isn't supposed to be unattended.

Juuust not sure if you have that external unattended file that it will allow for the install.wim internal ones to take over, I'm afraid those will be overwritten so you might need to leave the boot.wim without the unattended or try with just the winPE settings in it, leaving the rest for the built-in ones.
Let me know how it went.

Will do.

 

[crypticus]

Fascinating. Even without a key stored in the BIOS?

yes thats how digital license works, even if u illegally license your win10 via any digital licence software your computer will be licensed when connected to internet. it uses hardware ids... so i don't use keys anymore in installation, and i don't even type them manually after installation. it makes everyting all by itself

I see. Of course that means I will end up duplicating the contents for each edition instead of having them shared inside a single WIM, right?

i think it will share anyways.. idk

I guess in that case it's a better match for me to enter a key manually after installation.

as i said before yes

 

[Hvergelmir]

yes thats how digital license works, even if u illegally license your win10 via any digital licence software your computer will be licensed when connected to internet. it uses hardware ids... so i don't use keys anymore in installation, and i don't even type them manually after installation. it makes everyting all by itself

As I wrote, I have a hard time believing that, because not every computer has had a Windows on it before. And to match some hardware IDs it would still have to have had a Windows license on it at some point, no? Besides, hardware IDs may be enough to match a key, but that may still not work if the desired edition doesn't match the key on file.

Also, you may want to check your assume-o-meter , because the keys I am using I am getting from Visual Studio Pro (previously MSDN Pro) subscriptions. So nothing illegal about those as far as Microsoft or I am concerned.

 

[crypticus]

As I wrote, I have a hard time believing that, because not every computer has had a Windows on it before. And to match some hardware IDs it would still have to have had a Windows license on it at some point, no? Besides, hardware IDs may be enough to match a key, but that may still not work if the desired edition doesn't match the key on file.

Also, you may want to check your assume-o-meter , because the keys I am using I am getting from Visual Studio Pro (previously MSDN Pro) subscriptions. So nothing illegal about those as far as Microsoft or I am concerned.

you didn't understand and it is not about making you believe. it is works. try yourself before talking. if u had vanilla pc which doesn't even had windows intalled, and if u don't want to pay for windows. u may use any digital licensing software after u install windows. and u can reformat to see if it actually licenses via microsoft when connected to internet i tried this on like 12pcs and all did license itself.

 

[Hvergelmir]

That's amazing, because I haven't encountered this once on perhaps less than a dozen PCs, but definitely more than just three. While Windows (since 8, I think) happily installs without a license key, after installation it always required a key to activate for me.

But, color me intrigued, I'm going to investigate this. Any particular edition of Windows you tried this with?