(Solved) NTLited Win 10 images won't install on older Lenovo laptops

C

cwijnveen

New Member
Hi community,
After successfully applying countless nLited images to various laptops, I recently ran into a bugging problem:

When I try to install a nLited 21H1 install.wim file to an 'older' Lenovo laptop (X200, X201, W500, W541) via a usb drive, I get the following message: "Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software Licensing Terms, make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation"

During a 'live' install I get this message when I enter 'I have no key' or enter the generic one for 10Pro. The same when applied with autounaatend.xml

It doesn't matter how much components are removed, when the install.wim file is edited, it won't install. Neither attended, nor unattended. The laptops were shipped with 'pro' licenses of vista, 7 and 8.

Has anyone encountered these problems before (and solved them)?

Grtz cwijnveen
 
This sounds like a boot.wim incompatibility or a wrong/unnecessary key.
Did you replace boot.wim with something else?

Make sure to take fully official ISO as a starting point, for example from here.

Also do not type any product key as a debugging measure, as if the key does not fit the edition it creates issues.
Remove any existing ones from the Unattended page to start with, there are two places, just cut them after loading the preset.
 
Hi Nuhi, thanks for your reply.
My starting point is an official 21H1 iso downloaded with 'mediacreationtool' from MS. Unpacked with 7zip.
After edit with NTLite, the resulting image works with all other laptopbrands I have. Just the Lenovo ones act weird.
Tomorrow I'll have a new try.. I'll report back the results..
 
Hi everyone,

After trying various ei.cfg files with different content, still no result.
But the solution to all of this is: 'just install the Home version!' Because the laptops came with 'Pro' licenses, I was fixated at getting '10Pro' to install. I tried the Home version this morning, and everything is HunkDory now.
So the only way to keep the Pro license is by installing the default iso and nLite windows 'online'. Sometimes the 'answer' is so simple and obvious that one does not see it..
 
That's the thing that bugged me:
The default Pro installs, the 'nLited' version does not.
With 'Home', both default and nLited do install fine.
 
there maybe good reasons to install Pro. install default Pro, use that as your "workstation" and build a Pro image from there, make sure you set all Host/Driver Compatibilities, import all your Answer file settings from the host. You will have to install ntlite and use up 1 activation or you might be able to runit in Free mode, ask nuhi for advice on your best course of action :)

i have found that its better to build what you want from that particular OS, 8.1 Pro to build 8.1 Pro, LTSC to build LTSC etc. that way all your host drivers and unattended settings(inc Key) get picked up during the build.
 
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1 reason that can cause Setup to fail is if there is more than one unattended file, Setup doesnt just look on your install media for an answer file, it will look everywhere. If Setup finds more than 1 answer file and they have different settings it gets confused and throws a tantrum.
 
for me, Setup only fails due to a missing driver or answer file issue. ive never put an answer file inside the image, only external at the drive root.
 
Me too, I start with a default iso from MS, export either 'home' or 'pro' to a wim file and 'nLite' from there. The autounattend.xml in the root of the setup folder.
So it must be a driver issue then.. But why is this an issue with just the 'Pro' edition I wonder..
 
cwijnveen said:
"Windows cannot find the Microsoft Software Licensing Terms, make sure the installation sources are valid and restart the installation"
Click to expand...
that says "missing eula(or related file)" to me, not a driver.

try this. remove unwanted editions from the Source page, dont export the required edition. repeat the build, keep the generated preset and log file and dism log.
 
I'll try in a couple of hours, not anywhere near a Pc right now, and no, I will not use 'Microsoft 365' (yet) haha.
 
Clanger:

I've gone through the steps as you described above, still no succes, same message as in first post.

I'll stick with the Home edition for the time being, within the next weeks I'll start with 7Pro activated and upgrade from there. Then nLite the live installation and possibly capture it with Dism.
Grt Chris
 

Attachments

  • autounattend.xml
    4.4 KB
  • nLited.xml
    20.6 KB
  • NTLite.log
    35.9 KB
I've found the 'Bug'!
When I checked the integrated reg file, I discovered it wrote the 'Home EditionID' to the registry!
Sorry everyone for bothering you.. My mistake..
Thanks for helping me though..
 
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