I know it means I have a problem With Windows setup

Rbcc · Jun 11, 2025

This get to the first "white screen" in Windows 11 Setup and poof this error Screen pops up:

I googled the error and it has something to do with updates. But it but I only renamed to autoUnattended to AutoUnattend.XML. So it would go throught this file: AutoUnattend.xml [.txt in this question]. How do I solve this? What is this error? TIA john

garlin · Jun 11, 2025

1. Fix your typos.

Code:

                    <Path>C;\batches\Directories.cmd</Path>

2. You're not guaranteed a drive letter like C:\ will be your USB or ISO drive.

How do I mimic [Lack of a better term] a windows install USB With 2 Partitions?

How do I mimic [Lack of a better term] a windows install USB With 2 Partitions? I am trying to mimic a usb drive with 2 partitions so I can put my apps and utilities on the second partition and using Unattend.xml RunSyncronous command with only 1 ISO , to test on VMWare Workstation. Can this...

www.elevenforum.com

Berton · Jun 11, 2025

Agreed, the C;\ shown has to be C:\ in a file path.

Rbcc · Jun 11, 2025

I changed it to C:\ darn thing still does it . could this be a VMware Workstation error I running this on VMware Workstation 17.5.2?

dacrone · Jun 11, 2025

Rbcc said:
I changed it to C:\ darn thing still does it . could this be a VMware Workstation error I running this on VMware Workstation 17.5.2?

Don’t change it to C:
Look at the example in @garlin #2 point

garlin · Jun 12, 2025

You're writing this by hand, or editing what may have been a WSIM-created file or example. To be successful, you need to study other working unattended files to see what they do, and how they're formatted. Setup is unforgiving about typos and formatting errors.

1. <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk> is missing, so no actual partitioning will happen unless Disk 0 is blank (or you did a diskpart "clean" before starting the install).

2. You extended the last partition, but failed to assign a Partition type. Thus it was never created.

If we shrink the Windows volume to a minimum required size of 54 GB, and all data partitions to 100MB just to make it fit in my test VM, Setup has no problems with a corrected answer file:

Code:

<?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="amd64" 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>0409:00000409</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            <UILanguageFallback>en-CA</UILanguageFallback>
            <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" 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">
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <Size>600</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>3</Order>
                            <Size>16</Size>
                            <Type>MSR</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>2</Order>
                            <Size>100</Size>
                            <Type>EFI</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>4</Order>
                            <Size>54000</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>5</Order>
                            <Size>100</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>6</Order>
                            <Size>100</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>7</Order>
                            <Size>100</Size>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                        <CreatePartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>8</Order>
                            <Extend>true</Extend>
                            <Type>Primary</Type>
                        </CreatePartition>
                    </CreatePartitions>
                    <ModifyPartitions>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Order>1</Order>
                            <PartitionID>1</PartitionID>
                            <Label>WinRE</Label>
                            <TypeID>DE94BBA4-06D1-4D40-A16A-BFD50179D6AC</TypeID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Order>3</Order>
                            <PartitionID>3</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>FAT32</Format>
                            <Label>System</Label>
                            <Order>2</Order>
                            <PartitionID>2</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Windows</Label>
                            <Order>4</Order>
                            <PartitionID>4</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Applications</Label>
                            <Letter>P</Letter>
                            <Order>5</Order>
                            <PartitionID>5</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Programs</Label>
                            <Letter>P</Letter>
                            <Order>6</Order>
                            <PartitionID>6</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Temp</Label>
                            <Order>7</Order>
                            <PartitionID>7</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                        <ModifyPartition wcm:action="add">
                            <Format>NTFS</Format>
                            <Label>Downloads</Label>
                            <Order>8</Order>
                            <PartitionID>8</PartitionID>
                        </ModifyPartition>
                    </ModifyPartitions>
                    <WillWipeDisk>true</WillWipeDisk>
                    <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                </Disk>
            </DiskConfiguration>
            <UserData>
                <ProductKey>
                    <Key>VK7JG-NPHTM-C97JM-9MPGT-3V66T</Key>
                    <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                </ProductKey>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
                <FullName>Golden Computers</FullName>
                <Organization>Golden Computers</Organization>
            </UserData>
            <EnableFirewall>false</EnableFirewall>
            <EnableNetwork>true</EnableNetwork>
            <ImageInstall>
               <OSImage>
                   <WillShowUI>OnError</WillShowUI>
                   <InstallTo>
                       <DiskID>0</DiskID>
                       <PartitionID>4</PartitionID>
                   </InstallTo>
               </OSImage>
           </ImageInstall>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:e:/edit/windows%2011%20pro%20final%2026200.5603/sources/install.wim#Windows 11 Pro" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

When I first tried to make my own unattended files, I made many mistakes which took a while to understand why there was an error (or even multiple errors after fixing one error). Compare the example I provided with your file, and study the differences.

Rbcc · Jun 12, 2025

Should I make the C:\Batches X;\Batches or how do I get it to work?

garlin · Jun 12, 2025

This was explained before. If you're trying to read scripts from the USB or ISO media, you need to first determine the drive letter.

1. WinPE boots up and drops you into X:\ (which is a RAM drive).

2. WinPE will try to mount what it thinks looks like a system drive if one is available. Why? Because it needs to understand if \Windows exists on the volume, and offer you the choice of performing a custom repair install.

3. Your mounted USB or ISO drive might be C:, D: or something else. Don't assume. This is why a RunSynchronousCommand is required to search for that drive, and use that drive letter to call the script's path.

4. If you don't want to have the unattended file do this task, then you have to mount boot.wim, add your custom script to the mounted boot image, and add a new entry to winpeshl.ini which calls it out. The last winpeshl.ini entry should be to run setup.exe.

Rbcc · Jun 12, 2025

@garlin

Do I put :
cmd /c for %i in (D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %i\Apps setx /m USBDRIVE
even though this is used on VM? Before anything in Run Asynchronous/Synchronous? Do I change the "USBDrive" part to the root directory of the VM give the files I want to are in directories in the root? John

garlin · Jun 12, 2025

%USBDRIVE% is just the variable's name. The logic works regardless of what type of media, it searches all drive letters until a matching folder is located. You can change it to simply %DRIVE%, if that makes you happier.

Rbcc · Jun 12, 2025

<RunSynchronous>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<Description>Search for the unique folder name, and set the drive letter as a variable</Description>
<Path>cmd /c for %i in (D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %i\Batches setx /m USBDRIVE=%i:</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
<Description>Dirs</Description>
<Order>2</Order>
<Path>%USBDRIVE%\batches\Directories.cmd</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>
Why Would this reboot my computer over and over, the batches folder is where the "directories.cmd file is . Is that what I should have it look for as your "apps" folder is? or should it look something else? What if the directories.cmd [a batch file that make subdirectories for install of programs in other partitions] file is in a subdir of the root directory?

Enclosed is my AutoUnattend.xml file saved as text edit it and send it back

Rbcc · Jun 12, 2025

Great support
Great support
Great support

garlin · Jun 12, 2025

Rbcc said:
<RunSynchronous>
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
<Order>1</Order>
<Description>Search for the unique folder name, and set the drive letter as a variable</Description>
<Path>cmd /c for %i in (D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %i\Batches setx /m USBDRIVE=%i:</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
<Description>Dirs</Description>
<Order>2</Order>
<Path>%USBDRIVE%\batches\Directories.cmd</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>
Why Would this reboot my computer over and over, the batches folder is where the "directories.cmd file is . Is that what I should have it look for as your "apps" folder is? or should it look something else? What if the directories.cmd [a batch file that make subdirectories for install of programs in other partitions] file is in a subdir of the root directory?

Enclosed is my AutoUnattend.xml file saved as text edit it and send it back

I feel we're in a losing battle over your editing skills. Dude....

Code:

<RunSynchronous>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>1</Order>
        <Description>Search for the unique folder name, and set the drive letter as a variable</Description>
        <Path>cmd /c for %i in (D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %i\Apps setx /m USBDRIVE=%i:</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>2</Order>
        <Path>cmd /c %USBDRIVE%\scripts\batch.cmd</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>

Rbcc · Jun 12, 2025

In the next picture [pic1]you should 3 directories with programs I want to install . the picture shows my root of the ISO and the batch file to run the subsequent files are in a directory called "Batches". should there one

Code:

<RunSynchronous>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>1</Order>
        <Description>Search for the unique folder name, and set the drive letter as a variable</Description>
        <Path>cmd /c for %i in (D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %i\Apps setx /m USBDRIVE=%i:</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>2</Order>
        <Path>cmd /c %USBDRIVE%\scripts\batch.cmd</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>

For each batch file that runs the other files? Should I just make an empty directory and have it search for it?

garlin · Jun 12, 2025

After you set the %USBDRIVE% or %DRIVE% environment variable, you can add as many <RunSynchronousCommands> as you want.

Code:

<RunSynchronous>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>1</Order>
        <Description>Search for the unique folder name, and set the drive letter as a variable</Description>
        <Path>cmd /c for %i in (D E F G H I J K L N M O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z) do if exist %i\Batches setx /m DRIVE=%i:</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>2</Order>
        <Path>cmd /c %DRIVE%\Batches\script1.bat</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>3</Order>
         <Path>cmd /c %DRIVE%\Batches\script2.bat</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
    <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
        <Order>4</Order>
        <Path>cmd /c %DRIVE%\Batches\script3.bat</Path>
    </RunSynchronousCommand>
</RunSynchronous>

Rbcc · Jun 13, 2025

OFF TOPIC: If I use drive letters for a MSR, System and WinRE will it crash? Also, Can I use Drive letter "A" in the XML File! John

garlin · Jun 13, 2025

Rbcc said:
OFF TOPIC: If I use drive letters for a MSR, System and WinRE will it crash? Also, Can I use Drive letter "A" in the XML File! John

Drive_letter

Specifies the drive letter to apply to a partition. Drive_letter is an uppercase letter, C through Z. If you do not specify a letter, this setting defaults to the first available letter from C through Z.

garlin · Jun 14, 2025

So adding drive letters to EFI and WinRE partitions was kinda pointless, since they're still hidden and unmounted.

Rbcc · Jun 14, 2025

Can I run .cmd files through this you have a bat and mine is a cmd file. I using directories.cmd, should i change it directories.bat

Rbcc · Jun 14, 2025

I googled the error code and found that there is corrupt or missing file. Given that it is ran on VMware I decided to start over using 26200.5641 and trying cut my install.wim down from 12gig to about 8 gig by using NTlite and not putting in as many drivers . I think it maybe might be the size of install.wim. I will use what you say to do. I dont know what file is corrupt, Im getting my ISO from uup!

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