Since Windows Server 2003 SP2, we have a great tool at our disposal: the Windows Deployment Service.

This allows us to deploy WIM images. It can be interesting to deploy an OS automatically. This is possible with WDS (Windows deployment service) using response files.

In fact we will use two of them. You can download these two files here

WDSClientUnattend.xml. In the WinPE step we will add two components :

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE (amd64 can be replaced by  x86 for x86 system)

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Setup__neutral

ImageUnattend.xml. This time the stages that will be assigned components are the specialize and oobe system stage.

For the specialize step the necessary components are :

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-IE-InternetExplorer

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin

Pour l’étape oobe system les composants nécessaire sont :

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup

We now need to inform the server to use the files, to do this we will first copy the files to the WDSClientUnattend folder in the server’s working directory.

We are going to make a right click on the server then in the properties select the client tab.

We will select the WDSClientUnattend.xml file for the environment of the workstation(s) (32 or 64 bits).

Validate with the OK button and right-click on the installation image for which you want to automate the installation.

In the properties, check to allow the image to install in unattended mode and select the ImageUnattend.xml file.

You can now deploy the image, this operation will be done without any assistance (with the exception of the F12 when starting the workstation).