How do I skip the Personalize page (color & computername) during unattended Windows 8 setup?

Question

I'm currently setting up an unattended Windows 8 setup, but I'm stumbling upon and unable to skip the Personalize page.

The interesting part should be in the OOBE section, which is already populated with some <HideXXX>true</HideXXX> switches.

My unattend.xml:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
  <settings pass="windowsPE">
    <component xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS">
      <UserData>
        <ProductKey>
          <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI>
          <Key>GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9</Key>
        </ProductKey>
        <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
        <FullName>Company</FullName>
        <Organization>Company</Organization>
      </UserData>
      <UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
      <ImageInstall>
        <OSImage>
          <InstallToAvailablePartition>true</InstallToAvailablePartition>
          <InstallFrom>
            <MetaData>
              <Key>/IMAGE/Name</Key>
              <Value>Windows 8.1 Pro</Value>
            </MetaData>
          </InstallFrom>
        </OSImage>
      </ImageInstall>
    </component>
  </settings>
  <settings pass="specialize">
    <component xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS">
      <AutoLogon>
        <Password>
          <Value>cwB1AGasdfG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
          <PlainText>false</PlainText>
        </Password>
        <Enabled>true</Enabled>
        <LogonCount>2</LogonCount>
        <Username>newinstall</Username>
      </AutoLogon>
      <ProductKey>GCRJD-8NW9H-F2CDX-CCM8D-9D6T9</ProductKey>
      <RegisteredOrganization>Company</RegisteredOrganization>
      <RegisteredOwner>Company</RegisteredOwner>
      <TimeZone>GMT Standard Time</TimeZone>
    </component>
    <component xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS">
      <Identification>
        <JoinWorkgroup>WORKGROUP</JoinWorkgroup>
      </Identification>
    </component>
    <component xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS">
      <RunSynchronous>
        <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
          <Description>Setting Network Location</Description>
          <Path>reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList\Signatures\FirstNetwork" /v Category /t REG_DWORD /d 00000000 /f</Path>
          <Order>1</Order>
          <WillReboot>OnRequest</WillReboot>
        </RunSynchronousCommand>
      </RunSynchronous>
    </component>
  </settings>
  <settings pass="oobeSystem">
    <component xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS">
      <OOBE>
        <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
        <HideLocalAccountScreen>true</HideLocalAccountScreen>
        <HideOEMRegistrationScreen>true</HideOEMRegistrationScreen>
        <HideOnlineAccountScreens>true</HideOnlineAccountScreens>
        <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
        <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
        <ProtectYourPC>3</ProtectYourPC>
      </OOBE>
      <UserAccounts>
        <LocalAccounts>
          <LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
            <Password>
              <Value>cwB1AGasdfG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
              <PlainText>false</PlainText>
            </Password>
            <Name>newinstall</Name>
            <Group>Administrators</Group>
          </LocalAccount>
        </LocalAccounts>
      </UserAccounts>
    </component>
  </settings>
</unattend>

Related question: [AutoUnattend.xml Windows 8 setup](http://superuser.com/q/599161/289138) This article might be useful, too: [Corporate Identity / OEM Branding in Windows 8](http://myitforum.com/myitforumwp/2012/12/19/corporate-identity-oem-branding-in-windows-8/) — and31415, Aug 22 '14 at 15:14

score 0 · Answer 1 · edited Jun 18 '22 at 12:45

0

I found this, which seems to answer yours (and my) question:

In the Windows Image pane (bottom left):

Select component amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.2.9200.16384_neutral
Right-click and choose Add Setting to Pass 4 specialize
Using the Answer File Properties and Settings panes, configure the following settings:
- ComputerName: You can use a * for a random generated computer name
- RegisteredOwner
- TimeZone: Spell it out (e.g. Eastern Standard Time)

edited Jun 18 '22 at 12:45

JW0914

7,052
7
27
48

answered Jul 15 '15 at 17:50

Craig Hindall

101
4

Please include the answer instead of just linking to it. The link can disappear, basically voiding your answer. – freekvd Jul 15 '15 at 17:59
Although this may answer the question, you should give a more detailed description of the linked content and explain how it relates to the question. This will help ensure that this answer remains useful in the event the linked page is removed or goes offline. For more information, see [this Meta Stack Exchange post](http://meta.stackexchange.com/a/8259). – bwDraco Jul 16 '15 at 02:07
I appreciate the responses. TBH I answered it because it answered my question and was trying to quickly give someone else that information. In the future i will make sure that there is more information then just a link. I completely understand the reasons behind such a requirement :) – Craig Hindall Jul 17 '15 at 17:41

How do I skip the Personalize page (color & computername) during unattended Windows 8 setup?

1 Answers1