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Generate autounattend.xml files for Windows 10/11

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215 points nixass | 8 comments | 29 Mar 25 20:44 UTC | HN request time: 0.956s | source | bottom
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juujian ◴[01 Apr 25 19:21 UTC] No.43550436[source]▶
The level of workarounds that windows requires never cease to amaze me.
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EvanAnderson ◴[01 Apr 25 19:38 UTC] No.43550601[source]▶
Workarounds to what?

Windows, just like any other operating system, has its set of contrivances for different functions (in this case automated installation). Having used RedHat Kickstart I don't see it as hugely different.

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whalesalad ◴[01 Apr 25 20:57 UTC] No.43551258[source]▶
have you tried installing win11 and creating an account without internet access?

After their most recent shenanigans, the writing is on the wall, the nails are in the coffin - https://www.pcgamer.com/software/operating-systems/microsoft...

They've disabled the ability to finish Windows installation without having an internet connection and connecting your Microsoft account.

> According to a Windows Insider blog post announcing Preview build 26200.5516 (KB5054687) the bypassnro.cmd script has been removed in order to "enhance security and user experience of Windows 11."

> "This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account."

lol.

Never been a better time to jump ship to Linux, honestly. I held out for ages because I was a princess and wanted everything to be perfect. I used Linux 24x7 as an admin and developer, but from afar and never locally as my daily driver. Finally bit the bullet July '23 and it has been nothing but smooth sailing.

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1. EvanAnderson ◴[01 Apr 25 21:05 UTC] No.43551327[source]▶
I just deployed three new Windows 11 Pro machines yesterday (two HP, one Dell) with local accounts. The HP OEM image was pre-24H2 so it doesn't count, but the Dell machine was 24H2.

I booted to the OOBE, hit <SHIFT>-<F10>, ran:

   REG ADD HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\OOBE /v BypassNRO /t REG_DWORD /d 1

   shutdown -r -t 1 -f
Waited for the machine to reboot and ran thru the OOBE w/o connecting to a network. Once I got logged-on w/ my local account connected to the Wi-Fi and joined the Active Directory domain.
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2. bayindirh ◴[01 Apr 25 21:29 UTC] No.43551531[source]▶
Sorry to be blunt, but if this is not a workaround, then I don't know what is.
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3. easton ◴[01 Apr 25 21:44 UTC] No.43551648[source]▶
Does pro not have the “domain join instead” option in OOBE anymore? It definitely used to, and Enterprise does.

I don’t understand how you’d domain join otherwise.

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4. EvanAnderson ◴[01 Apr 25 21:52 UTC] No.43551704[source]▶
Pro doesn't have an option to join a domain in the default OOBE. I think that went away in some iteration of 10.

Pro definitely doesn't because the above procedure is what I always have to do to get joined to a domain without creating or using a Microsoft Account. (And then I've got a local account to clean up.)

5. EvanAnderson ◴[01 Apr 25 21:53 UTC] No.43551720[source]▶
Yes-- that particular procedure is a workaround. My first post was asking why unattended installation, arguably a feature, is some kind of "workaround".
6. preciousoo ◴[01 Apr 25 22:35 UTC] No.43552005[source]▶
you can also do ipconfig /release in some contexts (works in hyperv but never in the real world for some reason sigh)
7. thesuitonym ◴[02 Apr 25 17:49 UTC] No.43559299[source]▶
I don't think this is the way it should be, but just to answer your question, you'd go through the normal setup for a single user PC, then join AD in the Settings app.
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8. EvanAnderson ◴[02 Apr 25 19:11 UTC] No.43560377{3}[source]▶
Older versions of Windows allowed domain join in the OOBE. It was handy.