Unattended automatic installation of Server 2008 Enterprise

[Charles]

Has anyone gotten the autounattended install of Server 2008 Enterprise to
work from the training materials?

I'm working on Chapter 2, and diverting into the AIK so that I can create a
custom image to go with the Windows Deployment Services study, and I can't
get the master machine to autoinstall. The AIK is for Vista, but the catalog
file is from the Server2008 DVD, and it validates just fine.

It just doesn't do an unattended install. I've tried it on both a floppy
and on a USB stick, and the respective devices are read, but the install
keeps prompting for user input that it *should* be getting from the
autounattend.xml file.

I've even tried "autounattended.xml" for the file name (the training
material is not consistent), and it still doesn't work.

[Charles]

Post by Charles
Has anyone gotten the autounattended install of Server 2008 Enterprise to
work from the training materials?
I'm working on Chapter 2, and diverting into the AIK so that I can create a
custom image to go with the Windows Deployment Services study, and I can't
get the master machine to autoinstall. The AIK is for Vista, but the catalog
file is from the Server2008 DVD, and it validates just fine.
It just doesn't do an unattended install. I've tried it on both a floppy
and on a USB stick, and the respective devices are read, but the install
keeps prompting for user input that it *should* be getting from the
autounattend.xml file.
I've even tried "autounattended.xml" for the file name (the training
material is not consistent), and it still doesn't work.

O.K. Issue #1 resolved. The AIK, in preparing the autounattend.xml, does
not assign a default value to "LoadFrom" parameter to the file. Because it
is not specified, the install proceeds manually.

To specify, add the value
"x86-Microsoft-setup_neutral/ImageInstall/OSImage/InstallFrom" key, value of
your DVD drive, to the WindowsPE section of the answer file. Although a
default parameter of "D:\" would be valid in all cases where there is only
one physical hard disk, you can confirm this by booting to the Install CD,
choosing to Repair, dropping to the command prompt, and then using DiskPart
to confirm the drive letter assigned to the DVD.

Issue #2 to resolve. The automated install now stalls on the Product Key
screen because I can't find the key in my kit. Anyone got one?