I have used System Image Manager to create an unattended XML answer file, which I have written to a Windows 7 DVD. This contains almost all system configuration, but deliberately does not include username or password for the installed system - I want the user to enter these, at the console, during setup.
However, I then run some post-install scripts, some of which reboot the machine and continue after the reboot. This means the user has to log in multiple times during the installation - and since some scripts take a while to run, this is quite inconvenient. Because of this, I'm looking for a way to enable auto-login after the install.
However, all the examples I can find only support using a username/password which is set in the answer file, not supplied by the user. Am I missing something obvious, or can anyone think of any clever workaround for this?
I have tried adding a FirstLogonCommand
to the oobeSystem pass, which uses %USERNAME%
and %USERPASSWORD%
to enable autologin via Sysinternals "Autologon" utility, but found that %USERPASSWORD%
was not expanded. Is there a way of finding this information?
The only other workaround I can think of is to run my post-install scripts before any user logs in, probably by creating a service. This would increase complexity though - I'd much rather have them running interactively and visibly in a user session.
(Edit: Perhaps it's relevant to mention that I am not using an AD domain here either).