Windows 10 automated install

What is all this about?

The installation of systems (professional or private) is a tedious job. In general nobody enjoys this. Nowadays most private individuals also have at least 2 computers. In my case there are 3 PC's in my private office and 3 in my companie's office (I am the company owner). There are also 2 laptops. Mind you: I use these 8 PC's solely for my work and my hobby as a Linux developer.

It doesn't matter whether it's Linux, Windows or Mac OS: You need an automated installation if you want to avoid this waste of time. The installation of the system itself is usually not that much work - but installing and configuring the other applications (e.g. browser, email program, office package, etc.) is often very time-consuming.

Since I am forced to work with Windows on the desktop - for professional reasons - this collection of scripts / this HowTo is exclusively geared towards Windows - and that will not change either.

First I looked for a "professional" solution. Unfortunately I didn't find anything suitable. Sure - there is commercial software (so-called "enterprise" programs) but mostly these are bad or expensive or both or simply not available for normal users or small companies. I'm following the KISS principle privately and professionally - this is why complicated software (aka. bloatware) with agents, whistles and bells etc. pp. was out of the question.

Another major problem is the spying frenzy of software manufacturers. Yes - i mean you Microsoft! So this means primarily the removing of Windows 10 telemetry. But unsolicited updates, by third-party manufacturers, are just as plague. This project takes care of that problem - as far as possible - without impairing the functionality of the system in an intolerable manner. But what is still tolerable? This lies mostly in the eye of the beholder ...

Finally, there is the problem of obesity. Modern systems are getting fatter, slower, more complex and therefore uglier. The whole thing has now reached a level that is no longer acceptable for many users. That is why one of the core tasks of this project is to strip down Windows 10 as much as possible (without loosing to much functionality - see above). This also automatically results in a reduction of the attack surface (programs that do not exist cannot be attacked).

Project goals

• Provide an automated and unattended Windows 10 installation
• Remove Microsoft's Windows 10 telemetry (as far as possible)
• Remove other annyoing Microsoft "gimmicks" (for e.g.: "Hello" screen)
• Keep the installation stable (save install files to your local disk)
• Install the system OFFLINE (aka "airgapped")
• Install 3rd party software automatically
• Configure the system automatically
• Keep It Simple Stupid!

---

Please read this to get started!

IMPORTANT: This whole thing was crafted and tested with Windows 10 version 20H2 v1 english, 64-bit.
This is actually the only supported version!

What will you need to run this?

• a working Windows 10 installation
• a working commandline GIT client
• a windows ISO image or Windows Media creator
• some tools from Microsoft
• some other tools (curl, 7zip etc. pp.)

1. Setup your workspace

Note: This was tested with a standard Windows 10 installation (20H2 v1).

1.1 Create some directories

open cmd.exe and execute:

mkdir c:\tools
mkdir c:\temp

1.2 Set needed environment variables

set TOOLS=c:\tools
set T=c:\TEMP

Make them permanent (... in case you open a new cmd window):

setx TOOLS c:\tools
setx T c:\TEMP

2. Get/Install basic tools and software

2.1 Get 7-zip

7-ZIP Website

Download: https://www.7-zip.org/a/7z1900-x64.msi and save it in your "Downloads" folder.

Unpack the MSI with:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
move /Y 7z1900-x64.msi 7z-setup.msi
msiexec /a 7z-setup.msi TARGETDIR=%T%
cd ..

After extracting execute:

move /Y %T%\Files\7-Zip\7z.exe %TOOLS%
move /Y %T%\Files\7-zip\7z.dll %TOOLS%
del /S /Q /A %T%\7z-setup.msi 1>nul 2>nul
rd /S /Q %T%\Files

2.2 Get curl

CURL Website

Download: https://curl.se/windows/dl-7.75.0_3/curl-7.75.0_3-win64-mingw.zip and save it in your "Downloads" folder.

Copy curl.exe and libcurl.dll to the tools folder:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
move /Y curl*.zip curl.zip
%TOOLS%\7z -y -o%T%\curl e curl.zip
move /Y %T%\curl\curl.exe %TOOLS%
move /Y %T%\curl\libcurl*.dll %TOOLS%
move /Y %T%\curl\curl-ca-bundle.crt %TOOLS%
rd /S /Q %T%\curl
cd ..

2.3 Install GIT

GIT for windows website

Download with curl to software folder:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
%TOOLS%\curl -L https://github.com/git-for-windows/git/releases/download/v2.30.1.windows.1/Git-2.30.1-64-bit.exe --output git-setup.exe
cd ..

Create the GIT configfile for the setup program (use notepad):

[Setup]
Lang=default
Dir=c:\tools\git
Group=Git
NoIcons=1
SetupType=default
Components=gitlfs
Tasks=
EditorOption=CustomEditor
CustomEditorPath=notepad.exe
DefaultBranchOption= 
PathOption=CmdTools
SSHOption=OpenSSH
TortoiseOption=false
CURLOption=OpenSSL
CRLFOption=CRLFCommitAsIs
BashTerminalOption=ConHost
GitPullBehaviorOption=Merge
UseCredentialManager=Disabled
PerformanceTweaksFSCache=Disabled
EnableSymlinks=Disabled
EnablePseudoConsoleSupport=Disabled

Save it as c:\temp\install-git.txt

Execute the Git setup:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\Downloads
git-setup.exe /LOADINF=c:\temp\install-git.txt /NORESTART /NOCANCEL /SILENT /SUPPRESSMSGBOXES /CLOSEAPPLICATIONS
cd ..

Cleanup:

del /S /Q /A c:\temp\install-git.txt 1>nul

2.4 Modify system PATH

You need to extend your PATH variable with the following directories:

%TOOLS%
%TOOLS%\git\bin
%TOOLS%\git\usr\bin

Or (in case you are fine with our path settings) execute:

set PATH=%SYSTEMROOT%;%SYSTEMROOT%\system32;%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps;%TOOLS%;%TOOLS%\git\bin;%TOOLS%\git\usr\bin
setx PATH %SYSTEMROOT%;%SYSTEMROOT%\system32;%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\wbem;%SYSTEMROOT%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0;%LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WindowsApps;%TOOLS%;%TOOLS%\git\bin;%TOOLS%\git\usr\bin

3. Clone this repository

cd /D %USERPROFILE%
mkdir workspace\github
cd workspace\github
git clone https://github.com/mhgschmidt/w10install.git
cd w10install

4. Get essential building tools and software

You can download almost all needed software with the script "01_DownloadAll.cmd".

To do this execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
01_DownloadAll.cmd

4.1 Basic software

The "basic" software is needed to make this work.

Execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\software
download-from-source.cmd basic

Config file: basic.csv

4.2 Browser software

This contains firefox and some addons ...

To download it execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\software
download-from-source.cmd browser

Config file: browser.csv

4.3 Optional software

This contains optional software. For e.g.: Purebasic, TotalCommander, em-Client, Steam, Softmaker, Purebasic, Teams, Visual Studio Code etc. pp. ...

To download it execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\software
download-from-source.cmd optional

Config file: optional.csv

Notice: Purebasic is needed to compile the software in the folder "source". These tools are precompiled and i placed the compiled versions in the folder "tools" - but in case you want to make some changes you will have to install this. The free version is sufficient to compile these little machine programs. By the way: Purebasic is a really great Basic dialect. It is Ultrafast, produces really small executables, it's rock solid and you won't need such bullshit like "vbrun100.dll" (shame on you Microsoft) to execute these binaries. It was created by a french programmer (Frederic Laboureur). Please support them and buy a licence in case you like Purebasic!

4.4 Windows 10 ISO file

My actual work is based on the English version of Windows 20H2 v1 64-bit. So we will need the ISO-file: "Win10_20H2_English_x64.iso". You could:

• download it yourself from Microsoft,
• you could use the tool "MediaCreationTool20H2.exe" (provided in the folder "software")
• or you could use the "HeiDoc" Windows ISO Downloader

I prefer to use the Windows ISO downloader ("Windows-ISO-Downloader.exe" in the folder "software").

Just start it (no installation needed) and select "Windows 10" on the right side.

Select edition (left side) and choose "Windows 10 Home/Pro" from "Windows 10 Version 20H2 - October 2020".

Please DO NOT USE the v2 version! This is not tested yet (you have been warned)!

Click "Confirm".

Select "English"

Please DO NOT USE "International English" or some other language!

Click "Confirm"

Click "64-bit download"

Save the ISO file to the folder "software" in the folder "w10install" and wait for the download to finish.

5. Extract the Windows 10 ISO file

The ISO file must be extacted to the disk now. The files will be place in c:\temp. The script "02_ExtractIso.cmd" does all the work.

Just execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
02_ExtractIso.cmd software\Win10_20H2_English_x64.iso

6. Upload software to private FTP server

The internet is changing constantly. Software is changing at all times. URI's (files) disappear! Especially Microsoft has the habit to remove old versions of operating systems from their download servers. But 3rd parties do this too.

In fact: This was one of the main reasons why i created this: I wanted to have a source i can trust - a source that will not change until i say so.

So my advice is: upload the software to your own ftp server or create a local copy on some USB drive and most important: KEEP this copy for yourself!

Uploading all the software to your own server is easy. Just create the folder "personal" (in w10install) and put a config file named "ftpsettings.cmd" in it:

Example for w10install\ftpsettings.cmd:

FTP_SERVER=example.com
FTP_PATH=/path/to/directory/w10install/W1020H2v1
FTP_USER=myuser
FTP_PASS=mypass

The folder "personal" is also used by some other scripts in this project. You can place config files or license files in this folder (This will be described in detail in some other chapters). It may be a good idea to have this folder ("personal") as GIT repository on github or somewhere else - just my 50 cents.

Please notice: In the example i have chosen the path "... w10install/W1020H2v1". Best practice would be to have a folder for each Windows version (W1020H2v1). All files (including the iso file) should be put there - this makes sure that you have everything in one place for the case that you come back a year later or so and you want to create a new USB stick with a older Windows version - for testing purposes.

6.1 Upload ALL files to a private ftp server

Lets say you want to upload all browser related software to your private ftp server.

Execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\software
upload-to-ftp.cmd browser

The script reads the file "browser.csv" in folder "software" and uploads all files to your ftp server. The files will be uploaded in any case (the script is not checking the size of the file in the target or whether it's already present. This is a really dumb script - but IMHO there's no smarter way to do this in dos batch ...). This is the reason why i have created a script to upload single files (see next chapter).

6.2 Upload a SINGLE file to a private ftp server

Lets say you want to upload the driver software for the WFC5210 printer to your private ftp server.

Execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\software
upload-to-ftp-singlefile.cmd WFC5210-setup.exe

HINT: You can use this also to upload the ISO file to the ftp server.

6.3 Download software from a private FTP server

When you have uploaded the entire software to your private ftp server you can download it again on another workstation with the script "download-from-ftp.cmd" and you are then not dependent on any of the original sources. This is useful when files "disappear" "accidentally" or "unintentionally" from some server. That is also a reason why I programmed all of this here.

Just execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\software
download-from-ftp.cmd basic
download-from-ftp.cmd browser
download-from-ftp.cmd optional
download-from-ftp.cmd other

7. Install build tools

7.1 Windows ADK

This is needed to be able to edit the Microsoft XML files (needed for unattended installation) and for the creation of ISO files (last step in the build process - mainly needed for testing purposes).

To install it just execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\scripts
install-adk.cmd

7.2 Other tools

Creating a new windows image and removing "builtin" packages needs a tool called "install_wim_tweak". To install this tool an some others just execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install\scripts
unpack-zipfiles.cmd

8. Build the Windows Image for unattended installations

This is a very long running and CPU intensive task. I recommend a 3 GHZ six core machine with 16 GB RAM. Many things will be done here:

• extract the boot image (WIM file) and add tools to provide a boot menu etc. pp.
• extract Windows image (WIM file) and choose Windows 10 Pro version
• remove all apps from the windows image (except the Store app!)
• remove many packages from the windows image (including defender!)
• etc. pp.

Start cmd.exe as ADMINISTRATOR!

Execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
03_MakeAll.cmd

Be patient: This whole process could run 1 - 3 hours.

9. Create Boot media

This has to be done in 3 steps:

• format a media (USB stick)
• create a standard Windows 10 boot media
• copy everything (custom image, software, config) to the media

9.1 Format USB stick

Please use a fast USB 3 stick. The size should be 16 GB or more (you could use 8 GB but windows images are tending to get bigger and bigger. Additionally: We will copy lots of 3rd party software to the stick).

To create it execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
04_FormatStick.cmd

Choose the correct drive (this should be drive 1 or 2)

WARNING: Please be careful and make absolutely sure NOT TO DELETE any important data!

Example run:

====================
Format USB Stick ...
====================

Showing disk list ...

Microsoft DiskPart version 10.0.19041.610

Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation.
On computer: DESKTOP-NN1UC68

  Disk ###  Status         Size     Free     Dyn  Gpt
  --------  -------------  -------  -------  ---  ---
  Disk 0    Online          238 GB  1024 KB
  Disk 1    Online           14 GB      0 B

Leaving DiskPart...
Please select a disk: 1
OK using disk 1
Please enter a label for the new disk: W1020H2v1
WARNING ! This will DELETE ALL data on disk number [ 1 ]

REALLY delete disk 1 (Y/N)? y
READY.
USB stick formatted.

9.2 Prepare the USB stick

The next script needs the ISO file again and will prepare the boot media with all needed files EXCEPT the image files (boot.wim & install.esd). In case you need a standard image (unmodified) you will have to use the Microsoft "MediaCreationTool20H2.exe" included in the "software" folder.

Execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
05_PrepareStick.cmd D: software\Win10_20H2_English_x64.iso

Example run:

====================
Create USB Stick ...
====================
using drive D: ...
using image C:\Users\support\workspace\github\w10install\software\Win10_20H2_English_x64.iso ...
mounting disk image (iso) with powershell ...

[...]

copying files from image to targetpath D: ...

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   ROBOCOPY     ::     Robust File Copy for Windows
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[...]

unmounting disk image (iso) ...

[...]

READY.

9.3 Copy custom image to boot media

Now it's time to copy the custom windows image, alls scripts and additional 3rd party software to our boot media (USB stick).

Execute:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
06_Copy2Stick.cmd D:

IMPORTANT HINT: the script will ask for UEFI or BIOS mode. This means: In case you have a target machine that cannot boot in UEFI mode choose "BIOS" (or "B"). In all other cases UEFI may be a better choice. You can boot most modern boards in "BIOS" mode. Just enable "legacy" boot mode in you PC's firmware.

Example run:

=====================
Prepare USB Stick ...
=====================
using drive D: ...
BIOS or UEFI setup (B/U)? b
selected: BIOS
        1 file(s) copied.

copying [ boot.wim ] to drive D: ...

[...]

copying [ install_FINAL.esd ] to drive D: ...

[...]

        1 file(s) moved.
        1 file(s) moved.

copying folder [ tools ] to drive D: ...
[...]

copying folder [ software ] to D:\tools ...
[...]

copying folder [ scripts ] to D:\tools ...
[...]

copying folder [ source ] to D:\tools ...
[...]

copying folder [ optional ] to D:\tools ...
[...]

copying custom setup script to D: ...
        1 file(s) copied.
READY.

Congratulations!

Your customized windows image for UNATTENDED installation is READY now. Remove the USB stick and put it into a PC you want to install.

9.4 Create an ISO image

In case you need an ISO image you can create it with the following command:

cd /D %USERPROFILE%\workspace\github\w10install
07_MakeIso.cmd D:

Example run:

===================
Make ISO file ...
===================

using drive [ D: ] ...

OSCDIMG 2.56 CD-ROM and DVD-ROM Premastering Utility
Copyright (C) Microsoft, 1993-2012. All rights reserved.
Licensed only for producing Microsoft authorized content.


Scanning source tree (1000 files in 93 directories)
Scanning source tree complete (1090 files in 97 directories)

Computing directory information complete

Image file is 5697568768 bytes

Writing 1090 files in 97 directories to c:\temp\WIN10-AUTO.iso

100% complete

Final image file is 5699987456 bytes

Done.
READY.

Having an ISO image is useful for testing purposes or it maybe needed for a special use case - for e.g.: you want to install the system on some machine in the datacenter and the remote console needs an ISO image as boot media.

Notice: This step is one of the reasons why we need the Windows ADK. The binary "oscdimg" is included in this Microsoft package. "oscdimg" is used by "07_MakeIso.cmd" for creating the ISO image.