Windows 2012 answer file and DVD drive letter

Question

Hi
my question is about applying unattend XML file into a Wim file. I have read other thread here but still I  can't get it to work. so here is the situation:
I have installed windows 2012  then I have SYSPREPed it and then I created a WIM file with DISM tool and then I have a very simple answer file. I use DISM to mount the image and then use DISM /apply-unattend to push my answerfile into my WIM file. now
the issue is, when I load this image into a VM using DISM tool, everything goes fine and when the server comes up for the first time I see the language setting page asking for "Country or region" and "App Language" and "keyboard layout"
when I hit next , it asks for license agreement and after confirming that one, I can login to windows. How I can hide those 2 windows. my small answer files is :
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core-WinPE" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS"
xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SetupUILanguage>
<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
                <WillShowUI>Never</WillShowUI>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <UserData>
                <AcceptEula>true</AcceptEula>
            </UserData>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <TimeZone>Mountain Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <TimeZone>Mountain Standard TIme</TimeZone>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:c:/win2012/install.wim#Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARD" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>
can somebody please let me know what am I doing wrong? I was assuming after applying unattanded xml file, when I do DISM /apply-image it gonna use my answer file....
I have one more question as well:
in 2012, I change DVD drive letter from D to Z and then I sysprep it. in target VM when I load my image, DVD drive is D again.
I guess when sysprep generalize everything, DVD drive get detected again and windows assign first available letter to it. my second question is : is there any way to make drive letter setting stays the same in target computer?
Your help is much appreciated!

Answer 1

Hi,
Where did you put the answer file? Windows has several places to check the files, you can refer to the following article, notice Implicit Answer File Search Order.
Windows Setup Automation Overview
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/library/hh824950.aspx
For DVD drive letter, I think you can assign it via a script with diskpart command:
Assign, change, or remove a drive letter
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-in/library/cc757491(v=ws.10).aspx#BKMK_CMD
Include a Custom Script in a Windows PE Image
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766521(v=ws.10).aspx
Hope this helps.