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        UI for creating answer files for Vista

Section(s): Deployment
Published on Sep 02, 2008.
Last Modified on Jul 03, 2008.
Last Modified by Mitch Tulloch.
Rated 3.5 out of 5 based on 2 votes.

Here’s an online site you can use to create answer files for installing Vista

The supported method for creating answer files for unattended installation of Windows Vista is to use the Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM). You could also create answer files manually using Notepad if you wanted to, but you’d better validate your answer files using Windows SIM since XML syntax can be messy to work with by hand.

Here’s a third alternative I’ve found: this web page lets you create a Vista answer file by making your selections using a forms-based interface. Two caveats: there are only a limited number of settings you can configure, and I can’t vouch for the group who maintains this page as I don’t know them, so this recommendation is presented to you as-is with no guarantees!

For more information on deploying Vista, see my series of articles titled Deploying Vista right here on WindowsNetworking.com.

About Mitch Tulloch

Mitch Tulloch was lead author for the Windows Vista Resource Kit from Microsoft Press, which is the book for IT pros who want to deploy, maintain and support Windows Vista in mid- and large-sized network environments. Mitch was also the author of Introducing Windows Server 2008 and technical project lead for the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Resource Kit, both books also from Microsoft Press. For more information on these and other books by Mitch, see www.mtit.com .