How would you guys recommend setting up windows to install in such a way where things like vlc and adobe reader will automatically install. I was hoping there would be a way to make this not hardware specific so that I could plug in the windows installation flash drive into a variety of hardware, which is why I don’t just go with a windows image. Then just walk away from it for 20-30 minutes and come back and have the applications installed and the windows installation ready to go with all the basic software. Bonus points if there is a way to remove the default windows software like candy crush, mine craft and things of that nature.
You could automate various things with the command-line + powershell.
For a lot of software, you can get a basic installation done with Ninite, or automate the entire installation part with chocolatey.
For various default app removal, again CMD and PS scripts will do you wonders.
Is there a way to setup windows without sitting and pressing next with cortana?
The entire windows setup in general?
I would look at script base deployment software for that need.
I can’t help you there as I’ve never looked into or tested a free or open sourced based one.
install/update windows on a computer as normal. do not enter the license key
install all wanted programs.
pull the drive and put in a external enclosure (you could clone to or make an image on an external drive with cloning software)
plug in the external drive to computer 2 ,clone the external drive to the internal drive (or restore the image)
reboot computer 2 to its hard drive
follow this guide to enter the license key and activate
move to the next computer and repeat.
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This is good, but can run into issues on different hardware. If you don’t have the required drivers loaded at boot, it will fail. SysPrep then bringing the image into an installer might be a better option.
EDIT: this article is likely to be helpful for OP
https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/manufacture/desktop/deploy-a-custom-image
i had thought of that, but you still need to run the out of box experience , which might be ok for the OP.
without the windows key, and if you do not connect to the internet, it should work on most hardware. run windows update later after you clone all the boxes , or better use wsusoffline or wsus to update them all.
this is so you dont kill your internet connection with say 10 boxes all hitting WU at once.
in fact you could use wsusoffline to update the original install before cloning/imaging.
I think the unattended.xml can help you skip the OOBE.
I suppose this is true. I don’t have too much information on windows TBH, I just had to do something similar for a client a while back. I used sysprep and unattended.
WSUS requires CAL, so wsusoffline might be better. You can create the update package and put it on a NAS for optimal network congestion.