Useing Windows Deployment Service to install and activate your Dell OEM copy of windows 7

Hello Boys and Girls,

I spent the better part of 2 months figuring out how to install and active Dell OEM copies of Windows 7 using Windows Deployment Service on windows 2008 R2 server. 

The Idea behind this is if you get a large number of new Dell laptops and/or workstations you can use a blanket install image across the network for multiple computers at once. Pretty neat.

These instructions are designed around Dell Windows 7 64x laptops although the same concept may work on other brands. Also I'm only really going to talk about the OEM activation part because the rest of the process is really involved and would be easier to explain by breaking it up into multiple help docs.

So lets get started.

First things first you will need to copy the OEM cert and SLP.bat files from your Dell OEM CD. The OEM Cert is located on the CD under sources\$OEM$\$$\system32\OEM and is called OEM (XrML Digital License). slp.bat is located under sources\$OEM$\$$\setup\scripts. Copy these files to your Distribution share on your Windows Deployment Service server (make sure you allow Guest and Anonymous Logins to connect to this share). (Somewhere easy to find) Now this next part may seem strange and/or unnecessary but it is the method that gave me the best results. In your distro share crate 4 batch files.

The first one needs to run the command: mkdir C:\OEM (MakeOEM)

Next make one with this command: copy \\server\share\DellCert\slp.bat C:\OEM\ (CopySLP)

then: copy \\server\share\DellCert\OEM.xrm-ms C:\OEM\ (CopyCert)

and lastly: C:\OEM\slp.bat

After you have made your 4 Batch files you will need to edit slp.bat:

Currently it should look something like this:

cscript %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs -ilc %windir%\system32\oem\OEM.xrm-ms
cscript %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs -ipk 32KD2-K9CTF-M3DJT-4J3WC-733WD

but seeing as our OEM folder will be located under C:\ we will need to change it to this:

cscript %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs -ilc C:\OEM\OEM.xrm-ms
cscript %windir%\system32\slmgr.vbs -ipk 32KD2-K9CTF-M3DJT-4J3WC-733WD

Now after you have done that its time to edit your Answer File. 

Under the OOBE pass in your answer file add:

Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral

  FirstLogonCommands

   SynchronousCommand(Order="1")

     Action- AddListItem

     CommandLine- \\server\share\dellcert\makeOEM.bat

     Description- Make OEM Folder

     Order- 1

     RequiresUserInput- True

   SynchronousCommand(Order="2")

     Action- AddListItem

     CommandLine- \\server\share\DellCert\copyslp.bat

     Description- Copy slp.bat to share folder

     Order- 2

     RequiresUserInput- True

   SynchronousCommand(Order="3")

     Action- AddListItem

     CommandLine- \\server\share\DellCert\copycert.bat

     Description- Copy Dell Cert

     Order- 3

     RequiresUserInput- True

   SynchronousCommand(Order="4")

     Action- AddListItem

     CommandLine- \\server\share\DellCert\Runslp.bat

     Description- Run slp.bat

     Order- 4

     RequiresUserInput- True

After you are done making changes to your answer file save it then in server manager under roles, Windows Deployment Services, select your server and your install image right click on the image you plan to use select properties check the box that says "Allow image to install in unattended mode" then click select file and find your answer and click open then click OK, Alppy, and OK.

Now your install should use the Dell OEM Cert and activate after your first login.

Let me know if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer them. Also keep in mind this is just the OEM activation part of the install I might post more on the rest of it later If enough people want me to.