Customizing a Nano image using unattend.xml file

To customize Nano Server using DISM so you can manage it remotely, you need to set an administrator password.

The simplest way is using an unattend.xml file, as shown in the following example:

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?> 
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance"> 
 
<settings pass="offlineServicing"> 
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS"> 
<ComputerName>NanoServer01</ComputerName> 
</component> 
</settings> 
 
<settings pass="oobeSystem"> 
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS"> 
<UserAccounts> 
<AdministratorPassword> 
<Value>Passw0rd!</Value> 
<PlainText>true</PlainText> 
</AdministratorPassword> 
</UserAccounts> 
<TimeZone>Romance Standard Time</TimeZone> 
</component> 
</settings> 
 
<settings pass="specialize"> 
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS"> 
<RegisteredOwner>My Team</RegisteredOwner> 
<RegisteredOrganization>My Corporation</RegisteredOrganization> 
</component> 
</settings> 
</unattend> 

In this sample, the unattend.xml file does not add the Nano Server to a domain. Therefore, you should use it if you want to run the Nano Server as a standalone machine or if you want to wait and join it later to a domain. The values for ComputerName and AdministratorPassword are merely examples.

The unattend.xml file must be placed under the C:\Windows\panther folder in the Nano Server image.