Windows 10 Black screen during oobe after network setup if any software was installed

[Daniel J. (HCI QA)]

I've got a small problem and I've search all day and not found anyone describing this particular issue.

I'm creating a VM template to use in our lab based on Windows 10 (same behavior in 1709, 1803 and now 1809).

We have put together an unattend.xml file to use for the basic image sysprep, I'll include the file contents at the end of this post.

Here are the steps I'm using to create the image:

1) Boot the VM with the ISO mounted and let the install happen normally.

2) when the vm reboots and starts the OOBE process, I'll press <CTRL>+<SHIFT>+F3 and drop into audit mode

3) While in audit mode:

a) Change my proxy settings for the system

b) Update NTP server used for time

c) Place my LayoutModification.xml file in the adminstrators profile (I'll post the contents at the end as well)


Here is where things start to go sideways.


If I leave the image alone at this point making no more changes than described above and run sysprep on this basic image, I can clone the VM, start the new VM and the VM will boot all the way into Windows correctly.


If I install any other software into the image at this point and sysprep, the VM will start the OOBE process, get through a few reboots and the Network setup section, then produce a black screen with no cursor. If I reboot the system, the process will start again and I'll see the HI message then the VM boots all the way into the OS and works like expected.


Problem is that I can't have a VM hang like that in the middle of automated deployment for automated tests.

The sysprep works just fine with Windows Server 2016 allowing me to install any software that installs to All Users, but the process won't work for Windows 10 LTSC or earlier.


I'm at the point where I've cloned the image, tried installing all the software that used to work one at a time and every piece of software causes the hang to occur.


Can anyone help me with this one? I've found lots of information about black screens during deployment but they all are for a different reason. I can get OOBE to run when I don't install any other software into the windows image before sysprep, but any software installed causes a black screen hang. I'm not using any deployment services, just wish to have a very simple VM template I can deploy over and over for various testing purposes.


Here is the contents of my unattend.xml and layoutmodification.xml files.

As you can see they are very basic.


unattend.xml:


<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<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">
<RegisteredOrganization>Company</RegisteredOrganization>
<RegisteredOwner>User</RegisteredOwner>
<TimeZone>Mountain Standard Time</TimeZone>
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
<ProductKey>productkey-removed</ProductKey>
</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">
<OOBE>
<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
<HideLocalAccountScreen>true</HideLocalAccountScreen>
<HideOEMRegistrationScreen>true</HideOEMRegistrationScreen>
<HideOnlineAccountScreens>true</HideOnlineAccountScreens>
<HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
</OOBE>
<UserAccounts>
<AdministratorPassword>
<Value>password-removed</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</AdministratorPassword>
</UserAccounts>
<AutoLogon>
<Password>
<Value>password-removed</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Enabled>true</Enabled>
<LogonCount>5</LogonCount>
<Username>administrator</Username>
</AutoLogon>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" 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">
<InputLocale>en-US</InputLocale>
<SystemLocale>en-US</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
<UserLocale>en-US</UserLocale>
<UILanguageFallback>en-US</UILanguageFallback>
</component>
</settings>
<cpifflineImage cpi:source="wim:c:/win10aik/en_windows_10_enterprise_ltsc_2019_x64_dvd_74865958/sources/install.wim#Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>



layoutmodification.xml:


<LayoutModificationTemplate xmlns:defaultlayout="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout" xmlns:start="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout" Version="1" xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification">
<LayoutOptions StartTileGroupCellWidth="6" />
<DefaultLayoutOverride>
<StartLayoutCollection>
<defaultlayout:StartLayout GroupCellWidth="6">
<start:Group Name="">
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Remote Desktop Connection.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="4" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Windows PowerShell\Windows PowerShell.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Snipping Tool.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="4" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Control Panel.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="0" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Internet Explorer.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="4" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Command Prompt.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="4" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools\Event Viewer.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="0" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Accessories\Notepad.lnk" />
<startesktopApplicationTile Size="2x2" Column="2" Row="2" DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Administrative Tools\Computer Management.lnk" />
</start:Group>
</defaultlayout:StartLayout>
</StartLayoutCollection>
</DefaultLayoutOverride>
<CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection PinListPlacement="Replace">
<defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
<taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk" />
<taskbaresktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\Command Prompt.lnk" />
</taskbar:TaskbarPinList>
</defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout>
</CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection>
</LayoutModificationTemplate>

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