AdministratorPassword
AdministratorPassword specifies the administrator password and whether it is hidden in the unattended installation answer file.
To configure a blank administrator password for Windows 7, write an empty string in Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM), by right-clicking the Value setting, and then selecting Write Empty String.
Warning
Creating a blank administrator password is a security risk.
By default, the built-in administrator account is disabled in all default clean installations.
You can enable the built-in administrator account during unattended installations, by setting the AutoLogon/Username to Administrator. This enables the built-in administrator account, even if a password is not specified in the AdministratorPassword setting.
If no values are set for the administrator password and Username is not set to Administrator, the administrator account is disabled.
Both Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | Autologon and Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | UserAccounts | AdministratorPassword sections are now needed for autologon in audit mode to work. Both of these settings should be added to the auditSystem configuration pass.
Note
For Windows Server 2008, if you run the sysprep command with the generalize option, the built-in administrator account can no longer access any Encrypting File System (EFS)-encrypted files, personal certificates, and stored passwords for websites or network resources.
Password Requirements for User Accounts in Windows Server 2008
The built-in Administrator must have a password and that password must be changed at first logon. This will prevent the built-in Administrator account from having a blank password by default.
The default password policy requires the creation of a complex password for all user accounts. During installation of Windows Server 2008, Setup prompts you to configure a complex password. Attempting to configure a non-complex password, either manually or by using a script, such as the net command, will fail.
Sysprep sets a blank password for the built-in administrator account during the sysprep /generalize process. The next time the computer starts, you, or the end user, are prompted for a password. You can automate configuration of the password by creating an answer file to use with Sysprep that specifies a value for the Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | UserAccounts | AdministratorPassword unattended Setup setting.
OEMs and system builders are required to retain the default password policy of their Windows Server 2008 computers. However, corporate customers are permitted to change the default password policy.
A corporate customer can configure a non-complex password for the built-in administrator account during an unattended installation by specifying the desired value for Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | UserAccounts | AdministratorPassword.
Child Elements
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| PlainText | Specifies whether the AdministratorPassword is hidden in the unattended installation answer file. |
| Value | Specifies the AdministratorPassword. |
Valid Configuration Passes
auditSystem
oobeSystem
Parent Hierarchy
Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup | UserAccounts | AdministratorPassword
Applies To
For a list of the supported Windows editions and architectures that this component supports, see Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup.
XML Example
The following XML output shows how to set UserAccounts.
<UserAccounts>
<AdministratorPassword>
<Value>cAB3AEEAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAA==</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</AdministratorPassword>
</UserAccounts>