Windows 10 USB install "Windows cannot read the <Product Key> from the unattend start file"

Question

I've got my Windows 10 iso from MSDN. I created a bootable USB with it. I go to actually install, and I get an error:

I've used the same iso before when burned to a disc. I'm not trying to install on VM or anything, so my googling has resulted in no answer that has helped. Is there something I can edit or change in the iso to get around this?

BTW, I'm installing on a laptop that doesn't have a DVD drive, thus the USB install.

Answer 1

I've been experiencing this issue and I haven't been able to find anything useful on google at all. I've been able to bypass this error message by creating an unattend.xml with just the product keys in it. Here's what it looks like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="windowsPE">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<UserData>
<ProductKey>
<Key>W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX</Key>
</ProductKey>
</UserData>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-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">
<UserData>
<ProductKey>
<Key>W269N-WFGWX-YVC9B-4J6C9-T83GX</Key>
</ProductKey>
</UserData>
</component>
</settings>
</unattend>

Copy the above xml into a new file called autounattend.xml and place the file into the root directory of your USB/DVD.

The product key it uses is a default upgrade key. I've been able to install windows and change my product key once installed using this method.

Answer 2

You should eject all media from the computer you are trying to install on.
I ejected the cd-rom/dvd i had in there and it worked.

Answer 3

I've been struggling with this same issue trying to install Windows 10 on a Mac using BootCamp. Turns out I downloaded the wrong Windows 10 ISO - I had the x86 version, not the x64 version.

All the components in the autoattend.xml file are configured for specific processor architectures - so if you end up with an x86 installer that's got an autoattend.xml file intended for x64 systems, nothing works. I've just run through the same process using the correct ISO and it's worked first time.

Answer 4

Check if there is any file in the root of the USB called "autounattend.xml" or something similar, if you find it just delete it and try again.

If you still having problems you can try to get the ISO from the official Microsoft page and not from MSDN, also try to use Rufus to create the booteable USB installation drive.

Hope this help.

Answer 5

Try putting the product key into the "Specialize" settings pass instead of the WindowsPE settings pass. That has worked for me in the past, despite instructions to put it where you did.

Answer 6

Solution:

1. Power of the VM machine

2. Go to the settings of your VM - System - Boot Order - Uncheck Floppy

3. Press OK

4. Go to the folder where your VM is stored (default is Home - VirtualBox VMs)

5. Delete all 3 files that start with "Unattended"

6. Power on the VM machine

7. Click OK on the warning

8. Press any key to continue

All done, now it should work as normal.

Credit: https://www.reddit.com/r/virtualbox/comments/1c1o605/error_installing_windows_windows_cannot_read_the/