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Windows Setup Helper - Installation Guide

This guide will help you set up Windows Setup Helper on a new machine.

Table of Contents

Quick Start

For experienced users:

  1. Extract the project folder to your desired location
  2. Download a Windows 11/10 ISO
  3. Install Windows ADK + ADK PE add-on (matching your Windows version)
  4. Run BuildUI.bat to configure settings
  5. Press [S] to save, [R] to run the build

Prerequisites

Required Downloads

  1. Windows Installer ISO

  2. Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK)

    • CRITICAL: Version must match your Windows ISO version
    • See Extra/ADK-Versions.md for version compatibility and download links
    • Download and install:
      • Windows ADK
      • Windows PE add-on for ADK

System Requirements

  • Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • Administrator privileges (for building the ISO)
  • At least 10 GB free disk space
  • Recommended: 16 GB RAM or more

Installation

Method 1: From GitHub (Recommended)

git clone https://github.com/AZComputerGuru/windows-setup-helper.git
cd windows-setup-helper

Method 2: From ZIP Archive

  1. Extract the windows-setup-helper.zip to your desired location
  2. Example: C:\Projects\windows-setup-helper

Important Notes:

  • Avoid paths with spaces or special characters
  • Recommended location: Root of C: drive or a simple path
  • Avoid OneDrive/Cloud synced folders (large ISO files)

First-Time Configuration

Using BuildUI.bat (Recommended for Beginners)

  1. Navigate to the project folder

    cd C:\Path\To\windows-setup-helper

  2. Run BuildUI.bat (no admin needed for configuration)

    BuildUI.bat

  3. Configure your paths using the menu:

    • Press 1 to set Source ISO path
      • Example: E:\ISOs\Windows11.iso
    • Press 2 to set Media extraction path
      • Example: E:\Windows Images\11
      • This needs ~8 GB free space
    • Press 3 to set Output ISO path
      • Example: E:\Output\Windows11-Custom.iso
    • Press 4 to set Extra files path (optional)
      • Example: E:\CustomTools

  4. Configure build steps (5-C):

    • Toggle steps on [X] or off [ ] as needed
    • Default settings work for most users

  5. Save and Run:

    • Press S to save settings to Build.bat
    • Press R to run the build (requires admin)

Manual Configuration (Advanced)

Edit Build.bat directly:

set sourceiso=E:\Windows Images\Windows 11 25H2 MCT 2510.iso
set mediapath=E:\Windows Images\11
set outputiso=E:\Windows Images\Windows11.iso
set extrafiles=E:\Windows Images\Additions

Building Your First ISO

Step-by-Step Process

  1. Ensure prerequisites are installed:

    • ✓ Windows ADK (correct version)
    • ✓ Windows PE add-on for ADK
    • ✓ Source Windows ISO downloaded

  2. Configure BuildUI.bat (see above)

  3. Run the build:

    • From BuildUI.bat: Press R
    • Or run Build.bat directly as Administrator
    • Or right-click Build.bat → Run as Administrator

  4. Monitor the process:

    • Extract ISO: ~5-10 minutes
    • Mount WIM: ~2-5 minutes
    • Copy Files: ~1 minute
    • Add Packages: ~10-15 minutes
    • Unmount/Commit: ~5-10 minutes
    • Make ISO: ~5 minutes
    • Total time: ~30-45 minutes (varies by system)

  5. Build complete!

    • Output ISO location: As configured in settings
    • Use Rufus to create bootable USB

Directory Structure

windows-setup-helper/
├── Build.bat              # Main build script
├── BuildUI.bat            # Configuration UI
├── BuildTools/            # UI framework dependencies
├── Helper/                # Main helper files
│   ├── Main.au3          # AutoIt main script
│   ├── Apps/             # WinGet app installers
│   ├── Scripts/          # Post-install scripts
│   ├── Tools/            # WinPE tools
│   └── PEAutoRun/        # Scripts that run at WinPE boot
├── Windows/               # Font and system files
├── Extra/                 # Documentation and assets
└── README.md             # Project documentation

Adding Custom Tools/Scripts

Adding Tools (Available in WinPE)

  1. Place executables in Helper/Tools/
  2. They'll appear in the WinPE Tools menu

Adding Post-Install Scripts

  1. Place scripts in Helper/Scripts/ or Helper/Apps/
  2. Select them during automated install
  3. They run after Windows installation completes

Adding Drivers

  1. Place driver files in Helper/PEAutoRun/Drivers/
  2. They'll be installed to WinPE automatically

Troubleshooting

Build.bat fails with "Media path not found"

  • Check that mediapath is set correctly
  • Ensure the parent folder exists
  • Path should not include trailing slash

DISM errors during build

  • Verify ADK version matches Windows ISO version
  • Run as Administrator
  • Check available disk space (need ~10 GB free)

Can't find boot.wim

  • Ensure ISO extraction completed successfully
  • Check mediapath\sources\boot.wim exists
  • Re-run with Extract ISO step enabled

Output ISO won't boot

  • Verify BIOS/UEFI settings on target machine
  • Try different USB creation tool (Rufus recommended)
  • Rebuild ISO with all steps enabled

Advanced Configuration

Using ExtraFiles

Create a separate folder for your custom additions:

E:\MyCustomizations\
├── Helper\
│   ├── Tools\
│   │   └── MyTool.exe
│   └── Scripts\
│       └── MyScript.bat

Set extrafiles=E:\MyCustomizations in Build.bat

These files will be copied OVER the project files, allowing you to:

  • Add your own tools/scripts
  • Override default configurations
  • Keep customizations separate from the main project

Customizing autounattend.xml

Edit Helper\autounattend.xml to customize:

  • Language and timezone
  • Computer name pattern
  • Administrator password
  • Domain join settings
  • Partition schemes

Support

What's Different in This Fork?

This fork includes:

  • ✨ BuildUI.bat - Easy configuration interface
  • 🧹 Removed VNC components
  • 🐛 Fixed typos in Main.au3
  • 📝 Updated documentation

License

See LICENSE file in the project root.

Ready to build? Run BuildUI.bat and start customizing your Windows installer!