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How to add a script module

Some modules ship a PowerShell script (*.ps1) instead of a one-line XML setting. Adding one to your autounattend.xml is always the same two steps.

1. Ship the script — add a <File> node

Inside <Extensions> (next to the other <File> nodes), paste a node whose body is the entire content of the module's .ps1:

<File path="C:\Windows\Setup\Scripts\NAME.ps1"><![CDATA[
... paste the whole .ps1 here ...
]]></File>

(NAME.ps1 = the script's file name, given in the module's README.)

2. Call it at the right anchor

Each script runs at one of three points. Find the matching anchor comment in the base and add the call right after it. The module's README says which anchor to use.

Anchor (a comment in the base) When it runs Order to use Use for
[InDows:module] default-user-scripts specialize, default-user hive loaded 6–49 per-user settings (HKEY_USERS\DefaultUser)
[InDows:module] specialize-scripts specialize, after the hive is unloaded 51+ HKLM, services, DISM, AppX removal
[InDows:module] first-logon-scripts first logon (live session) 3+ DNS, GPU, devices

The specialize and default-user anchors sit in a RunSynchronous sequence with numbered Orders. The base reserves: 1–4 = setup + DefaultUser.ps1, 5 = InDows base tweaks, 50 = unload the default-user hive. So the window matters:

  • default-user-scripts runs before the unload → pick an Order in 6–49 (the hive is loaded).
  • specialize-scripts runs after the unload → pick 51+ (the hive is gone — HKLM only there).
  • Adding several modules to the same anchor? Give each its own number (7, 8, 9…). Duplicates are rejected.
<RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
  <Order>10</Order>
  <Path>powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Windows\Setup\Scripts\NAME.ps1"</Path>
</RunSynchronousCommand>

The first-logon anchor sits in FirstLogonCommands — use <SynchronousCommand> / <CommandLine> instead (Order 3+, since the base uses 1 and 2):

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
  <Order>3</Order>
  <CommandLine>powershell.exe -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Windows\Setup\Scripts\NAME.ps1"</CommandLine>
</SynchronousCommand>

Per-user (default-user) scripts write to HKEY_USERS\DefaultUser — the base keeps that hive loaded from Order 3 until the Order 50 unload, so a 6–49 command lands inside that window and every new user inherits the settings. Don't use HKCU there (no user exists yet).

Each script writes a small log to C:\Windows\Temp\InDows-<module>.log for troubleshooting.