Exam AZ-104 topic 1 question 21 discussion

Ans: A After Windows is installed but before the logon screen appears, Windows Setup searches for the SetupComplete.cmd file in the %WINDIR%\Setup\Scripts\ directory

GPOs aren't a thing in Azure AD. Just putting a Script inside the VHD doesn't make it run on boot. Configuring a "SetupComplete.cmd" in the "%windir%\setup\scripts" directory is the correct approach:

C. Configure a Group Policy Object (GPO) to run the scripts as startup scripts. By configuring a Group Policy Object (GPO) to run the scripts as startup scripts, you can automate the execution of the PowerShell scripts on the new VMs when they start up. This ensures that the scripts are executed consistently and reliably on each VM during the startup process. Option A, configuring a SetupComplete.cmd batch file in the %windir%\setup\scripts directory, is not the best solution in this scenario as it applies only to the initial installation of Windows and would not cover the configuration of newly created VMs. Option B, configuring the scripts as logon scripts through Group Policy, may not be ideal in this case as logon scripts are executed when a user logs in, whereas the requirement is to run the scripts on the VMs themselves, regardless of user logins. Option D, placing the scripts in a new virtual hard disk (VHD), would require additional configuration steps and might not be necessary or the most efficient solution for executing PowerShell scripts on the new VMs.

The best solution to ensure that your PowerShell scripts are run on the new VMs is to configure a Group Policy Object (GPO) to run the scripts as startup scripts (Option C). This approach ensures that the scripts are executed when the VM starts up, which is ideal for initial configuration tasks.

The correct answer is C. This is not an Azure-specific question but a general Microsoft enterprise-managed question.

Startup scripts in Group Policy apply before any user logs in, during the system boot process. This makes it a better solution for automating configurations that need to happen at the system level for every new VM. It ensures the scripts are applied when the machine starts.

Run a script after setup is complete (SetupComplete.cmd) Order of operations 1. After Windows is installed but before the logon screen appears, Windows Setup searches for the SetupComplete.cmd file in the %WINDIR%\Setup\Scripts\ directory. 2. If a SetupComplete.cmd file is found, Windows Setup runs the script. Windows Setup logs the action in the C:\Windows\Panther\UnattendGC\Setupact.log file. 3. Setup does not verify any exit codes or error levels in the script after it executes SetupComplete.cmd. 4. If the computer joins a domain during installation, the Group Policy that is defined in the domain is not applied to the computer until Setupcomplete.cmd is finished. This is to make sure that the Group Policy configuration activity does not interfere with the script.

In this case ... It means that you are going to deploy several VMs ... Option A is valid but... If you deploy 100VMs is not logical to go 1 by 1 creating that .bat. Option C is valir and is the best cuz with a GPO you can implement it at the same time ... SEVERAL VMs is the critical point here.

A could work, but has nothing to do with azure, so C is the best option

I would vote C, assuming you are running a domain with Group policy enabled. as the question doesnt specifically state that Group policy is in use, you have to assume local scripts are run to configure the machine. hence A is the answer, even if its a really dumb way to manage your machines.

The second link provided in Answer does not work.

Many windows server administration related questions are poping up, seems unrelevant

Answer A is valid. Answer C is also valid, if you have the VM's joined to the AD domain. It is better to manage VM's with GPO instead of running scripts manually on each VM. Using GPO will minimize the effort and will save time. I personally prefer answer C. Here, the questions does not provide enough information to choose the correct answer between the two.

Between A & C - ChatGPT4 says C. The option A, using a SetupComplete.cmd batch file, is primarily intended for tasks that need to be executed once after the operating system is installed or configured. While it can technically run scripts post-setup, it's less flexible and manageable compared to using Group Policy. Option C, configuring a Group Policy Object (GPO) to run scripts as startup scripts, provides better manageability and scalability. With GPOs, you can easily update, manage, and apply scripts across multiple VMs in the domain automatically every time the machines start up, not just after initial setup. This makes it more suitable for ongoing operations and management in a hybrid environment like yours.

Group policies can be replicated to Azure AD. The question does not state where the new VMs will be created (On Prem or in Azure). So Group Policies is the only option that works for both.

A is correct

c