Error message when you use the Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup component to install Windows Vista on a computer: "Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file"

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SYMPTOMS

Consider the following scenario:

You use the Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup component to install Windows Vista on a computer.
The version of Windows Vista that you want to install does not include the Media Center component.
In an unattended XML file, you specify use of the ShowMediaCenter child element to hide the Media Center component in the WindowsFeatures element.

In this scenario, the installation of Windows Vista fails. Additionally, you receive the following error message:

Windows could not parse or process unattend answer file [C:\windows\Panther\unattend.xml] for pass [oobesystem]. The settings specified in the answer file cannot be applied. The error was detected while processing settings for component [Microsoft - Windows - Shell -Setup]

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CAUSE

This problem occurs because the Media Center component that was hidden by using the WindowsFeatures element is not included in the version of Windows Vista that you try to install.

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RESOLUTION

Do not use the WindowsFeatures element to hide the Media Center component if the component does not exist in the version of Windows Vista that you want to install.

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