From my past blog posts, I knew that you can configure various regional and language settings using intl.cpl and an xml based answer file. Intl.cpl can be used to set default locale, input locale, GeoID & location preferences and user interface language-related settings. I am not going to go into a lot of detail as it is beyond the scope of today's post; visit support.microsoft.com for a detailed description of the intl.cpl feature set. .

• Create an answer file that contains the regional settings items you wish to configure
• Save it (for example, as C:\temp\MUI.xml)
• Apply the answer file settings using:
  

  control.exe intl.cpl,,/f:"C:\temp\MUI.xml"

I wanted to wrap the configure functionality into an easy to use PowerShell script. As per usual, I am not a fan of reinventing the wheel - there is literally no reason to waste time and develop a solution that might already be available on TechNet or an IT pro's blog. However, a quick Google search yielded no results that provided clear guidance on, so I quickly cobbled together a sample script. Below is the end result:

# Determine where to do the logging 
$tsenv = New-Object -COMObject Microsoft.SMS.TSEnvironment 
$logPath = $tsenv.Value("LogPath")  
$logFile = "$logPath\$($myInvocation.MyCommand).log"

# Create Logfile
Write-Output "Create Logfile" > $logFile
 
Function Logit($TextBlock1){
	$TimeDate = Get-Date
	$OutPut = "$ScriptName - $TextBlock1 - $TimeDate"
	Write-Output $OutPut >> $logFile
}

# Start Main Code Here

$ScriptName = $MyInvocation.MyCommand

# Get data
$CountryCode = ($env:COMPUTERNAME).Substring(0,2)
$RunningFromFolder = $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path | Split-Path -Parent 
. Logit "Running from $RunningFromFolder"
. Logit "CountryCode variable = $CountryCode"

# Create c:\temp if doesn't exist
IF (!(Test-Path "C:\temp")) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path "C:\temp"
}

#Generate XML
. Logit "Generating MUI.xml file..."
#https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-8.1-and-8/hh825682(v=win.10)
$xml = @()

$xml = '<gs:GlobalizationServices xmlns:gs="urn:longhornGlobalizationUnattend">
 
    <!-- user list --> 
    <gs:UserList>
        <gs:User UserID="Current" CopySettingsToDefaultUserAcct="true" CopySettingsToSystemAcct="true"/> 
    </gs:UserList>

    <!-- input preferences -->
    <gs:InputPreferences>
        <gs:InputLanguageID Action="add" ID="0407:00000407"/>
    </gs:InputPreferences>

</gs:GlobalizationServices>'

$xml | Out-File "C:\temp\MUI.xml"

#Apply MUI settings
$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue' 
. Logit "Applying MUI settings ... "
C:\Windows\System32\control.exe "intl.cpl,,/f:""c:\temp\MUI.xml""" | Out-Null

Exit 0

Setting this up is dead simple if you are using MDT. Simply save this script into your deployment share, adjust keyboard ID(s) using this reference table and add a Run PowerShell script step to your TS. That's it! 

Below is a somewhat more advanced example which uses computer naming convention to determine machine's location (Germany or Swiss) and to install additional keyboards depending on the result:

# Determine where to do the logging 
$tsenv = New-Object -COMObject Microsoft.SMS.TSEnvironment 
$logPath = $tsenv.Value("LogPath")  
$logFile = "$logPath\$($myInvocation.MyCommand).log"

# Create Logfile
Write-Output "Create Logfile" > $logFile
 
Function Logit($TextBlock1){
	$TimeDate = Get-Date
	$OutPut = "$ScriptName - $TextBlock1 - $TimeDate"
	Write-Output $OutPut >> $logFile
}

# Start Main Code Here

$ScriptName = $MyInvocation.MyCommand

# Get data
$CountryCode = ($env:COMPUTERNAME).Substring(0,2)
$RunningFromFolder = $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path | Split-Path -Parent 
. Logit "Running from $RunningFromFolder"
. Logit "CountryCode variable = $CountryCode"

# Create c:\temp if doesn't exist
IF (!(Test-Path "C:\temp")) {
    New-Item -ItemType Directory -Force -Path "C:\temp"
}

#Generate XML
. Logit "Generating MUI.xml file..."
#https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/previous-versions/windows/it-pro/windows-8.1-and-8/hh825682(v=win.10)
$xml = @()
$xml = '<gs:GlobalizationServices xmlns:gs="urn:longhornGlobalizationUnattend">
 
    <!-- user list --> 
    <gs:UserList>
        <gs:User UserID="Current" CopySettingsToDefaultUserAcct="true" CopySettingsToSystemAcct="true"/> 
    </gs:UserList>
'

If ($CountryCode -eq "CH") {
    $xml += '
    <!-- input preferences -->
    <gs:InputPreferences>
        <gs:InputLanguageID Action="add" ID="100c:0000100c"/>
        <gs:InputLanguageID Action="add" ID="0810:00000410"/>
        <gs:InputLanguageID Action="add" ID="0807:00000807"/>
    </gs:InputPreferences>
'
}
Else {
    $xml += '
    <!-- input preferences -->
    <gs:InputPreferences>
        <gs:InputLanguageID Action="add" ID="0407:00000407"/>
    </gs:InputPreferences>
'
}

$xml += '</gs:GlobalizationServices>'
$xml | Out-File "C:\temp\MUI.xml"

#Apply MUI settings
$ErrorActionPreference = 'SilentlyContinue' 
. Logit "Applying MUI settings ... "
C:\Windows\System32\control.exe "intl.cpl,,/f:""c:\temp\MUI.xml""" | Out-Null

Exit 0