For those of you that likes to install ConfigMgr automatically, please note that starting in ConfigMgr 2203, you must also specify two of the keys in the SABranchOptions section: SAActive and CurrentBranch.

If you fail to do so, the setup will fail with the following error:

ERROR: Error reading branch status. SAActive and CurrentBranch needs to be specified when installing a CAS or standalone primary site.

Note: The ConfigMgr documentation incorrectly states these keys are not required. I have submitted a pull request to the ConfigMgr docs team.

The new required keys

To make the ConfigMgr unattended setup happy again, add the following lines to your configuration file.

[SABranchOptions]
SAActive=1
CurrentBranch=1

Full Configuration File Sample

Below you find a full example of a configuration file to run the ConfigMgr 2203 unattended. This is the same configuration we now use in the Windows Server 2019 and Windows Server 2022 Hydration Kits for ConfigMgr.

[Identification]
Action=InstallPrimarySite

[Options]
ProductID=EVAL
SiteCode=PS1
SiteName=Primary Site 1
SMSInstallDir=E:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager
SDKServer=CM01.corp.viamonstra.com
RoleCommunicationProtocol=HTTPorHTTPS
ClientsUsePKICertificate=0
PrerequisiteComp=1
PrerequisitePath=D:\Deploy\Applications\Install - ConfigMgr\PreReqs
MobileDeviceLanguage=0
ManagementPoint=CM01.corp.viamonstra.com
ManagementPointProtocol=HTTP
DistributionPoint=CM01.corp.viamonstra.com
DistributionPointProtocol=HTTP
DistributionPointInstallIIS=0
AdminConsole=1
JoinCEIP=0

[SQLConfigOptions]
SQLServerName=CM01.corp.viamonstra.com
SQLServerPort=1433
DatabaseName=CM_PS1
SQLSSBPort=4022
SQLDataFilePath=E:\SQLDB\
SQLLogFilePath=E:\SQLLOG\

[CloudConnectorOptions]
CloudConnector=1
CloudConnectorServer=CM01.corp.viamonstra.com
UseProxy=0

[SystemCenterOptions]

[SABranchOptions]
SAActive=1
CurrentBranch=1

[HierarchyExpansionOption]