Detailed Configuration Reference

EASYDEPLOY reads configuration from two JSON files.

1. system-config.json — System Configuration

This file is located alongside easydeploy.exe in the release package, and is baked into boot.wim by BootBuilder when building the USB.

Its role is to define the system’s core functions: the OS Catalog (BYOC) and the preshared-key for profile decryption. This file cannot be edited at runtime (it lives inside boot.wim) — to change it, edit before building and let BootBuilder package the new version.

Note

The interface text (mode titles, tooltips, About info) and the rescue-tool labels are now built into the application — they are no longer configuration keys. The only per-USB, day-to-day configuration surface is user-config.json.

Advanced keys (Self-catalog/BYOB/Encryption/ZeroTouch) are only for MSP Advanced — on Free, these are ignored at runtime. The catalog works fully on every tier (see the table below).

{
  "catalog": {
    "url": "https://esd.coresystem.vn/data.json",
    "timeoutSeconds": 30,
    "downloadMethod": "auto",
    "cloudCatalog": true,
    "filterCatalog": true
  },
  "profileEncryption": {
    "enabled": false,
    "passphrase": ""
  }
}

Key Structure	Purpose	On Free
catalog	OS Catalog source (url/timeoutSeconds/downloadMethod/cloudCatalog/filterCatalog). Always-fallback design: url points to the catalog operated by CoreSystem — if it goes down (rare), the engine switches to the embedded catalog. cloudCatalog:true = prioritize cloud; filterCatalog:true = OS Configurator only shows `Home	Pro
profileEncryption	Profile encryption (enabled/passphrase).	⚠️ Ignored

Note

On Free, the advanced keys (profileEncryption and a self-hosted url — Self-catalog/BYOC) are ignored at runtime: the system uses CoreSystem’s cloud catalog with embedded fallback and writes local inventory files. Details about Self-catalog/BYOB/Encryption/ZeroTouch are in the technical documentation bundled with the MSP Advanced .lic.

Note

What does “edit before build” mean? Because system-config.json is baked into boot.wim at build time, the effective keys (catalog, plus profileEncryption for Advanced) must be edited before running BootBuilder — BootBuilder packages the new version into the USB. Editing the file inside boot.wim after the build has no effect.

1.1. License Verification — Offline License (sole method)

Simply place the *.lic file (issued by CoreSystem) into EASYDEPLOY\ on the USB — the client automatically verifies the ECDSA signature + USB-SN binding + license tier locally.

Note

system-config.json is baked into boot.wim by BootBuilder at build time — the version shown here belongs to the CoreSystem release. Focus on customizing user-config.json on the USB. Rescue tools are resolved under [drive_letter]:\Softwares\ on the USB — per-tool paths can be overridden with the portableApps block in user-config.json.

2. user-config.json — Customer Deployment Configuration

File location: [USB]:\EASYDEPLOY\user-config.json.

It contains default installation parameters and deployment customizations.

Each customer/MSP partner uses their own .lic license file on their USB.

{
  "enableF3Express": true,         // enable Express mode (F3)
  "zeroTouch": false,              // Advanced only — ignored on Free
  "timezone": "",                  // Windows TZ id, e.g. "SE Asia Standard Time" (applied at startup)
  "wifi": {
    "ssid": "",                    // prefilled in the WiFi Link [F2] dialog
    "password": "",
    "autoConnect": false           // true = auto-connect at boot (ZeroTouch mass deploy)
  },
  "deploy": {
    "version": "25h2",
    "edition": "Pro",
    "activation": "Retail",
    "languageCode": "en-us",
    "diskNumber": 0,
    "profile": "1.Tweaks"
  },
  "portableApps": {                // optional: override rescue tool paths
    "multiDrive": "MultiDrive\\MultiDrive.exe",
    "explorer": "Explorer++\\Explorer++.exe",
    "hwInfo": "HWInfo\\HWINFO64.exe",
    "browser": "Palemoon\\Palemoon.exe"
  }
}

Key Structure	Purpose	On Free
enableF3Express	Enable/disable Express mode (F3).	✅ Effective
zeroTouch	Boot USB → auto-run Express (zeroTouch:true). MSP Advanced only.	⚠️ Ignored
wifi	WiFi settings (ssid/password/autoConnect). Prefilled in the WiFi Link [F2] dialog. autoConnect:true = the app connects automatically at startup (for ZeroTouch mass deployment on laptops); if it fails, ZeroTouch stops (network required). Default false = operator connects manually via F2.	✅ Effective
timezone	Windows time-zone id (e.g. SE Asia Standard Time). Applied at startup — syncs the clock and the footer time. Leave empty to keep the WinPE default.	✅ Effective
deploy.version	OS version in OSCatalog (e.g., 25h2). Resolves to the latest build automatically if multiple builds share the same version.	✅ Effective
deploy.activation	Home → Retail; Education → Retail; Enterprise → Volume; Pro → choose Retail or Volume. Incorrect selection → incorrect installation.	✅
portableApps	Optional — override rescue tool paths. When not declared, the app uses its built-in default paths (the same folder structure shown above). Tool labels are fixed in the interface.	✅
deploy.profile	Profile name for Express (1.Tweaks/2.TweaksApp). Free is hard-coded to 2 profiles — creating 3.Acme will be ignored. To use a custom profile on Free: overwrite the contents of one of the two original folders (keeping the exact names 1.Tweaks/2.TweaksApp) — other folder names are ignored.	⚠️ Only 1.Tweaks/2.TweaksApp are effective

Caution

user-config.json is the configuration surface to care about. Installation parameters, the wifi block, portable-app paths and the Express/ZeroTouch behavior all live here. Without it, Express Deploy and per-customer customizations are largely inert — always check this file before handing a USB to a customer.

Note

Portable apps are not included in the release package. The 4 tools in the default configuration (MultiDrive, HWiNFO64, Explorer++, Pale Moon) are reference design choices only — the .zip from the Download page does not contain these applications. MSPs/IT bring their own tools and add them to the USB in one of two ways:

1. At ISO build time — via BootBuilder: copy the software into usb\Softwares\ before building.
2. Manual copy after building: drop the tools into Softwares\ on the USB and declare portableApps in user-config.json — if you keep the default folder structure, no declaration is needed.

The Tools menu provides quick-launch slots for your Portable Apps (fixed labels + hotkeys F7–F10); EasyDeploy is a deployment tool first — rescue is a supporting role. There’s no limit on tool count — extras run via F6 (PowerShell)/F8 (Explorer)/cmd.

Note

License verification is Offline License only. Place *.lic in [USB]:\EASYDEPLOY\. See details at Offline Mode.

3. Catalog data.json — Valid Operating System List

The Catalog is a list of valid Windows Images (downloaded from Microsoft’s official distribution channel).

CoreSystem hosts it at https://esd.coresystem.vn/data.json. Declared via catalog.url in system-config.json.

When WinPE boots, the system automatically downloads the list and caches it at X:\EasyDeploy\catalog.json.

Note

Catalog source depends on the cloudCatalog flag: the client only fetches from the cloud when catalog.cloudCatalog = true. When false, no network call is made — the embedded catalog in the exe (data.json) is used. Useful when an MSP wants to pin the OS list.

MSP Advanced can self-host data.json (details in the technical docs bundled with the .lic). Free uses CoreSystem’s cloud catalog — the embedded catalog is always the fallback.

General flow: download → cache → fallback to embedded when offline.

Each catalog entry:

{
  "build": "26200.8873",          // build number
  "version": "25h2",              // version (e.g., 25h2, 24h2)
  "fileName": "26200.8873…en-us.esd",   // file name — must match offline file on USB
  "languageCode": "en-us",
  "architecture": "x64",           // primary platform x86_64
  "activation": "Retail",         // or Volume
  "size": 5895987847,
  "sizeGB": 5.5,
  "hash": "3fc7cbe5…",            // SHA-256 for download/offline verification
  "hashType": "SHA-256",
  "url": "http://dl.delivery.mp.microsoft.com/…esd",
  "editions": ["Pro", "Home", …]  // editions contained in this image
}

3.1. OS Source Scanning and Resolution (Step 6)

1. Offline-first: Engine scans EASYDEPLOY\OS\ on all partitions. Finds a file matching fileName, verifies the SHA-256 hash. Valid → use local file (no network required).
2. Online download: No offline file found or hash mismatch. Engine downloads from url via curl/BITS and verifies the hash after download completes.
3. Abort: No network and no valid offline file. Engine stops and displays an error message.

Tip

For fully offline deployment, download the .esd and copy it to EASYDEPLOY\OS\ on the USB. Do not rename the file — both the name and SHA-256 hash must match the Catalog. Download source: https://esd.coresystem.vn.

Caution

Do not use a DVD or ISO file containing EASYDEPLOY\OS\: ISO (ISO 9660) may truncate overly long file names. The installer file will not match fileName and will be skipped.

4. Summary of File Locations and Roles

File	Path	Role
easydeploy.exe	Embedded in sources\boot.wim	Main executable (provided by CoreSystem).
system-config.json	Inside boot.wim (alongside easydeploy.exe)	System configuration — BootBuilder bakes it into boot.wim at build time (catalog, preshared-key).
user-config.json	[USB]:\EASYDEPLOY\	Deployment and license verification configuration (per customer).
data.json	Cloud esd.coresystem.vn & cache X:\EasyDeploy\catalog.json	Catalog of valid Windows Images.
Inventory-*.json/.csv	C:\ root + USB root	Inventory record for every deployment (see Inventory Data).
Inventory.work.json	X:\EASYDEPLOY\	Temporary Early/Refresh inventory snapshot.
EASYDEPLOY\Profiles\*	USB	Post-installation configuration profiles (initialized by BootBuilder).
EASYDEPLOY\OS\*	USB (optional)	OS source for Offline/Hybrid installation (download from esd.coresystem.vn).
Softwares\*	USB	Portable rescue software and tools (packaged by BootBuilder).

Note

The USB structure (boot, EASYDEPLOY\, Softwares\) is packaged by BootBuilder. You only customize user-config.json and EASYDEPLOY\Profiles\. System files (easydeploy.exe, system-config.json, boot.wim) are managed by CoreSystem.