SPREAD THE WORD, TOGETHER WE HAVE CONQUERED SYSPREP 
This is version 2 of a step by step guide on Sysprepping a Windows 7 machine from start to finish. I cannot take full credit on this because my first article had so many helpful comments and discussions that this is simply a combination of all the good advice written into a working guide. (I would especially like to thank George for his input on Cscript for auto activation and Nathan for input on Sysprep Audit Mode). This will guide you through the following:
- Audit Mode
- Building the unattend.xml file in WSIM
- copyprofile=true command to copy the default profile (no manual copy)
- Prompt for a computer name
- Enable Administrator account
- Administrator account logs in first time automatically
- Activate windows automatically with Cscript;
- Successfully copy over taskbar icons;
- Delete unattend.xml file automatically upon completion of re-image.
Here is a list of what you will need:
- Latest version of WAIK : KB3AIK_EN.iso Version 1.0
- Windows Vista or Windows 7 Machine to build the XML file on
- ISO or DVD of Windows 7 Installation (x32 or x64)
- WinPE Boot Environment : BrianLeeJackson WinPE 3.0 BootLoader
First we are going to walk through building the unattend.xml file (answer file) and then we will walk through the actual Windows 7 imaging process.
PART 1 – XML FILE CREATION
Step #1
If you have a Windows 7 installation DVD, insert it now. Or if you have an ISO of 7, go ahead and extract it to a folder on your desktop. (I recommend 7-zip).
Step #2
Launch Windows System Image Manager. Your start menu should look like the image below:
Windows 7 WAIK Version 1
Step #3
Under the “Windows Image” header, right click and select new image.
Windows System Image Manager
Step #4
You will now want to browse to the .CLG file in your Windows 7 installation (I am using Windows 7 Enterprise x64 in my example). It is located in the sources folder. See Image below. You can select either the .clg file or the install.wim. Both will have the same result.
Selecting CLG File - WSIM
Step #5
Now we need to create a new answer file. Go to the file menu and select “Create New Answer File.” Right after creating one, go ahead and simply go to file menu and select “Save Answer File.” This will give your XML file a name and save location. I chose to name mine unattend.xml. Now you see we have two category folders, Components and Packages. Under the Components folder you see that we have 7 options:
-1 windowsPE
-2 offlineServicing
-3 generalize
-4 specialize
-5 auditSystem
-6 auditUser
-7 oobeSystem
Step #6
These are very important as these are the steps in which the unattend.xml file is sequenced.
The next part is a little confusing. You are going to add components, from under the “Windows Image” section on the bottom left hand side to the passes on your Answer File. To add a component, you can right click on them and select “add to # pass”. There are many different options you can add, but they have to be done in a certain order and pass otherwise your sysprep might fail. I am simply going to use the one I created as the example.
Answer File - Unattend.xml
Here is more information about adding options under the passes:
1 windowsPE
Nothing required in my example.
2 offlineServicing
Nothing required in my example.
3 generalize
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
Set 1 for SkipRearm to allow up to 8 rearms
4 specialize
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Deployment_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
Order: 1
path: net user administrator /active:yes
WillReboot: NeverRunSynchronousCommand[Order="1"]
RunSynchronous
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP-UX_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
SkipAutoActivation: true
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
Computer Name: Leave blank (we will deal with this at the end)
CopyProfile: true
Registered Organization: Microsoft (you must leave this in this section)
Registered Owner: AutoBVT (you must leave this in this section)
ShowWindowsLive: false
TimeZone: Pacific Standard TimeYou can delete other sub-header components if you don’t need them.
5 auditSystem
Nothing required in my example.
6 auditUser
Nothing required in my example.
7 oobeSystem
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
InputLocale: en-us
SystemLocale: en-us
UILanguage: en-us
UserLocale: en-usamd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
RegisteredOrganization: Your Company Name
RegisteredOwner: Your NameAutoLogon
Password: Administrator Password
Enabled: true
LogonCount: 5
Username: administratorFirstLogonCommands
CommandLine: cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (windows 7 license key)
Order 1
RequiresUserInput: falseCommandLine: cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato
Order 2
RequiresUserInput: falseSynchronousCommand[Order="1"]
SynchronousCommand[Order="2"]
OOBE HideEULAPage: true
NetworkLocation: Home
ProtectYourPC: 1UserAccounts
Password: Administrator Password
Action: AddListItem
Description: Local Administrator
DisplayName: Administrator
Group: Administrators
Name: AdministratorLocalAccount[Name="Administrator"]
AdministratorPassword: Administrator Password
LocalAccounts
If you have questions, look at my image above to see full layout of components, it should help.
Step #7
K, now go ahead and save your answer file as unattend.xml.
Step #8
If you want the sysprep to prompt for a computer name you need to remove a line from your XML file. Open up your XML file you saved with notepad and remove the following line:
Unattend.xml Computer Name
PART 2 – IMAGING PROCESS / RUNNING SYSPREP
Step #9
Install Windows 7 (Enterprise) from CD or USB flash drive, when you arrive at the welcome screen and it asks you to create a username, hit ctrl+shift+f3.
This will reboot your machine and put your windows build in ‘audit’ mode.
Step #10
On reboot, you’ll automatically be logged in under the built-in Administrator account. A sysprep GUI box will appear, but you can close it and NOW begin to customize your profile.
Step #11
Install any software/drivers, make any profile customizations, etc.
If you need to reboot, the computer will boot you back into the Administrator account. You will be stuck in this audit mode until you run sysprep with the /oobe parameter. After doing so, sysprep will delete/clean up the Administrator account, but if you have copyprofile=true in your unattended answer file, it will copy the customized Admin account to the default profile before deleting it.
Step #12
On the PC you are going to be running sysprep on, you need to create a folder called scripts in this directory: %WINDIR%\Setup\. Now you are going to create a CMD file within the %WINDIR%\Setup\Scripts directory. Right click and make a new text file called SetupComplete.txt. Remove the .txt extension and replace that with .cmd. You now have a SetupComplete.cmd file which windows will read the first time it boots up from the sysprep. We need to place a script inside the CMD file. Edit the cmd file with notepad and insert this line: del /Q /F c:\windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml. This script will delete your unattend.xml file after it has been used. The unattend.xml file is also copied to the C:\Windows\Panther directory, so you will want to add a second line to the CMD file, del /Q /F c:\windows\panther\unattend.xml. If you have passwords or cd keys stored in that xml file you don’t have to worry about it being left on the computer.
UPDATE AS OF JUNE 16TH: Read my Taskbar Icons Tutorial before continuing.
Step #13
Once you have everything configured correctly, Copy or move your unattend.xml file to : C:\windows\system32\sysprep. Now to run sysprep, navigate to that sysprep folder, hold SHIFT and right click and select “Open New Command Windows Here”. Next, input the following commands:
sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml
Step #14
Turn the computer back on and boot to WinPE 3.0 environment (USB stick or CD/DVD). You can use my BrianLeeJackson WinPE3.0 BootLoader to boot up from USB or CD and capture your image. Capture image and save image to network location.
A Dell 960 or GX755 is a good standard for capturing when you want a generic image for use with multiple systems. Might require injecting additional drivers for 3rd party brands, HP, etc. Most should work though right out of the box.
Step #15
On reboot, Windows will run out of the box, as the /oobe is intended. As long as you put your cd key into the unattend.xml file, windows will be activated automatically in the background, you will be automatically logged into the administrator account, and the unattend.xml file is deleted. You are now ready to use the computer or join it to the domain. Enjoy!
Tags: Software, sysprep, unattend, unattend.xml, Windows 7, WinPE 3.0
Thanks for this guide. I’m finally able to deploy a Sysprep image using MDT 2010. I have a problem with the profile not being copied as expected in default profile but I’ll be working on this.
Thanks again
Getting around the 100MB partition. What I did, and please anyone let me know if you anticipate me running into some problem later that I’m not thinking of. During the install when the setup creates the 2 partitions, I just delete the 100MB partition so that it’s unallocated space again and just say “Whatever, it’s just 100MB on a 160GB hard drive” and just proceed to install Windows 7 on the other partition.
Also, if you want SetupComplete.cmd to delete itself after it runs, just add “del %0″ to the end of the script.
This worked well.. but everytime I login it runs 2 cscript windows. They run fast and I cant see what they say, but I assume it’s the ones from the FirstLogonCommands step?
Any idea why?
After much head banging, It worked. Try, try again.
I followed the directions laid out here carefully, all the way, the first time around. And yet no matter how I mucked with the thing, I could _not_ get the copyprofile=true process to actually work … i.e., after the OOBE, I always ended up with the default administrator profile for Windows 7, and not the one I had customized in audit mode.
I wanted to avoid the time involved in re-installing Windows 7 from the ground up, and trying over. But I finally gave up. I started over with a new VMWare image. I started over with re-extracting the Windows 7 image (and I used the .wim file this time around, not the .clg), and I re-built the sysprep.xml file. After the basic Windows 7 Ultimate install finished, I immediately entered audit mode. I took a VMWare snapshot. Then I did very simple customization – install VMWare tools, change the desktop background, and muck with a few other aesthetic settings – just so I could tell if the copyprofile process actually worked when I finally got passed the OOBE. I was not going to spend a lot of time customizing until I knew I could get it to work in the most basic way. After I got just the basic customizations done, I did another vmware snapshot. Then I ran the sysprep command. After it rebooted and entered the OOBE, everything just worked, where before it had not. Before, the cscript commands ran very quickly. This time they took a few minutes. Last time the profile did not copy over. This time the changes I made in the audit mode had carried over to the default user profile. And the cscript command actually activated windows – which I had made sure not to do before I ran sysprep.
So, if you think you have done everything right, and yet it fails to work as discussed here – start over from scratch. Sysprep seems to be a fickle mistress.
@ Johny N
Instead of wasting free space you can delete the created “C:” (not the 100MB partition but the other) and make the first one (System-Reserved) bigger. So you can use the whole HDD without the 100MB Partition or any unlocated space
Great article but I’m stuck at “Step 13″ with the “sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:sysprep.xml” command.
I have placed the sysprep file exactly where it should be but when I enter this command it brings up the prompt:
—————–
USAGE: sysprep.exe [/quiet] [/generalize] [/audit] [/oobe] [/reboot | /shutdown | /quit] [/unattended:>filename>]
If no command-line arguements are provided, a graphical user interface us ysed ti sekect the desired mode of sysprep operation”
——————
I’ve tried all sorts of command combinations but nothing seems to work. And if I use the GUI it skips the answerfile which isn’t what I want. Some help from anyone would be awesome.
Nevermind what I said in my previous post….i’m a moron.
I didn’t realize there needed to be spaces in between each function – “sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:sysprep.xml”
Your steps worked perfectly for me. Thank you so much.
WDS Deployment
For those who use WDS and their unattend.xml isnt working, you need to upload the unattend.xml file to the WDS server.
To do this:
Prepare your WDS server and upload your image via capture, or add the image file you have created.
Log into your WDS server and open the WDS snap-in.
Navigate to Servers > ‘domain-name’ > Install Images
Right-click the image and select properties.
Down the bottom tick “Allow image to install in unattended mode” and upload your unattend.xml file.
Installing this image should now work – and you can update your unattend file as needed.
No clue why, but the copyprofile finally worked. Kinda. I didn’t do anything differently but I have my backgound, folder and taskbar settings, and desktop icons. However, the start menu reverted back to default and the usericon did not copy over from the oobe.xml. The OEMlogo on the welcome screen appeared however. I just ran this exact oobe.xml in a sysprep prior to trying this configset again and I received all usericons and oemlogos. When running this one, it seems the only ones that held were the ones that were BEFORE user login. Don’t tell me there is a good explaination for this, please. Cause I cant think of one. THe oobe.xml is supposed to overrule the unattended.xml, even though I did NOT specify settings to the contrary of oobe.xml in it. just in case that would be someone’s answer. thanks for the guide though boss
I have been spending an ungodly amount of time trying to get sysprep to work properly on a Dell GX520 win 7 x64 image. Maybe you can tell me what I’m doing wrong. For years I’ve used newsid.exe with ghost so I’m a sysprep newb.
I am running sysprep from the built in Administrator account which I have the profile customized and essentially want copied to the default profile in order to carry over the look and feel. I have removed the computer name line in the sysprep file as you suggested and changed the copy profile component to TRUE. Sysrep runs and shuts down the machine. On reboot I get the following error…
“Windows could not parse or process the unattend answer file for pass [specialize}. The settings in the answer file cannot be applied. The error was detected while processing for component {Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup}"
I notice that just before this error pops up, the A: drive queried. Its almost like its looking for the XML and cant find it. So in reading that the Panther directory used used to cache the sysprep file, the next time around I copied the file into the sysprep folder AND the panther directory. After doing that, sysprep made it past its first reboot and then gave me another parsing error but this time it was a {generalize} error instead of [specialize]. I’m lost. In my opinion MS needs to update NewSid to work on Win7 and stop wasting our time. Your explanation of how to use sysprep is excellent. I think I’m just having a really unique problem.
[...] see http://techtalkplus.blogspot.com/2008/08/using-sysprep-clonezilla.html (my favorite) or http://blog.brianleejackson.com/sysprep-a-windows-7-machine-%E2%80%93-start-to-finish-v2 or, if you’re not totally brain dead, How Sysprep Works. Share/Save 0 [...]
Awsome! After years of XP sysprepping I had given up on trying to deploy Vista (and now W7) via sysprep. But you have led me to the promised land. I just completed my first successful W7 sysprep and am thrilled.
So my next question: In the XP syprep world I could run it against a list of Mass Storage Devices one time and it would then discover all of those devices. Is there a way to do this in W7 or must I go out and get a Dell 960 or GX755 to have my image detect most hardware?
I posted this on a Technet forum, but I figured I’d try here.
For the life of me I can’t seem to figure out how to preserve activation after running sysprep /oobe on a system for the end-user. This document:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744512(WS.10).aspx
States that:
“To activate Windows for your customer, use the unique Product Key from the certificate of authenticity (COA) label that is affixed to the specific computer, and activate the computer on behalf of the end user. Run the sysprep /oobe command to prepare the computer for delivery to the customer.”
Yet when I do that it just resets the product code and activation information, requiring the end-user to have to enter the product code and re-activate Windows.
I’m so lost.
So far so good, the only problem I have right now is with Step 14 where is says you can “capture your image. Capture image and save image to network location.” I assume I can use GImagex to capture the drive but I still don’t have a network connection. I think there should be instructions on how to connect to the network from this state but I havent a clue. Are there more files that should have been added to this iso?
Secondly, I was never able to add the additional packages you mentioned in your other site:
http://blog.brianleejackson.com/deployment-image-servicing-and-management-dism-winpe-3-0-boot-environment
“DISM – Step #4 – Adding Packages to your WIM
Dism /image:C:\winpe_x86\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:”C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\x86\WinPE_FPs\winpe-wmi.cab”
Dism /image:C:\winpe_x86\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:”C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\PETools\x86\WinPE_FPs\en-us\winpe-wmi_en-us.cab”
There are many packages you can add to your WINPE boot environment, these are two I always add to mine.”
My main concern is to get network access using the CD and I have none. Please Help!! lol
How is Activation handled with OEM machines like HP? I’m leaving out the FirstLogonCommands section of my sysprep file because we don’t use a VLK nor do we have a retail key to input. Thoughts?
Thank you very much for this guide, it has helped me tremendously. I scanned your steps a little too quickly and made some errors along the way, but that has probably helped me map out the more process effectively anyway.
EIGRP:
I’ve got the same question. I’ve built my Win7 image using the Dell Win7 x64 sent with the machines since we don’t have access to VLK or media. I’ve successfully created a deployable image but it won’t take the OEM key for activation. I had to call in to MS to authenticate the install.
Just a quick note. While I finally got CopyProfile=True to work, it did not copy all settings. I searched around and found other people having similar issues. In particular it was not keeping the changes I made to the TaskBar icons, for example, and was not keeping the settings I had pre-done for IE8 to avoid the whole IE8 first run question wizard BS.
I found a very helpful post on another forum site that has a number of work arounds and solutions that could be valuable here. In particular, there is a key that can be added to the sysprep.xml specifically to deal with the IE8 settings. Also, there is an example script that can be added to the sysprep.xml async run commands that will manually put various icons on the TaskBar.
Hopefully this will help someone.
http://tinyurl.com/yhsd3hs
Hi Brian
Thanks for this great tuto !
I’ve a special quest, and I want to know (maybe I’m not the only one…) :
- I want to make an image of a windows seven (familial premium) customized of a PC
- duplicate this image on others PC (with OEM W7 pre-installed) (exactly the same devices, so the same configuration, same drivers…)
- register the serial on each device at first reboot (and configure it on the same domain can usefull, but not obligatory)
Do you think your tuto is ok for that ?
Do I really need to create the xml file in this case (I’ve read somewhere that if it’s the same device, so same drivers, it’s not usefull) ?
Thanks for your feedbacks
Peter404
Anyone else having problems getting the NetworkLocation and ProtectYourPC settings working? I have them set in the sysprep file, and I see them in unattend.xml, but when I log in I clearly get bugged to pick the network location, and shortly after that the action center bugs me about my windows update settings.
Hi,
Great guide, very helpful.
I followed the instructions and didn’t miss out any steps, i however get stock in a reboot loop.
If i turn off the automatic reboot after an error, i see the message “interactive logon process initialization has failed” There is a command prompt that opens and its doing something with the workstation service stopping and starting it.
Any idea what is causing this?
When you say:
•AutoLogon
Enabled: true
LogonCount: 5
Username: administrator
Password: Administrator Password
What is the administrator password on a default install after pressing ctrl-shift-f3?
I have successfully sysprepped my standard image using Brian’s suggestions. I have editted the administrator profile and allowed it to be copied to the default profile. Everything worked fine until I tested my image using an unprivileged user logon. It appears that the account can not log on correctly (doesn’t create local profile) nor can the account use a simple .pdf file which was created as a form (Acrobat Reader crashes). I believe that it’s a permission issue; the permissions do not seem to have been reset for ‘Everyone’ to use the default profile.
Any thoughts?
Has anyone sysprepped Win 7 for a domain. In Vista I ran into the problem that the computer is brought into the domain before the pass that does the computer naming process – so it’s assigned a random name in active directory which I then had to go back and change… or script the change separately. Would prefer to have sysprep do it all in the setup process.
I have a question. On my XP image for 22 different model desktops and laptops, I used mysysprep and sysprep to be able to use a single image for all models. Plus pull the serial number from bios and make it the computer name, add to the domain etc. I use ghost to roll my images out to all desktops. Is this same functionality available in the new sysprep with Windows 7
I was wondering, is it possible to use sysprep to install or at least prep a hard drive on one machine and then install it into another PC? The reason I ask is my mother’s system was horribly infected with malware. I’ve sent her the install dvd and a legitimate key for Windows 7 and we actually got it up and running briefly, but that was short lived and for some crazy reason the installation got all fouled up in less than 24 hours.
I know if I had the PC I could do it, but I am 5000 miles away in Alaska and she lives in NC. Or does anyone know of a means to create a CD that would boot her machine and allow me to log into and do the work I need to do outside of Windows? When her PC was working I use Logmein to log in and do software repairs. Without Logmein it is very hard since she is basically an Internet surfer and web mail only (for the most part). Although I have to give her credit. I ordered her a new DVD drive to try and fix this problem, and God bless her, she put it in and it works.
If I could sysprep a Win7 hdd and send her just the hdd and maybe she or someone else could put that in. Right now I’m at a loss. Thanks.
I preset up the default profile so I do not have to worry about the copyprofile section. I also create a shortcut to the sysprep file on my desktop and then have it in the cmd file to delete it afterwards so theres no trace and I do not have to remember the command for sysprep. The network location is bugged and their is a workaround with 2 command files and some run commands in the answerfile.
I have FINALLY got a successfull sysprep – Yay!
Thanks for the very easy to follow tutorial!
Just got 1, very (!) important note:
If you are deploying the VL (Enterprise) version of Windows 7, and you have a KMS server, DO NOT USE the 3 generalize step to SkipRearm. This disables SID from changing, so all PC’s on the network will have the same SID.
3 generalize
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
Set 1 for SkipRearm to allow up to 8 rearms
Come to think of it, you might not want this to be enabled in any kind of environment
…
Hi,
I try to clone an image of Win7 Pro x64 with a licence called “OA” on HP system.
i tried this command: slmgr -ipk xxxx-xxx… but it doesnt work.
Someone could explain me how to clone and activate these types of licenses ?
When i put the RIGHT key with “slmgr -ipk”,it tells me that the key is wrong…
Thanks.
Sorry I’m a newbie at this.
Alex B could you please explain better? I’m very interested in this point since I will have to use both KMS and “standard” (via internet) auth.
So I guess I will have to produce 2 different syspreps?
If not using VL (enterprise), for what I understand, will have not to put
3 generalize
amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP_6.1.7600.16385_neutral
Set 1 for SkipRearm to allow up to 8 rearms
So the point 3) will be left void?
Thank you,
Carlo.
I have successfully created an image also thanks to this site. i am having a problem however. after the computer is deployed the last thing i see is “Incorrect password” on the logon screen. as if it’s trying to auto logon to complete a process. i’m not sure how to tell where it is failing in the log files.
i have a feeling it’s trying to autologon and there is a wrong password in the answer file. the only thing i am doing different is joining a domain.
should i be setting a password on the machine in audit mode before i sysprep it then using that password in the .xml file? also, i’m not clear on the password option to keep in plain text. some of the passwords in the answer file look encrypted after i close and open the answer file and some don’t. i’m confused.
Thank you for a wonderful resource! Between everyone’s comments and document, I have been able to get my deployment ALMOST done. I am having problems with pushing the image back onto a computer using WDS. When I try, I get ” Windows could not apply unattend settings during pass (null)”
I have checked the box in the “unattend” on the properties of the image and put the same answer file on it, but still get the same error. Other Google searches have not been helpful.
Anyone solve this one???
Just a Correction to my previous comment, it’s CMID not SID that’s not changing if you set 1 for SkipRearm!
Once again, thanks for the tutorial!
Ok… seems so simple now. I was using the boot file that came with longhorn. It had been working with XP and didn’t think to use the new boot.wim.
Go to your WDS and open
- servers
– (dns_servername)
– Boot Images
Make sure the boot image you put in here is the boot.wim from your windows7 disk.
Still can’t join the domain and have it named correctly… baby steps.
Ah, solved my earlier problem.
NetworkLocation and ProtectYourPC settings are IGNORED if SkipMachineOOBE is set to true.
Just FYI for anyone!
Will this work if i DONT want to use the audit mode to create the image? For instance, I want to put win 7 enterprise on a PC, create a local user account called ‘setup’ or something similar, and customize appropriately (seperate from the administrator account, but with admin rights)? will the same sysprep.xml work in this environment or does it have to be done in audit mode for this whole process to work? If I can do it the way i want to, it means i can take an image of the PC pre-sysprep, which will make future updates easier (this is the way i done it on xp). Also, I like my admin account to be different from the other local accounts on the PC. thanks for any help you can give.
Is there a way to have it rename the built-in “Administrator” name to lets say….”power” and log into it so it creates a user folder called “power” and not Administrator all in the answer file? Custom script required?
EIGRP – You may want to download and install the microsoft “KEY MANAGEMENT SERVICE ” (KMS) If you are using a volume license product key.
[...] is straight cut and doesn’t give you all the crap you don’t need. I worked through his Sysprep guide (v2) and found that it did what it said on the tin. It’s been a great starting [...]
One thing that is puzzling to me on a build. After creating an answer file, it goes on a usb, attached to build machine, then windows install is started.
Does the usb have to be in place and the build started that way? Can you do the build, then boot with usb stick in place?
Heres my real question:
I downloaded winpe 3.0 from Brians site and copied the files to a cd.
Ive tried to boot to the WinPE 3.0 cd to capture the image, but no matter what machine I put the cd into, it wont boo too it. It goes right into Windows.
Any idea why this boot cd wont work?
Perfect guide! I created 4 different images now and they are all working great. One question though, my 100 meg bitlocker partition is viewable so I need to go into disk mgnt and remove the drive letter. Is there any way I can do this through WSIM? I’m not seeing an option anywhere. Maybe I’m just missing it?
I am having difficulties getting the computer to join the domain correctly. It’s showing that the computer is on the domain in system properties. However, when I try to log in with a domain account I received the “Security database” error like this –
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/w7itproinstall/thread/22b689ab-b4e7-4b57-bdb9-73a1a16058f2
Any ideas? Thanks.
After I add the .clg from the Windows 7 DVD, the components listed are for amd64, wow64, and x86. Which components do I use if I have an intel 64 bit processor? Would an answer file using the amd64 work on x64?
Hello Brian and Thank you, awesome help from this answer file.
need some help, after I run Sysprep.xml from command line as in your instructions with all the correct switches on the first reboot all is well. So then I sysprep once more but now shut it down so I can use Symantec Ghost and clone the laptop. Ghost clone image file is ready, i deploy the clone to another same model laptop but now on first startup it kicks out an error message, “in 4 specialise x86_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup can’t make the pass” I am not sure what the problem is.
Can you please help me out or point me in the right direction.
Maybe I should not bootup after first Sysprep run and just clone it?
Maybe because I Sysprep twice, this is whats causing the problem?
Thank you,
When the audit account is copied to default, does it take full admin rights with it? ie: Are all users that are created after sysprep (from the default profile) able to do whatever they want?
We use group policy profiles, but we MUST have the default profile be limited to prevent virus attacks…or what have you. Otherwise this could be a manual process of creating a limited account and copying that to default before sysprep.
Brian,
Sorry to hear about the injury man, those types of things are never any fun. I hope you begin to feel better as at least when I had a knee injury I could still type and work on my day-to-day from home.
Oxy is very nice! Get well soon!
Has anyone ran into a strange issue with the desktop wallpaper on this image? For instance, after ghosting the sysprepped image onto PCs, if you create a new user account with local admin privilages, and log in with it, it will take the administrator profile wallpaper at THAT moment, and set it as its own. In other words, it does NOT take the admin profile desktop wallpaper from the original version as it was prior to sysprep.
This is not ideal. Has anyone else seen this or know of a workaround?
To confirm, this is what happens:
* When I create a user account that is NOT part of the local admin group, I log in and get the original wallpaper as expected.
* However, if the local account is added to the local admin group, it gives me the real-time administrator profile wallpaper (whatever the image is at that time) when i log in for the first time as that local user.
This is a problem as most of my users get/need local admin rights.
Let me know if anyone has dealt with this/has a workaround.
thanks a lot,
Sean
Hi,
I need help. I need to assign drive letter do CD-ROM. How can I do it in WindowsSim?
MAN THANK YOU!! Worked like a charm the first time!