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

1. 1. Order: 1
      path: net user administrator /active:yes
      WillReboot: Never

   RunSynchronousCommand[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 Time

You 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-us

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_6.1.7600.16385_neutral

RegisteredOrganization: Your Company Name
RegisteredOwner: Your Name

AutoLogon

1. Password: Administrator Password

Enabled: true
LogonCount: 5
Username: administrator

FirstLogonCommands

1. CommandLine: cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX (windows 7 license key)
   Order 1
   RequiresUserInput: false
   CommandLine: cscript //b c:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato
   Order 2
   RequiresUserInput: false

SynchronousCommand[Order="1"]

SynchronousCommand[Order="2"]

OOBE

HideEULAPage: true
NetworkLocation: Home
ProtectYourPC: 1

UserAccounts

1. 1. 1. Password: Administrator Password

      Action: AddListItem
      Description: Local Administrator
      DisplayName: Administrator
      Group: Administrators
      Name: Administrator

   LocalAccount[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!

Anti-Virus Applications with Known Issues

• Norton 2009
• McAfee
• AVG
• Avira
• ESET NOD32 4.0 (User reported issues)

Anti-Virus Applications 100% Compatible with Sysprep

• Microsoft Forefront
• Microsoft Security Essentials

And yes, you probably noticed that both applications are made by Microsoft, go figure. If anyone notices any other anti-virus programs that are causing issues with sysprep please comment on here. Or if you have workaround for these anti-virus apps and sysprep working together please comment.

Microsoft Security Essentials - Free Alternative

CHANGES/UPDATES AS OF NOVEMBER 12, 2009

• Added new Windows 7 winpe.bmp wallpaper for WinPE 3.0 Boot Environment, both x32 and x64.
• Added new drivers for WinPE 3.0 environment including some netbooks and HP eCopy machines, x32.
• Added the newest stable version of GimageX v2.0.17, x32 and x64.
• Removed GHOST from packages, x32 and x64.

Also, if you have enjoyed my site or gotten useful information from it; even if I saved you an hour from compiling different information then I have accomplished my goal. However, I am now getting 10-20 emails per day asking questions about sysprepping, Windows 7 deployment, etc. It is getting hard to keep up. And with this increase in traffic comes an increase in bandwidth. If I have helped you in any way please feel free to donate any amount on the right hand side so I can keep this blog going. I have some great new tutorials planned as I jump deep into the Acresso’s AdminStudio 9.5 Repackager for Windows 7 x64.

Step #1

Unplug your Zune from USB and close your Zune software.

Step #2

Go to your control panel.

Zune Control Panel

Step #3

Click on Clock, Language, and Region

Zune Region Settings

Step #4

Click on “change location”.

Zune Change Location

Step #5

Change your location to “United Kingdom”.

Zune UK

Step #6

Now plug your Zune back in and launch the Zune software. Go to settings at top right and then to “Player Update” on left hand side.

Zune Player Update

Step #7

It should now ask you to upgrade player to 4.3. Select “Upgrade”. This will take a minute or two.

Step #8

You should now see a confirmation screen saying your player is fully up to date.

Zune Player 4.3

Step #9

You can now go back to control panel and change your region back to US.

“Security Warning – Run only scripts that you trust. While scripts from the Internet can be useful, this script can potentially harm your computer. Do you want to run –.ps1? [D] Do not run [R] Run once [S] Suspend [?] Help (default is “D”):

Step #1

The first thing you need to do is launch Windows Powershell.

Step #2

Then enter the following commands:

get-executionpolicy

set-executionpolicy bypass

Powershell Trust Scripts

Now launch your script and enjoy not seeing that annoying message come up.

If you want to still see what their IPv4 address is then simply use the command below:

ping hostname -4

Simply add a “-4″ after your normal ping command.

Rudi De Vos over in the UltraVNC forums posted a fix for this problem.

Also, here is the link for the newest version of UVNC.

I have tested Rudi’s fix in test environment and we are now using this in production environment within Windows 7 environment and it is working great. Thanks Rudi!

UVNC Listener

This is a step by step guide on Sysprepping (and yes, I have made sysprepping a verb now) a Windows 7 machine from start to finish. This will guide you through building the unattended XML file, having the administrator profile copy over to default profile, and fixes for what is right now a not 100% working system from Microsoft. This is something I would have easily paid for when first starting this process. I don’t know why Microsoft can’t hand us a 100% working process. There will always be fixes, even with the RTM release.

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

Once you have WAIK installed on a machine your Start Menu should look like the image below:

Windows 7 WAIK Version 1

Go ahead and launch the Windows System Image Manager. Picture of the program is below.

Windows System Image Manager

We now need to open a Windows 7 image. If you have an 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). Back in Windows System Image Manager (WISM) go to the file menu and select “Select Windows Image”. 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.

Selecting CLG File - WSIM

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. 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

These are very important as these are the steps in which the 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.

Download my Windows 7 x86 Sysprep XML File
Download my Windows 7 x64 Sysprep XML File

WSIM Passes

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_neutral

Set 1 for SkipRearm to allow up to 8 rearms

4 Specialize

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP-UX_neutral

SkipAutoActivation: true

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral

Computer Name: * (Randomly generated name, use this to test)
CopyProfile: false (doesn’t quite work, we will do that manually later)
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 Time

5 AuditSystem

Nothing required in my example.

6 AuditUser

Nothing required in my example.

7 OobeSystem

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-International-Core_neutral

InputLocale: en-us
SystemLocale: en-us
UILanguage: en-us
UserLocale: en-us

amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral

RegisteredOrganization: YourCompanyName
RegisteredOwner: YourName

Under amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral component, you will have a subheader for OOBE:

HideEULAPage true
NetworkLocation: Home
ProtectYourPC: 1

Under amd64_Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral component, you will have a subheader for UserAccounts:

You will want to add both an administrator password and another local account with administrator rights and password.

If you have questions, look at my image above to see full layout of components, it should help. Also, you might have additional component headings that I didn’t mention. If you are simply testing first time, just delete them for now. You can add all sorts of components later on, you should do a successful sysprep if this is your first time, better to keep it simple and to the basics.

K, now go ahead and save your answer file. The building of the XML file is now done. That is the worst part. You would think that the sysprep process would get easier as new OS’s come out, but its pretty much the exact opposite.

Prepping your machine

K, now it is time to get your machine that you want to sysprep and capture an image of ready to go. First, you are going enable the administrator account on the computer. To do this on Windows Vista or Windows 7, open up a command prompt (Run as Administrator) and input the following command:

net user administrator /active:yes

Hit enter and you should see “successfully enabled Administrator Account”.

So you should currently have two accounts on your computer. The account you are currently logged into and the Administrator account which you just enabled. You are going to want to customize all of your preferences, favorites, bookmarks, taskbar, etc. under the currently logged in account. Once you have everything just perfect, you are going to reboot the computer and login to the administrator account. This next part is very important. You are going to go to “My Computer” and then to Organize and folder and search options. Go ahead and select “Show hidden files, folders, and drives”. Picture is below.

Show Hidden Files, Folders, and Drives

The last thing we need to do is disable the WMP sharing service. This is a bug in Windows 7 and hopefully will eventually be fixed. If you don’t disable this before the sysprep your sysprep will simply fail to run. Go to run, msconfig, and then disable the “Windows Media Player Networking Sharing” service.

Now you are ready to sysprep your computer and capture an image of it!! Finally! So, grab that XML file you created earlier and you are going to place it on the machine you built your image on. Copy or move it 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:NAMEOFYOURANSWERFILE.xml

Your computer will now run the sysprep process, removing SID, etc, and then shutdown. You can have it restart, but shutdown is always safer if you have a ton of things going on. You will need to boot to your WinPE Boot environment when your computer starts back up. If you miss the first time upon boot up, you will have to re-input your sysprep commands. So do a shutdown, not a restart.

You can use my BrianLeeJackson WinPE3.0 BootLoader to boot up from USB or CD and capture your image. Once you capture your image, you are all done. You now have a sysprepped Windows 7 image. I have performed this task on over 120 computers so far and it has been flawless. The hard part was getting everything configured correctly. I hope this documentation helps someone out there, I know I would have killed for a tutorial like this when I first started

HP Mini Netbook

Step #1

First thing you will need to do is download the Synaptics Touchpad Driver from their website. Download them here.

Step #2

If this is a netbook, most likely you are running 32-bit of Windows 7 and so you will need to click on “Windows Vista 32-bit Edition v10.1.8″ while on Synaptics’ website.

Step #3

Once you download it, simply double click on it to run it and then you will have to restart your computer.

Step #4

No configuration is necessary. Once you have restarted, you will once again have your touchpad scrolling back.

Microsoft Office 2007

Step #1

First create two different folders, one for your original office install and the second for your SP2 files. To keep things simply, lets just make them on your desktop, a folder called “Office07″ and a folder called “SP2″.

Create Office Folders

Step #2

You now need to copy the contents of your original office install to the “Office07″ folder on your desktop. If you have an ISO, simply extract that with either 7-Zip or WinRar; or if you have it on a DVD, stick that into your computer, browse to the drive, and copy the contents over.

Office 2007 Contents

Step #3

Now you need to download SP2 for Microsoft Office if you don’t already have it. The download link is here. I would just download it to your desktop.

Download Office SP2

Step #4

Now open up a command prompt window on your desktop. (Hold shift and right click on your desktop and select Open Command Prompt Windows Here)

Step #5

You you are going to extract the SP2 exe which you downloaded earlier. In your command prompt window type: office2007sp2-kb953195-fullfile-en-us.exe /extract:”C:\Users\YOURUSERNAME\Desktop\SP2″ (make sure you put in your username)

Extracting Office 2007 SP2

Step #6

You should now be prompted with the EULA. Simply check the box and click next. It will extract SP2 into that SP2 folder on your desktop.

Office 2007 SP2 EULA

Step #7

Now simply copy the contents of the SP2 folder on your desktop to the UPDATES folder within the Office07 folder on your desktop (Office07\Updates). Then you are finished. When you run the setup for Office, (setup.exe) it will now install SP2 while it installs Office 2007.