SYSPREP - Answer File

A

awsiemieniec

Gawd
Joined
Jul 2, 2004
Messages
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Hey - I need to rollout 80 Windows 7 PCs all configured the same with the exception of COA sticker and host name.

I have a machine that is fully configured as I want it and I ran a SYSPREP on it. This is my test machine so I can screw with the process till I get it right. When I turned it on it ran the OOBE and asked for a user name, PC name. I filled in the account I already created and it said that account is already in use.

So I'm guessing I did something wrong (did use the "generalize" switch). I'm reading about an answer file that I'll need to create. (?)

Is it possible to fully config the PC with the account the final user will use then SYSPREP it and then just have the user fill in the PC host name and Windows license key at first boot?
Keep all device drivers, printers, user account, etc. Just a different host name and MS license.

Thx
 
... or would it be better to simply not activate windows, CloneZilla the PC then on first boot activate (plug in the license key) and rename the PC.

That might be easier. (?) thoughts?
 
You can't have it be OOBE but already have the account. OOBE by it's definition wants to create an account, since Windows out of the box.. has no accounts.

Ideally you won't OOBE it.
 
I just use a disposable username to get past that part of Sysprep, and pre-embed my real account(s) prior to prepping for imaging.

Also, if your embedding drivers, make sure you are setting the parameters to keep drivers during sysprep (it removes some out of the base image during sysprep).

They go into the Generalize section of the answer file:

<PersistAllDeviceInstalls>true</PersistAllDeviceInstalls>
<DoNotCleanUpNonPresentDevices>true</DoNotCleanUpNonPresentDevices>

The second is important if the hardware is not present during the first unsealing, as Windows will remove the drivers.
 
MDT. MDT. MDT.

Install Windows. When it asks for a username hit "Cntrl-Shift-F3". This enters system audit mode. Install any software/make any profile customizations. When done, run "sysprep /generalize /shutdown /oobe /unattend:unatend.xml" Place your unattend file in C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep first.

Make sure to add copyProfile True to the unattend file if you want you Windows theme, shortcuts, etc to stick to all new users when deploying the image.
 
/usr/home said:
MDT. MDT. MDT.
Click to expand...

+1

80 PCs is enough to put an actual deployment together. You're going to have to re-deploy them eventually. Why not create a maintainable image rather than relying on out-dated cloning methods.

Learn MDT. It will make your image maintenance oh, so much easier.
 
There are a few options here. The best by far is what has already been said, use the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT). With that said, there are several routes that you can take at this point.

If you have only the single reference system, it is completely configured, and you just need to deploy what you have already prepared as quickly as possible: You can just enter any temporary user name at the prompt (other than the one with which you customized the system), then log in with the original user name and delete the temporary user.

If you are looking to configure a default user profile that will exist for any new users of the system, the above will not work. It will produce only the one pre-configured user. To customize the default profile that is applied to any new local users you will need to customize the Administrator profile (accessible either through Audit Mode via Ctrl+Shift+F3 as /usr/home mentioned or any other method of enabling Administrator), then run Sysprep with an Answer File in which CopyProfile is specified. When this is run, the other user name you created will not be removed automatically, so you may want to remove that as well.

If you are looking to do the deployment in the most efficient and effective way, you will want to automate as much of the deployment as possible with MDT. For example, if you are including Microsoft Office in these systems rather than installing it in the base image and then capturing, you could use the Office Deployment Toolkit to create a package that will be installed automatically via MDT during deployment. The same logic can apply to drivers, programs like Adobe Flash Player and Oracle Java Runtime Environment. In this way, if you have to deploy again, you do not need to re-create the image. You need only to update the application installers; if you need to deploy to a different make and model, you need only to import the new drivers.

A good place to start if you are unfamiliar with MDT is the Windows 8.1 Deployment Jump Start.

Brandon
Windows Outreach Team- IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet
 
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