Anyway to Sysprep without OOBE or Audit Mode

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

I am trying to SysPrep a windows 7 machine and the only options are with OOBE or Audit mode. And if i create it with OOBE it will require me to create a user account during the process and if i do it in Audit mode then every single time the computer boots it will re install all the drivers and bring the sysprep tool back up.

 

Also i have noticed that it will not let me run the sysprep tool in command line it always brings up the gui tool.

 

Here is a screen capture of the tool as it stands not letting me do as i would like * Under the drop down is the box for Generalize option.

[sc302 Veteran]

I think you are going to need to build an answer file, that would be your only other option.

http://briandesmond.com/blog/how-to-sysprep-in-windows-server-2008-r2-and-windows-7/

[LittleNeutrino Veteran]

i must just be an idiot, i have managed to get as far as where it would let me create the answer file however, it will just let me input commands which apparently i am already supposed to know. Rather than it just letting me answer the questions and load it into the image.

[sc302 Veteran]

The waik should have a answer file wizard, it isn't called this, that helps you build the answer file so you don't have to guess, but if you like guessing.


http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=5753

 

then after done with the answer file you need to run this in a run prompt:

 

sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml

 

Everything in the answer file should be applied and next boot after imaging should be according to the answer file you have made.

[WinOutreach5]

The official name of the answer file wizard that sc302 mentioned is ?Windows System Image Manager? (WSIM, or Windows SIM), which is a component of the Windows AIK (Windows Automated Deployment Kit) or Windows ADK (Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit). You may want to also read the TechNet article ?Best practices for Authoring Answer Files? to avoid common mistakes. Likewise, it is always good to keep a link to the ?Unattended Windows Setup Reference? handy as a reference component and setting definitions and proper syntax.

Audit Mode is used to customize a reference image prior to capture. However, you would not capture an image that is in Audit mode, as it must be configured to boot to Windows Welcome (OOBE) before capture of the image. Please see ?Customize Windows in Audit Mode? for more details.

 

OOBE stands for ?Out of Box Experience?, and you can automate all of it with an answer file. Including creating a user account.

 

You have not specified exactly what you are trying to accomplish, so I will quote a few lines from the TechNet article ?What is Sysprep? to help you better understand why OOBE must be selected on the final run (or only run if you don?t use Audit mode):
 

?The System Preparation (Sysprep) tool prepares an installation of Windows for duplication, auditing, and customer delivery. Duplication, also called imaging, enables you to capture a customized Windows image that you can reuse throughout an organization.

Sysprep also enables you to prepare an image to be delivered to a customer. When the customer boots Windows, Windows Welcome starts.

You must not use Sysprep to reconfigure an existing installation of Windows that has already been deployed.?

 

Hope this helps,

 

Jessica

Windows Outreach Team ? IT Pro

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