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Questions tagged [sysprep]

Sysprep is the name of Microsoft's System Preparation Utility for Microsoft Windows operating system deployment.

History

Sysprep was originally introduced for use with Windows NT 4.0. Later versions introduced for Windows 2000 and Windows XP are available for download from Microsoft and included in the Windows CD. Windows Vista marks the first version of Microsoft's NT operating system to include a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) independent version of Sysprep in the "out of box" installation.

Purpose

Desktop deployment is typically performed via disk cloning applications. Sysprep can be used to prepare an operating system for disk cloning and restoration via a disk image.

Windows operating system installations include many unique elements per installation that need to be "generalized" before capturing and deploying a disk image to multiple computers. Some of these elements include:

  • Computer name
  • Security Identifier (SID)
  • Driver Cache

Sysprep seeks to solve these issues by allowing for the generation of new computer names, unique SIDs, and custom driver cache databases during the Sysprep process.

Administrators can use tools such as SetupMgr.exe (Windows XP) or the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows Vista/7/Server 2008) to generate answer files that Sysprep will process on new computer deployments.

Screenshot

enter image description here

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Can I take a domain pc hard drive and put it in the exact same hardware and leave it as it is on the domain without running any sys prep?

I have a workstation in a domain that has failed with hardware related issues. The actual hard drive is fine and is not the issue with with the workstation. Since we have spares of these workstations, in the exact hardware configuration as the old…
dasko
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Win 8 - how to prepare an image so it does not run through setup?

I am preparing a Win8 image to use as base for automatic deployments in Hyper-V at the moment. It seems that whenever a sysprepped image starts, it is running through the whole setup routine - which is bad, as it means setting up a setup user…
TomTom
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How to sysprep SQL Server Express?

We plan to deploy Hyper-V VHD with Windows Server 2008 R2 and SQL Server 2012 Express installed to multiple hosts. From my understanding, the correct way to do this is to install SQL Server in prepartion mode, sysprep Windows, then complete SQL…
Jim
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Deploying XP machines fails to use Prestaged Computer Name

I have been happily deploying Windows 7 images using WDS for a few months now and everything has been working smoothly. I have prestaged the computernames in AD because one of our clients wants different computers in different rooms to be easily…
Joe Taylor
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Windows Server 2008 R2 - Remove Product Key to Force Reactivation after Deployment

I have a VM configured with internal software that needs to be sent to an outside party for evaluation. As it stands, the user who configured it also activated the software with a company issued MSDN key, something I don't want to be sending outside…
Jack
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Sysprep Automatic computer name

I'd like to sysprep to give an automatic name to each new computer, but not fully automatic. I'd like it to be "Client1", "Client2" and so on. Is it possible? Thanks.
Alex
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HTTP proxy settings in unattend.xml only take effect after a user has logged on

I am creating a Windows "golden image" that will be rolled out to a network which does not have direct Internet access. Instead, HTTP/HTTPS traffic must be carried over a proxy server. When running sysprep, I am adding this to unattend.xml, to…
Richard Downer
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Cannot SysPrep Windows 10 Enterprise (spring creators update): "A fatal error occurred..."

I have been creating our Windows 10 "golden image" from a VM, but since I installed the "Spring Creators update" I now cannot SysPrep it. Typically, this is the process I would follow, using PowerShell to find and remove all APPX packages: #Audit…
SamAndrew81
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Accept License terms with sysprep and unattend.xml Windows Server 2016

I am trying to create a Windows Server 2016 Datacentre template for cloud deployment using sysprep and unattend.xml. After syspreping, on first logon I am still getting License terms screen where I have to accept the terms License terms accept…
Tom
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Packer - AWS Windows 2016 SysPrep returns exit code 1

When attempting to SysPrep an AWS Windows Server 2016 instance using Packer the following error is thrown: Build 'amazon-ebs' errored: Script exited with non-zero exit status: 1. Allowed exit codes are: [0] I'm calling the SysprepInstance.ps1…
Castrohenge
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How do I provide sysprep a list of servernames and IPs

I would like to have sysprep make a call out to a server somewhere (SCCM, MDT, etc) that provides an answer during bootup to get the computer name and IP address to use. Any pointers on which technology or method to use? Further info: I want to be…
Scott Forsyth
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IS there a guide how to copy and sysprep Windows 2012 with Sql Server 2014 installed and running?

We have a server that is installed and running and now we would like to make copies of it. The server is Windows 2012 with Sql Server 2014 Standard. I havn't found any information regarding this, so is it possible at all? What are the steps to do…
Mathias Rönnlund
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NewSid program for linux?

i was reading this question How to rename machines after image install and I was wondering what you do for a linux machine. I am a windows guy and am clueless about linux. If i have a linux image or VM, is there a NewSid or SysPrep program that I…
BLAKE
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Alternatives to DriverPacks for Windows system deployment images?

I managed to prepare a Windows 7 Professional image with sysprep for deployment to a wide variety of hardware, and so far it works fairly well. It currently installs drivers upon first boot after deployment with driver packs released by…
hpy
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Upgrade from "audit mode" (pre-cloning) Windows 8 to Windows 8.1?

I have a Windows 8 in audit mode with a lot of applications installed, custom configurations done, and an answer file prepared, ready to be sysprepped for cloning. How do I upgrade to Windows 8.1, when I can't go into the store (Metro apps don't…
Display Name
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