How to use the Sysprep tool to automate successful deployment of Windows XP

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ArticleID:302577-LastReview:April14,2005-Revision:2.5

HowtousetheSyspreptooltoautomatesuccessfuldeploymentof WindowsXP
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TocontinuereceivingsecurityupdatesforWindows,makesureyou'rerunningWindowsXP withServicePack3(SP3).Formoreinformation,refertothisMicrosoftwebpage:Support isendingforsomeversionsofWindows(http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/end-supportwindows-xp-sp2-windows-vista-without-service-packs)

Thisstep-by-steparticledescribeshowtousetheSystemPreparationTool (Sysprep)toautomatethesuccessfuldeploymentofMicrosoftWindowsXP. Sysprepisatoolthatisdesignedforsystemadministrators,OriginalEquipment Manufacturers(OEMs),andotherswhomustautomaticallydeploytheWindowsXP operatingsystemonmultiplecomputers.Afteryouperformtheinitialsetupsteps onasinglecomputer,youcanruntheSyspreptooltopreparethesamplecomputer forcloning.

RequirementsforrunningtheSyspreptool
BeforeyoucanusetheSyspreptool,yourcomputerhardwareandrelateddevices mustmeetthefollowingrequirements:

ThereferenceanddestinationcomputersmusthavecompatibleHALs.For example,AdvancedProgrammableInterruptController(APIC)basedMPS (multiprocessorsystems)mustusethesameAPICHAL.AstandardHAL ProgrammableInterruptController(PIC)basedsystemisnotcompatible witheithertheAPICHALortheMPSHAL.

ThereferenceanddestinationcomputersmusthavethesameAdvanced ConfigurationandPowerInterface(ACPI)support. ThePlug-and-Playdevicesonthereferenceanddestinationcomputers,such asmodems,soundcards,networkadapters,andvideocards,donothaveto befromthesamemanufacturer.However,thedriversforthesedevices mustbeavailable.

Third-partydisk-imagingsoftwareordisk-duplicatinghardwaredevicesare required.Theseproductscreatebinaryimagesofacomputer'sharddiskand eitherduplicatetheimagetoanotherharddiskorstoretheimageinafile onaseparatedisk.

Thesizeoftheharddiskonthedestinationcomputermustbeatleastthe samesizeastheharddiskonthereferencecomputer.Ifthedestination computerhasalargerharddisk,thedifferenceisnotincludedintheprimary partition.However,youcanusetheExtendOemPartitionkeyinthe

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Sysprep.inffiletoextendtheprimarypartitionifitwasformattedbyusing theNTFSfilesystem.

PrepareareferencecomputerforSysprepdeployment
ToprepareareferencecomputerforSysprepdeploymentinWindowsXP,follow thesesteps: 1. 2. 3. 4. Onareferencecomputer,installtheoperatingsystemandanyprograms thatyouwantinstalledonyourdestinationcomputers. ClickStart,clickRun,typecmd,andthenclickOK. Atthecommandprompt,changetotherootfolderofdriveC,andthentype mdSysprep. InserttheWindowsXPoperatingsystemCDintotheappropriateCD-ROMor DVD-ROMdrive,andthenopentheDeploy.cabfileinthe\Support\Tools folder. NoteTomakesurethatyouareusingthecorrectversionoftheDeploy.cab fileforyourservicepack,usetheDeploy.cabfilethatisdistributedwiththat servicepack.VisitthefollowingMicrosoftWebsitetodownloadthecorrect versionforyourservicepack: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/default.mspx (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/default.mspx) 5. CopytheSysprep.exefileandtheSetupcl.exefiletotheSysprepfolder. NoteIfyouusetheSysprep.inffile,copythisfiletotheSysprepfolderalso. FortheSyspreptooltofunctioncorrectly,theSysprep.exefile,the 6. 7. 8. Setupcl.exefile,andtheSysprep.inffilemustallbeinthesamefolder. RemovetheWindowsXPoperatingsystemCD. Atthecommandprompt,typecdSyspreptochangetotheSysprepfolder. ToruntheSyspreptool,typethefollowingcommandatthecommand prompt: Sysprep/optional parameter NoteForalistofparameters,seethe"Sysprepparameters"section. IfyouruntheSysprep.exefilefromthe%systemdrive%\Sysprepfolder,the Sysprep.exefileremovesthewholefolderandthecontentsofthefolder afteritfinishes. 9. MicrosoftrecommendsthatafteryouruntheSysprep.exefileonareference computer,isolatethereferencecomputerfromthelocalnetworkwherethe imagewillbesubsequentlydeployedtoavoidanyNetBIOSconflicts.This permitstheSyspreptooltocompletetheSetupprogram,jointhedomain thatisspecified,andusethenewcomputernamethatisspecifiedinthe Sysprep.infanswerfile.

CreatetheSysprep.infanswerfile
TheSysprep.infanswerfileisatextfilethatscriptstheanswersforaseriesof graphicaluserinterface(GUI)dialogboxes.TocreateaSysprep.infanswerfilethat isusedbytheSyspreptool,youcanuseatexteditororyoucanusetheSetup ManagertoolthatisincludedontheWindowsXPCDandisalsoincludedwiththe MicrosoftWindowsXPResourceKit.Theanswerfilemustberenamedto Sysprep.inf,andmustresideintheSysprepfolderintherootofthedrivewhere WindowsXPisinstalled,orthesefilescanresideonafloppydisk.IftheSysprep

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folderisnameddifferently,theSetupprogramignoresit.Thereisnotaparameter forspecifyingtheMini-SetupWizardanswerfile.

Sysprep.infanswerfileformatandparameters

TheSysprep.infanswerfileformatandparametersarethesameasthe Unattended.txtfileforWindowsXP,butonlythefollowingsectionsand parametersaresupported: [Unattended] ExtendOemPartition OemPnPDriversPath OemSkipEula InstallFilesPath KeepPageFile ResetSourcePath UpdateHAL UpdateUPHAL UpdateInstalledDrivers TapiConfigured [GuiUnattended] AdminPassword Autologon AutoLogonCount OEMDuplicatorString OEMSkipRegional OEMSkipWelcome TimeZone [UserData] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [LicenseFilePrintData] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [GuiRunOnce] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [Display] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [RegionalSettings] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [Networking] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [Identification] SupportsthesamesetofentriesastheUnattend.txtfile. [TapiLocation] [Sysprep] Automaticallygeneratestheentriesinthe[SysprepMassStorage]section. [SysprepMassStorage] Allowsyoutousethesameimageoncomputerswithdifferentmass-storage devices.

UsetheSetupManagertooltocreatetheSysprep.infanswerfile
ToinstalltheSetupManagertoolandtocreateananswerfile,followthesesteps:

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

OpenMyComputer,andthenopentheSupport\ToolsfolderontheWindows XPCD. Double-clicktheDeploy.cabfiletoopenit. OntheEditmenu,clickSelectAll. OntheEditmenu,clickCopyToFolder. ClickMakeNewFolder. TypethenamethatyouwantfortheSetupManagerfolder,andthenpress ENTER.Forexample,typesetupmanager,andthenpressENTER.

6. 7. 8.

ClickCopy. Openthenewfolderthatyoucreated,andthendouble-clickthe Setupmgr.exefile.TheWindowsSetupManagerWizardstarts. Followtheinstructionsinthewizardtocreateananswerfile.

Foradditionalinformationabouthowtocreateananswerfile,clickthefollowing articlenumbertoviewthearticleintheMicrosoftKnowledgeBase: 308662(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/308662/)HOWTO:UseSetupManager tocreateananswerfileinWindows2000

Sysprepparameters
YoucanusethefollowingoptionalparameterswiththeSysprepcommandin WindowsXP:

-activated-DonotresetthegraceperiodforWindowsproductactivation. UsethisparameteronlyifyouhaveactivatedtheWindowsinstallationinthe factory. ImportantTheproductkeythatyouusetoactivatetheWindows installationmustmatchtheproductkeythatislocatedontheCOAsticker

thatisattachedtothatparticularcomputer. -audit-RestartsthecomputerinFactorymodewithouthavingtogenerate newsecurityIDs(SIDs)orprocessanyitemsinthe[OEMRunOnce]section oftheWinbom.inifile.Usethiscommand-lineparameteronlyifthe

computerisalreadyinFactorymode. -bmsd-Populatesalltheavailablemassstoragedevicesinthe [SysprepMassStorage]section. -clean-Clearsthecriticaldevicesdatabasethatisusedbythe [SysprepMassStorage]sectionintheSysprep.inffile. -factory-Restartsinanetwork-enabledstatewithoutdisplayingWindows Welcomeormini-Setup.Thisparameterisusefulforupdatingdrivers, runningPlugandPlayenumeration,installingprograms,testing,configuring thecomputerwithcustomerdata,ormakingotherconfigurationchangesin yourfactoryenvironment.Forcompaniesthatusediskimaging(orcloning) software,Factorymodecanreducethenumberofimagesthatarerequired. WhenallthetasksinFactorymodearecomplete,runtheSysprep.exefile byusingthe-resealparametertopreparethecomputerforend-user

delivery. -forceshutdown-ShutsdownthecomputeraftertheSysprep.exefile finishes. NoteUsethisparameterwithcomputersthathaveanACPIBIOSthatdo notshutdowncorrectlywiththedefaultbehavioroftheSysprep.exefile.

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-mini-ConfiguresMicrosoftWindowsXPProfessionaltouseMini-Setup insteadofWindowsWelcome.ThisparameterdoesnotaffectMicrosoft WindowsXPHomeEdition,wherethefirst-runexperienceisalwaysWindows Welcome. NotethatifyouplantousetheSysprep.inffiletoautomateMini-Setup,you musteitherruntheSyspreptoolbyusingthe-miniswitch,orclicktoselect theMiniSetupcheckboxintheGUIinterface.Bydefault,ifyoudonot choosetorunMini-Setup,WindowsXPProfessionalrunstheWindows

Welcome. -noreboot-Modifiesregistryentries(SID,OemDuplicatorString,andother registryentries)withoutthecomputerrestartingorpreparingforduplication. Thisparameterismainlyusedfortesting,specificallytoseeiftheregistryis modifiedcorrectly.Microsoftdoesnotrecommendthisoptionbecause makingchangestoacomputeraftertheSysprep.exefilehasrunmay invalidatethepreparationthatwascompletedbytheSysprep.exefile.Do notusethisparameterinaproductionenvironment.

-nosidgen-RunstheSysprep.exefilewithoutgeneratingnewSIDs.You mustusethisparameterifyouarenotduplicatingthecomputerwhereyou arerunningtheSysprep.exefileorifyouarepreinstallingdomain controllers.

-pnp-RunsthefullPlugandPlaydeviceenumerationandinstallationof previousdevicesduringMini-Setup.Thiscommand-lineparameterhasno effectifthefirst-runexperienceisWindowsWelcome. Usethe-pnpcommand-lineparameteronlywhenyoumustdetectand installprevious,non-PlugandPlaydevices.Donotusethesysprep-pnp command-lineparameteroncomputersthatonlyusePlugandPlaydevices. Otherwise,youwillincreasethetimethatittakesforthefirst-run experiencewithoutprovidinganyadditionalbenefittotheuser. NoteWhenunsigneddriversareunavoidable,usethe UpdateInstalledDrivers=yesparameterinconjunctionwith OemPnPDriversPath=andDriverSigningPolicy=ignoreinsteadofthepnpcommand-lineparametertoprovideamoreseamlessinstallation.

-quiet-RunstheSysprep.exefilewithoutdisplayingonscreenconfirmation messages.ThisisusefulifyouareautomatingtheSysprep.exefile.For example,ifyouplantoruntheSysprep.exefileimmediatelyafterthe unattendedSetupprogramfinishes,addthesysprep-quietcommandto

the[GuiRunOnce]sectionoftheUnattend.txtfile. -reboot-Forcesthecomputertoautomaticallyrestart,andthenstarts WindowsWelcomeMini-Setup,orFactorymode,asspecified.Thisisuseful whenyouwanttoauditthecomputerandverifythatthefirst-runexperience

isoperatingcorrectly. -reseal-ClearstheEventViewerlogsandpreparesthecomputerfor deliverytothecustomer.WindowsWelcomeorMini-Setupissettostartthe nexttimethatthecomputerrestarts.Ifyourunthesysprep-factory command,youmustsealtheinstallationasthelaststepinyour preinstallationprocess.Todothis,runthesysprep-resealcommandor clicktheResealbuttonintheSysprepdialogbox.

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FormoreinformationabouthowtousetheSysprep.inffileformultilingualsupport, seetheonlineHelp. Foramoredetailedexplanationaboutanswerfilesandtheirvalidparameter values,seetheRef.chmfileinthe\Support\Tools\Deploy.cabfolderthatislocated ontheWindowsXPProfessionalCD.

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