Sysprep XP Home Ed. image

[Guest]

I am having a devil of a time deploying XP home on our machines.

This is the situation. We have 6 Dell computers (each with its own XP Home
license) that are used for public access. We want the total setup on each
machine to be identical.

I have prepared one machine from scratch with everything setup the way it is
needed. I created an answer file with setupmgr leaving the product key (and
some other items) blank, then sysprep the machine (and make an image after
shut down). However, with XP Home, I am apparently not allowed to use
Mini-Setup. At any rate, when the machine is restarted, I never get any
prompts to enter the product key or any other information for that matter.
All I get is a message that states "The system is not fully installed. Please
run setup again." I am aware of article KB320279 that is supposed to address
this problem, but working through the steps, I find at step 3, there is no
System file in %SystemRoot%\repair\. Besides, creating a parallel
installation of XP in another partition (which does not exist in the desired
setup) is problematic at best.

I am looking for the root cause of this problem, so that when I distribute
this image, that I can start up, enter the requisite information, tweak the
installation and get the machine back in service.

There seems to be a dearth of information about the sysprep process and
getting indentical installations down on multiple machines.

I need help here.

Thanks!

Pat Clifford

 

[R. McCarty]

You might be better off/less issues to just do a simple Image deployment
and afterwards use the Product Key changer and a tool called NewSID
from SysInternals. For the # of client PCs it may take longer to untangle
the issues you're having with SysPrep.

 

[Newbie Coder]

R McCarthy,

Sysprep strips the SIDs out

--
Newbie Coder
(It's just a name)

 

[R. McCarty]

Yep, I know. I was merely suggesting that instead of using Sysprep
for that small number of deployed PCs it might be easier to use a
simple Image ( Acronis, Ghost ) and then run NewSID on each PC
after 1st boot to generate new SIDs.
Probably since they are going to be "Public Access" PCs they need
some type of 3rd-Party restoration/maintenance application to prevent
changes or improper use. Hopefully they will be used only with limited
account privileges.

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the information. I assume that this makes a totally legitimate
installation when all is said and done (ie. MS would have no problems
accepting it as genuine?) I am trying to do this in a totally legal fashion.

Pat

 

[R. McCarty]

Sure it's legal, since Dell uses a "Global" Product key at the factory, it's
likely you wouldn't even have to bother with running the Key Changer
application - as Dell's are BIOS locked/activated.

Just make sure to give/change each PC's name after the first boot and
run NewSID. It also helps to copy your preferred profile to the Default
User Documents and Settings tree so all newly created profiles mimic
the template you've created.

 

[Guest]

Ok, I am not sure what Newbie Coder means about stripping the SIDs out. I
understand that each machine needs unique SIDs, but why is (or would be)
stripping out the SIDs (which assumably are regenerated during the setup
boot) be better than changing the SIDs after the first boot?

All I am looking for is a way to propogate a "standard" setup to a number of
machines for public use. (...and, yes, they do use 3rd party software to
"lock" down the machines. They also use limited accounts and are wiped clean
and restored periodically.) In the past, this has all been done by hand and
as the number of machines increases, this is becoming cumbersome. As we are
a public institution (read: little/no money) I have to try to do this with
either free software or software already purchased (ie. sysprep).

As an aside, this seems to be a unnessarily complicated procedure for
something that on the surface should be a simple operation. I am sure that I
am not the only person on the face of the planet that needs to do this, but I
can find little to no information regarding how to sucessfully do this.

Pat

 

[R. McCarty]

Can be quite simple.
1.) Build Reference machine
2.) Copy customized profile to "Default"
3.) Image the PC ( Acronis, Ghost )
4.) *Better yet, partition drive so it has a dedicated image volume
with your "Standardized" image on it.
5.) Image both the C: (Win-XP) and Image volume
6.) Restore both to client PC
7.) When PC needs rebuilding, boot to CD-R media and do a
3-4 minute restore from the Image volume on the disk itself.
8.) Post Processing - Machine Name, NewSID
Doing this way you can quickly restore each machine without having
to use a central image server.

I do some probono work for Charities and have created a similar type
setup for them.

 

[Guest]

Hi Pat

I have exactly the same issue as you. I am at a school and used to Sysprep
for XP Pro using mini-setup. We are now trying to develop an image for ther
old PC for takehome students which freeware apps and a valid XP Home License.
The LIcense is ona sticker on the box and all I want to do is Have a sysprep
run up, put inthe license, and be done with it. Why Can't it be as simple as
XP Pro??? Frustrating...

Anyway, to answer your question, Yes it is totally legal To Use a thrid
party to app to do it the way suggested. Its just in my case it will not work.

If Anyone has any ideas please let us know.

 

[Guest]

HI Pat

Contray to my earlier post I've just discoved the problem. It is Media
Player 11. Roll BVack to the previous version and sysprep works again.
Thankyou Microsoft Ive wasted 2 days on this.

Goodluck.