How do I join a WinXP PC to domain during mini-setup

[Guest]

Hello.
I am setting up some PCs via Ghost and Sysprep. I have a master PC, which
has a directory C:\sysprep in which I put the sysprep.inf file so that the
Mini Setup can be unattended. I sysprep the master and ghost up the image.
I ghost down the image to a different box and reboot. The mini setup program
starts automatically. I want to be prompted to join the domain at this time,
and be able to enter the domain name, user account, and password (for a user
authorized to joint the machine to the domain). Can someone help me on this?
When I run sysprep, should I choose unattended or sysprep. I've been
choosing sysprep. And in the sysprep.inf file, what do I need to specify to
be able to do this? Also, where do I need to have the sysprep.inf file so
that it is read when the ghosted PC reboots and starts the mini-setup
program? Thanks in advanced.

Benjamin

 

[Guest]

You need to run setupmgr before sysprep. This will run you through a wizard
where you can name the pc, specifiy the domain, enter the admin password,
etc.

 

[Guest]

The problem is that I don't want the Administrator's password to be in the
sysprep.inf file. I want to be prompted for the user credentials to join the
domain when I run the mini setup on the destination PCs.

Benjamin

 

[Dusko Savatovic]

Like Benjamin said, run setupmgr.exe.

Solution 1
Create domain user account just for joining domain. Remove (or deny) user
right to log on locally to this account. Specify this account in answer
file.

Solution 2
Run setupmgr.exe as if you would join a single computer to a domain.
Include computername, username, password, domain.
Edit resulting file sysprep.inf.
Leave blank computername, username and password.

Dusko Savatovic