Older sysprep file is overriding newer sysprep file

[opti280]

I have a Windows XP 2005 image of a Dell GX260. I want to update this
image, so I load the image on a GX260, update it with newer programs,
Windows Updates, etc and run setupmgr.exe and create a sysprep.inf
file. I reseal the machine with Mini Setup and it does not remember any
of my settings I just created in the inf file. The inf file was in
c:\sysprep along with setupcl.exe and sysprep.exe. I wanted the updated
sysprep file to join a workgroup and have a prefilled admin password
and I included our volume license in the setupmgr.exe, but when the
computer rebooted and went into MiniSetup mode, it prompted me for the
serial number, did not have an admin password, and tried to join a
domain (which the old image had as its sysprep.inf configuration). How
do I clear out the old settings without starting from a clean install?

 

[Adam Leinss]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in @i3g2000cwc.googlegroups.com:

I have a Windows XP 2005 image of a Dell GX260. I want to update this
image, so I load the image on a GX260, update it with newer programs,
Windows Updates, etc and run setupmgr.exe and create a sysprep.inf
file. I reseal the machine with Mini Setup and it does not remember any
of my settings I just created in the inf file. The inf file was in
c:\sysprep along with setupcl.exe and sysprep.exe. I wanted the updated
sysprep file to join a workgroup and have a prefilled admin password
and I included our volume license in the setupmgr.exe, but when the
computer rebooted and went into MiniSetup mode, it prompted me for the
serial number, did not have an admin password, and tried to join a
domain (which the old image had as its sysprep.inf configuration). How
do I clear out the old settings without starting from a clean install?

Try posting your sysprep.inf file here with the product key blanked out.

Adam

 

[opti280]

;SetupMgrTag
[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword="xxxx"
EncryptedAdminPassword=NO
OEMSkipRegional=1
TimeZone=20

[UserData]
ProductID=xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
FullName="User"
OrgName="Company"
ComputerName=*

[SetupMgr]
DistFolder=C:\sysprep\i386
DistShare=whistlerdist

[Identification]
JoinDomain=Corp

[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes


Also, sometimes when I create the inf file, it says whistlerdist and
sometimes it says windist. Just thought I'd add that.

 

[Adam Leinss]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in @i42g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

[UserData]
ProductID=xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx
FullName="User"
OrgName="Company"
ComputerName=*

Looks right. Maybe try putting "'s around it (there are "'s around my
product key in my sysprep.inf file).

[Identification]
JoinDomain=Corp

If you want to join it to a workgroup, use this instead:

[Identification]
; Automatically join a workgroup during the sysprep
JoinWorkgroup=XXX

You really don't have to specify the administator's password if you
specified in Windows, even if it asks for it during the mini-setup. As
long as you set it once it should always be set.

Adam

 

[opti280]

Ok. I did the setup manager and sysprepped the workgroup option and it
still tried to join the domain of Corp. So I just changed the inf file
to reflect the changes you made and it again tried to join the Corp
domain. Somewhere, it is successfully pulling the old, 2005 inf file
and using that.

 

[opti280]

So it is still not doing what I want it to do. Somewhere there is an
embedded sysprep.inf file that it is using. How do I delete or recreate
the inf file so that Windows will use it on reboot?

 

[Adam Leinss]

(e-mail address removed) wrote in @m73g2000cwd.googlegroups.com:

So it is still not doing what I want it to do. Somewhere there is an
embedded sysprep.inf file that it is using. How do I delete or recreate
the inf file so that Windows will use it on reboot?

It should only be reading sysprep.inf in C:\sysprep. In fact, if you try
to move this directory somewhere is else sysprep will fail.

Sysprep reads this sysprep.inf file on demand during the mini-setup. There
are even hacks you can get for sysprep where it will change certain values
in sysprep.inf dynamically.

You may want to try downloading Sysprep 2.0 from the Internet and give it
another go.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

Adam

 

[opti280]

Yea, I think that that image was bad because I tried sysprep on a new
computer and it worked. So, I blame it on the poor build of the first
image.
Thanks for your help Adam!

 

[Guest]

I just ran into this with an image that a coworker built. The old .inf data
was being stored int the file C:\Windows\System32\$winnt$.inf

Hope it helps