Questions about sysprep tool

[XP Guy]

Questions about sysprep:

1) Can a drive with an installation of XP (pro) that has already had
it's product key entered and validated by MS be used as a source for
sysprep? Or must the source be an XP installation where a product key
has been entered but not-yet validated? (or no product key entered?)

2) Does the sysprep process require a live internet connection (ie
feedback or interaction with MS) ?

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Questions about sysprep:

1) Can a drive with an installation of XP (pro) that has already had
it's product key entered and validated by MS be used as a source for
sysprep?

Yes. Among other things, sysprep resets activation.

Or must the source be an XP installation where a product key
has been entered but not-yet validated? (or no product key
entered?)

2) Does the sysprep process require a live internet connection (ie
feedback or interaction with MS) ?

No, an internet connection is not required to run sysprep.

HTH

 

[XP Guy]

Yes. Among other things, sysprep resets activation.

Say I have an installation of XP with product key "X" that has been
validated.

Should I install and run sysprep when the clone is running as the
primary drive in the "master" system, or should I move the clone to the
destination system and then install / run sysprep? If the latter, what
happens if, during startup, the installation invalidates itself because
it detects to many hardware differences? Will it still allow me to
install / run sysprep?

Will sysprep ask for a _new_ product key? Can I give it a new product
key "Y"? Will it ask to contact MS to validate itself - regardless if I
give it new product key "Y" ?

If sysprep allows me to give the clone the product key "Y", and if I
install the clone on a different system (say, very similar hardware but
perhaps different MAC address, different CD drive, etc) I assume the
validation process for product key "Y" will align itself with the new
hardware. Will this process of validating product key "Y" affect (or
taint) in any way, the validation status of the original master drive
and it's "X" product key?

Does sysprep work with any version or flavor of XP? Specifically,
XP-pro - OEM System Builder?

What does sysprep do that the product-key change tool does not do?

For example, if I clone an drive that's already been validated with
product key "X" and install the clone drive in another system and change
it's key to "Y" with the change tool, how is that different than what
sysprep does?

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Say I have an installation of XP with product key "X" that has been
validated.
OK...


Should I install and run sysprep when the clone is running as the
primary drive in the "master" system, or should I move the clone to
the
destination system and then install / run sysprep?

Just to make sure we are on the same page,sysprep is not a cloning
tool, it is a SYStem PREParation tool. It is used to facilitate
deployment of a standardized OS configuration to multiple systems and
customize / automate the initial boot of the deployed system. You set
up the system the way you want it, run sysprep, grab an image with
your favorite imaging tool, then deploy the resulting image.

If the latter, what
happens if, during startup, the installation invalidates itself
because
it detects to many hardware differences? Will it still allow me to
install / run sysprep?

See above. You run sysprep on a fully functional and configured
system before deploying.

Will sysprep ask for a _new_ product key? Can I give it a new
product
key "Y"? Will it ask to contact MS to validate itself - regardless
if I
give it new product key "Y" ?

Sysprep doesn't ask for a key, it (by default) resets Windows so that
Windows asks for an activation key. You supply it whatever key is
appropriate. Windows then does the normal activation process.

If sysprep allows me to give the clone the product key "Y", and if I
install the clone on a different system (say, very similar hardware
but
perhaps different MAC address, different CD drive, etc) I assume the
validation process for product key "Y" will align itself with the
new
hardware. Will this process of validating product key "Y" affect
(or
taint) in any way, the validation status of the original master
drive
and it's "X" product key?

Since you run sysprep on the "master" system before cloning,
activation is reset on the master as a part of the process. If you
don't want the master affected, I suppose you could take an image of
the master before running sysprep, take an image after sysprep for
deployment, then put the original master's image back.

Does sysprep work with any version or flavor of XP? Specifically,
XP-pro - OEM System Builder?

As far as I know, it works with any version/flavor of XP. I've only
personally used it with OEM versions of XP Pro supplied on our Dell
computers, but I've never seen any restrictions published in the
documentation.

What does sysprep do that the product-key change tool does not do?

For example, if I clone an drive that's already been validated with
product key "X" and install the clone drive in another system and
change
it's key to "Y" with the change tool, how is that different than
what
sysprep does?

Sysprep does / can do a lot of things. Sysprep causes the system to
generate a new SID (Security ID) to prevent issues with duplicate SIDs
in a networked environment, causes the system to re-detect PNP devices
(and optionally do a complete full hardware re-detect), allows you to
customize the first boot ("OOBE"), and more. See
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb457100.aspx for an
in-depth look at sysprep and how it can be used as a part of an
automated, customized installation and system deployment process.

HTH.

--
Zaphod

Pan-Galactic Gargle Blaster: A cocktail based on Janx Spirit.
The effect of one is like having your brain smashed out
by a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.

 

[XP Guy]

OK...

Just to make sure we are on the same page,sysprep is not a
cloning tool, it is a SYStem PREParation tool.

Yes, I know. I'll use Norton Ghost to make the clone.

Sysprep doesn't ask for a key, it (by default) resets Windows
so that Windows asks for an activation key. You supply it
whatever key is appropriate. Windows then does the normal
activation process.

Maybe I'm not understanding something.

When you install XP, it asks for a product key at some point early in
the install process. It checks the key for some sort of internal
consistency (checksum or some other undocumented method). If it thinks
the key is legit, it will continue and finish the installation.

Now, once XP is up and running, you have 30 days to *validate* the key.
The key may be legit, but it may not be valid. That's when the system
interacts with MS to determine if the key is valid (at least for OEM or
retail versions of the product key).

Sysprep may take the cloned drive and revert it back to the state where
the system thinks the product key hasn't yet been validated - but will
it allow me to *change* the product key prior to starting the validation
process? If it doesn't, then every drive I clone and run sysprep on
will have the same product key, and practically nothing will have been
gained by the whole excercise and I could just clone the master drive
when-ever I need to put XP on a new system.

Or am I missing something?

Since you run sysprep on the "master" system before cloning,
activation is reset on the master as a part of the process.
If you don't want the master affected, I suppose you could
take an image of the master before running sysprep,

Yes, that's what I'd do.

 

[Zaphod Beeblebrox]

Maybe I'm not understanding something.

When you install XP, it asks for a product key at some point early
in
the install process. It checks the key for some sort of internal
consistency (checksum or some other undocumented method). If it
thinks
the key is legit, it will continue and finish the installation.

Now, once XP is up and running, you have 30 days to *validate* the
key.
The key may be legit, but it may not be valid. That's when the
system
interacts with MS to determine if the key is valid (at least for OEM
or
retail versions of the product key).

Sysprep may take the cloned drive and revert it back to the state
where
the system thinks the product key hasn't yet been validated - but
will
it allow me to *change* the product key prior to starting the
validation
process? If it doesn't, then every drive I clone and run sysprep on
will have the same product key, and practically nothing will have
been
gained by the whole excercise and I could just clone the master
drive
when-ever I need to put XP on a new system.

Or am I missing something?

As I said, sysprep resets Windows activation so that Windows asks for
a key. This happens during the first boot of the system after
deploying the sysprepped image. Windows then does its normal
activation process (verify the key / checksum then validate the key).
In other words, after running sysprep it is like you had never entered
a key at all.

--
Zaphod

Arthur: All my life I've had this strange feeling that there's
something big and sinister going on in the world.
Slartibartfast: No, that's perfectly normal paranoia. Everyone in the
universe gets that.