Using sysprep to mimic OEM Windows Welcome

[Bryan L]

I don't have the OPK version of sysprep; I installed XP from a slipstreamed
SP2 CD. I'm trying to prep some old machines for sale to employees; since
even the old machines were licensed for XP I'm trying to set them up to be
as similar as possible to the way Windows Welcome runs on OEM machines. I'm
pretty close, there are only a few things not behaving as I'd like:

- The music doesn't play during Windows Welcome.
- Windows Welcome prompts for the CD Key even though it's been provided in
sysprep.inf.
- Even though sysprep.inf contains the line ComputerName=*, the pre-sysprep
computername is pre-filled in the form. I'd like it to either generate a
completely random computername or leave it completely blank. I don't want
the pre-sysprep computername to be pre-filled as an option. (Is no
computername being automatically generated because no organization has been
specified?)

Other than those things I'm mostly satisfied with how it's working now. Can
anyone tell me if I can resolve any of those behaviours with the standard
version of XP SP2 Sysprep or if I would need the OPK?

Oh, also, even though I've installed hotfix 887816, the Administrator
profile still seems to copied into the Default User profile; annoying, since
I've spent considerable time customizing the default user profile. I've
successfully used that hotfix to resolve this issue when imaging new
computers for deployment in our domain, the main difference being that
sysprep runs mini-setup instead of Windows Welcome, and that it joins the
computer to the domain. Any ideas on this as well?

Thanks in advance,

BJ

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

An OEM version of Windows XP requires a specific Product Key.
You cannot use the same OEM Product Key for multiple installations.
Also, you must supply the buyer with the Windows XP installation CD
along with the Product Key.

If you hear no sound, then the correct soundcard drivers need to be installed.

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows XP - Shell/User
Microsoft Newsgroups

Get Windows XP Service Pack 2 with Advanced Security Technologies:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/protect/windowsxp/choose.mspx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I don't have the OPK version of sysprep; I installed XP from a slipstreamed
| SP2 CD. I'm trying to prep some old machines for sale to employees; since
| even the old machines were licensed for XP I'm trying to set them up to be
| as similar as possible to the way Windows Welcome runs on OEM machines. I'm
| pretty close, there are only a few things not behaving as I'd like:
|
| - The music doesn't play during Windows Welcome.
| - Windows Welcome prompts for the CD Key even though it's been provided in
| sysprep.inf.
| - Even though sysprep.inf contains the line ComputerName=*, the pre-sysprep
| computername is pre-filled in the form. I'd like it to either generate a
| completely random computername or leave it completely blank. I don't want
| the pre-sysprep computername to be pre-filled as an option. (Is no
| computername being automatically generated because no organization has been
| specified?)
|
| Other than those things I'm mostly satisfied with how it's working now. Can
| anyone tell me if I can resolve any of those behaviours with the standard
| version of XP SP2 Sysprep or if I would need the OPK?
|
| Oh, also, even though I've installed hotfix 887816, the Administrator
| profile still seems to copied into the Default User profile; annoying, since
| I've spent considerable time customizing the default user profile. I've
| successfully used that hotfix to resolve this issue when imaging new
| computers for deployment in our domain, the main difference being that
| sysprep runs mini-setup instead of Windows Welcome, and that it joins the
| computer to the domain. Any ideas on this as well?
|
| Thanks in advance,
|
| BJ

 

[Bryan L]

Point well taken on the CD Keys. These machines actually shipped with
either Windows 98 or 2000; we purchased XP Pro retail CDs for them later
when we got some newer computers that had shipped with XP, just to keep
things uniform. (We also beefed up the memory in them when we upgraded them
to XP.) I have collected the retail XP CD Keys and discs for each machine;
since the hardware is nearly identical on all these machines (although some
shipped with 98 and some with 2000, they all bear the same OEM model number)
here's what I was planning:

1. Image my reference machine just before sysprep is run.
2. Deploy the image to all the other machines.
3. Individually start each machine, tweak any minor driver issues if needed,
customize sysprep.inf with a CD Key for that machine, and run sysprep prior
to delivery.
4. Since the version of XP we purchased for these machines was obviously
pre-SP2, I have taken the original retail CDs and created copies of them
into which I've slipstreamed SP2. I had planned to give the buyers both the
original CD with CD Key, and the slipstreamed copy, since I don't need them.
The reference installation was done with a slipstreamed CD.

Does that make sense? Should there be any licensing issues with that?

Regarding the music during Windows Welcome: the audio actually works fine.
All other sounds play during windows welcome, SFX, clicking sounds, etc --
just not the music that I've normally heard paying during Windows welcome on
an OEM machine.

Thanks again for all input. I'm trying to do this partly to make setup
easier for the employees who buy, and partly for my own learning experience.


Bryan

 

[Guest]

Couple of things:

XP's sysprep copies Administrator profile to the Default User profile.
ALWAYS. Live with it.

The CDKEY must be specified in OOBEINFO.INI, not sysprep. SYSPREP.INF is not
used by Windows Welcome

The computer name only works in Minisetup mode, NOT Windows Welcome.

So music doesn't play. Did you install WMP10? If so, you need to get a
special hotfix from Microsoft. This is a bug with WMP10. I am not sure which
hotfix it is so you need to search.

 

[Guest]

Relating to your sound problem.....are your login sounds disabled?

 

[Bryan L]

Thanks for the reply. Info on OOBEINFO.INI was great, have now tweaked
several settings there to my liking.

I've customized the Administrator profile this time around, but FYI the
hotfix I mentioned in my first post is supposed to restore the original
behaviour of sysprep and NOT copy the admin profile to the default user
profile. In fact this hotfix worked when I used it before in deploying
images to new computers for my domain. Not sure why it's not working now
but I'm not going to waste time fighting it atm.

Do you have any more info on the bug in WMP 10? I can't find anything
online about Windows Welcome music missing or any connection between WW,
sysprep, or WMP 10.

Thanks again.

BJ

 

[Bryan L]

Nope, I haven't changed any default settings, it's using the default sound
scheme for XP. I've even verified that title.wma exists in
C:\Windows\system32\oobe\images\ and that it plays properly. I also tried
launching WMP 10 and going thru it's user setup screens prior to
sysprepping. It's not a big deal, but it's annoying not to have the music
when I can find no reason for it not to work!

Bryan