Windows 7: Please help > Sysprep

Hi,

I am trying to create a default profile for Windows 7 Professional. After customizing the image, I run "sysprep /audit /generalize /answerfile:c:\answerfile.xml /reboot". In the answerfile I have included the <CopyProfile>1</CopyProfile>

After that the computer restarts and the sysprep windows appears asking me to run OOBE.

When I run OOBE without the generalize switch, the customized profile is not copied to the default profile.

Can anyone explain me the difference between running "syspreb /oobe" with and without the generalize switch?

I tried searching on technet and other forums, but cannot find the answer I am looking for. Thanks for the replies in advance.

Sysprep a Windows 7 Machine – Start to Finish - The IT Bros - We Know So You Don't Have To

The important key parts:

The generalize switch allows the image to be used on different hardware. it removes the uniqueness from the machine, (SID's), as well as allowing the specialize computer pass to run which allows system specific drivers and such to be detected and installed.

Just thinking out loud:
If I got it right.. first you boot into Audit mode, then you install/customize applications and customize a user profile, then you run the the "sysprep /audit /generalize" (no answer file needed now? at this point the customized profile will not be copied to the default profile)

Then after reboot you run "sysprep /oobe /generalize /unattend:answerfile.xml"
Include <copyprofile>1</copyprofile> in the answerfile.
(at this point the customized profile will be copied to the default profile)

Is this correct?

Now there is one question left, on which I cannot find the answer: Why run /generalize twice???

You do not run sysprep twice. Leave off "sysprep /audit /generalize"

Maybe a stupid question, but why is there Audit mode if you don't use it?

And if you have a reason for using Audit, then when does it force you to rerun sysprep with /oobe directly after running sysprep /audit ?

Honestly, I am confused now.... please help me out

You can customize the system using audit mode. There are multiple ways to get there.
Customize Windows in Audit Mode

First way is to boot and from Windows Welcome screen, press SHIFT+CTRL+F3. This puts you into audit mode to customize the installation prior to running sysprep

Second way is to run sysprep /audit and it will reboot you into audit mode where you can customize the installation prior to running sysprep

Install Windows as you normally would. When you come to the point where you create the first user. Do this: hit CTRL + SHIFT + F3, this will put you into Audit mode.

Then you customize everything you want then use:
sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml


DO NOT make your changes and then run sysprep /audit /generalize, that would remove all your changes.

Alright, so I think I got the idea about how sysprep works. So now I just run this command:
sysprep /oobe /generalize /unattend:unattend.xml

The unattended file runs good, because I find this file in the C:\windows\panther\unattend.xml (the log file)

==================================

<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="specialize" wasPassProcessed="true">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="Error" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
</component>
</settings>
</unattend>

==================================

As you can see in the log file above it states: <settings pass="specialize" wasPassProcessed="true">
And, as far I think I understand sysprep, the <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile> is run during the Specialize phase.

But the customized user profile I created (I started sysprep from within that user profile) wasnt copied to the default user profile. What am I doing wrong?