Sysprep answer file

[Wallify]

I have been reading a lot about imaging lately and I am starting to get it down. Somewhere in my searches I thought I read something about a program that will pull your system configuration and settings for you and create a sysprep answer file from it. I have read so much in the last few days that I am having a hard time finding it again.

Has anyone heard of what I am talking about? I can create it the old fashion way, but I thought that if the program worked it might save me from missing anything.

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer

 

[Kari]

As far as I know there are no tools that can simply extract information about an existing Windows setup and automatically create an answer file based on extracted information.

Microsoft has an excellent tool for creating answer files from scratch called Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM). It is part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7, and part of the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8.

More about Sysprep, Windows SIM and how to use them: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/286053-system-preparation-tool-use-customize-windows.html

These Seven Forums tutorials could also help you in understanding answer files and how they are used in various scenarios:

• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/285983-user-profile-customize-during-installation.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorial...reate-move-during-windows-7-installation.html

Kari

 

[Wallify]

Thanks for the quick response Kari

I read through and have been using your tutorial on how to use sysprep to customize windows 7 and 8 and it has been a huge help. There is a lot of good info in there as well as explanations on how/why some of the changes are made. I have actually been sharing it with the office as I am not the only one working on this project.

I was hoping you might be able to help me with one more thing. I am trying to make an image to deploy to a lab of computers using ghost. In this case it would be inconvenient to use a USB to store the answer file on. Can I place this file somewhere else?

 

[Kari]

Answer file can be placed anywhere where Sysprep can find it. It is recommended to save it always in root of a drive, but there's nothing preventing it to be placed in a subfolder.

F:\Unattended.xml is as good as X:\AnswerFiles\Unattended.xml.

 

[Wallify]

One more question. What pass do I put the windows shell with the activation key in it? I have tried a few and have not had any luck.

 

[VistaKing]

If you want to add the Product Key to the answer file

:ar: Specialize Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\ProductKey

 

[Kari]

If you want to add the Product Key to the answer file

:ar: Specialize Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup\ProductKey

What a strange, and wrong answer.

Product key belongs to configuration pass 1, WindowsPE:

​

(Screenshot: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/286053-system-preparation-tool-use-customize-windows.html)

Kari

 

[VistaKing]

Strange answer ? Not if you're deploying Windows

Here is proof

:ar: Unattended Windows 7 Product Key Error » Read, Deploy, Enjoy!

Sorry I said anything .

 

[Wallify]

Well I have finally found a place where my key will activate, but so now I'm on to a whole mess of other issues I was hoping you guys might be able to help with.
1. I cant get it to join the domain
I'm using mysysprep to enter a name, but for some reason I cannot get it to automatically join the domain

2. How can I add drivers so that things like touchsmarts will work right off the bat? I know there are a few others out there but it seems like touch drivers are my biggest issue right now.

3. any way to get rid of the unattend so that info after it boots so it isn't just sitting on my image?

Thanks again guys. This forum has been a huge help in everything I have done with windows 7 and 8

 

[VistaKing]

Wallify

Where did you put the key so it could be activated . For the drivers . You would have to mount the Install.wim file and add the drivers to that . You could use DISM.exe to add the drivers or you could use third party software .

 

[Wallify]

can I add them to the image before running sysprep, or would the generalize just wipe them away?

the key worked in the specialize pass. I have since taken it out while testing other settings so I don't keep using it, but that was the last place it worked before I added other things.

 

[VistaKing]

Glad the key worked for you in that location . You should be able to do that

 

[Wallify]

Awesome! That is good to know. It sounds like that will be the easiest way to add the drivers I need when it is time. Would you have any idea why I cant join the domain? mysysprep works and prompts me for a name, but it seems like the unattendjoin is not working at all. No errors though I'm just not on the domain.

fyi doing this in a VM is the only way to do it. it makes testing things out a breeze. I cant imagine how long it would have taken me to do it with ghost alone.

 

[VistaKing]

Read this

Automating the Domain Join

 

[VistaKing]

What does your answer file look like . Can you upload it to here just remove the Product Key for your safety .

 

[Wallify]

This is it with the key and passwords removed
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
<settings pass="specialize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<TimeZone>Central Standard Time</TimeZone>
<CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
<ComputerName>%Computer Name%</ComputerName>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<Identification>
<Credentials>
<Domain>sxu.local</Domain>
<Password>*******</Password>
<Username>******</Username>
</Credentials>
<JoinDomain>SXU</JoinDomain>
</Identification>
</component>
</settings>
<settings pass="oobeSystem">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<OOBE>
<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
<ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
<NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
</OOBE>
<UserAccounts>
<LocalAccounts>
<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
<Password>
<Value>MQAzAHMAawBvAHAAMQAzAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Description>InfoTech</Description>
<DisplayName>InfoTech</DisplayName>
<Name>InfoTech</Name>
<Group>Administrator</Group>
</LocalAccount>
<LocalAccount wcm:action="add">
<Password>
<Value>MAA5AE4AZQBFAGgAMAA5AFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA=</Value>
<PlainText>false</PlainText>
</Password>
<Description>servicetemp</Description>
<DisplayName>servicetemp</DisplayName>
<Name>servicetemp</Name>
<Group>Administrator</Group>
</LocalAccount>
</LocalAccounts>
</UserAccounts>
</component>
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
<InputLocale>en-us</InputLocale>
<SystemLocale>en-us</SystemLocale>
<UILanguage>en-us</UILanguage>
<UILanguageFallback>en-us</UILanguageFallback>
<UserLocale>en-us</UserLocale>
</component>
</settings>
<cpifflineImage cpi:source="catalog://dw-s119-pasch/esources/install_windows 7 professional.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

 

[VistaKing]

At first glance I see this issue <Group>Administrator</Group> should be <Group>Administrators</Group>

 

[Wallify]

Well guys thanks to your help I have been able to successfully create an image. Now I have a few things I would like to get working in it that I'm hoping you might be able to help with.

Logo:
I was trying to change the default user icon from the flower thing, to our logo. I was able to replace the original flower icon with our logo, and I even changed its name to match hoping Windows wouldn't notice the change and just display my file rather than the yellow flower, but after imaging it somehow goes back to the flower file. Any Ideas?

Browser Home Pages:
I set them up in my image to be our page, but after imaging they go back to the downloaded default. Bookmarks and popup blocker settings stayed, but not the home page.

And I'm sure there are more things, but I am yet to find them.

Thanks again for all of your help guys. This truely is THE place for win7 info

 

[VistaKing]

Wallyify

mount the install.wim file navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\User Account Pictures\user.bmp . User.bmp will be the Flower icon . Add your company's logo inside the User Account Pictures folder . Rename user.bmp to something like userold.bmp and change the name of your logo to user.bmp and unmount install.wim

See if that helps.

 

[Wallify]

At what point would I modify the .wim? Would this be done before I install windows for the first time (and thus before any updates or changes made to the image) or is this something I can do after everything is already made? I had planed to use ghost to deploy the images, and at this point I am nearly done except for these somewhat minor changed.