Windows 7 Image - Customize in Audit Mode with Sysprep

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  1. Posts : 116
    Win-7 Prof 64bit
       #60

    Took at a peek at the video on Macrium and it seems that I'll need to allow Macrium to download AIK to create Win PE disk. So will perhaps install Macrium first before installing any custom driver etc and see what happens.
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  2. Posts : 116
    Win-7 Prof 64bit
       #61

    [QUOTE=Kari;2744231Looks I need to go a bit deeper, explain more in-depth.
    ..

    OK, I can already feel the first counter argument: "But I only have one PC and need this image only for that". Wrong attitude, I would answer if that argument was ever posted here; you never know it with computers, it can be that your $2,000 custom built rig burns down the very next day you got it, or that you'll win in lottery a week after and decide to change the motherboard and processor to those you really wanted to begin with but could not afford.

    All work with a custom HW image would then be for nothing and you'd had to start from beginning.

    That all being said I am absolutely totally not interest in creating images containing custom drivers. That comes from my own personal needs, and I have no time nor interest in writing tutorials about something I have no interest for, or to include all possible and according to me not interesting or needed options to them. I will gladly welcome other geeks to write those tuts, I will not do it.

    Very sincere,

    Kari[/QUOTE]

    That is fine. Had no intention of ruffling your feathers. Just wanted to inform you so you can mention issue with custom drivers as a note somewhere in the tutorial (if you like, that is).

    Anyhow, like I mentioned, I'll install win7 again, install Macrium first (w/AIK download), then custom drivers, install AIK, modify answer file and then sysprep and see what happens. This does not take as much time because like you rightly pointed out somewhere in the tutorial it took over 6 hours for all win updates (even when I have sp1 on disk). Will definitely post my findings.
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  3. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
    Thread Starter
       #62

    nkaufman said:
    That is fine. Had no intention of ruffling your feathers. Just wanted to inform you so you can mention issue with custom drivers as a note somewhere in the tutorial (if you like, that is).
    I did not think you were "ruffling my feathers" :). Not at all. I just wanted to further explain this, tell the background: This tutorial is clearly to create a hardware independent general image, therefore it is obvious you shouldn't add any custom drivers.
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  4. Posts : 116
    Win-7 Prof 64bit
       #63

    Kari said:
    I did not think you were "ruffling my feathers" :). Not at all. I just wanted to further explain this, tell the background: This tutorial is clearly to create a hardware independent general image, therefore it is obvious you shouldn't add any custom drivers.
    Glad to know.

    Would appreciate your input on the steps I outlined in the previous post (w/custom drivers and modifying answer file). Do you see anything that jumps out as something that might be an issue (before I embark on this).

    Thanks again for your assistance.
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  5. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
    Thread Starter
       #64

    The only thing I can say is that as you cannot use the Generalize switch to get what you want to, you have to forget all other customizations as they need it to be used but which in your case would prevent you using custom drivers. It's a choice you and every other sysprepping geek have to make: A hw specific image without customization, or a hw independent image without custom drivers.
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  6. Posts : 116
    Win-7 Prof 64bit
       #65

    Oh.

    I was looking at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799240(v=ws.10).aspx
    and

    Creating a Build-to-Plan (BTP) Windows Image

    In the build-to-plan (BTP) scenario, you create a single Windows reference image to install computers that use the same hardware configuration. You customize the single Windows reference installation by installing Windows and then adding additional drivers and applications. You then capture the Windows image and use it to install your computers. No additional modifications are made to this image.

    ----
    Do not know if I'm on the right path
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  7. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
    Thread Starter
       #66

    That seems to be the way. The article has been part of my reference library several years now, it is well written and easy to understand.

    It's a straight forward scenario when you really have need to use the image only on one hardware setup.
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  8. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #67

    Kari is it possible then to sysprep an OEM install, ex. Dell, to use to replace major hardware or transfer to a new PC? This would be helpful for those who have a failed motherboard or PC to be able to use a w7 install that has been paid for.
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  9. Posts : 17,545
    Windows 10 Pro x64 EN-GB
    Thread Starter
       #68

    Britton30 said:
    Kari is it possible then to sysprep an OEM install, ex. Dell, to use to replace major hardware or transfer to a new PC? This would be helpful for those who have a failed motherboard or PC to be able to use a w7 install that has been paid for.
    When you sysprep an existing activated Windows installation with the Generalize switch, it removes all hardware related information but that's not all that happens; this is IMO so important that although posted around these forums already several times, let's check this once again:

       Note
    What does Sysprep generalizing do to my Windows 7 setup?
    • All system specific information is removed or uninstalled
    • Security ID (SID) of your hardware setup is reseted
    • All system restore points are deleted
    • All event logs are deleted
    • All personalization is removed (taskbar, toolbars, folder options, start orb etc.)
    • Built-in administrator account is disabled (if it was enabled) and needs to be re-enabled if needed


    What happens when booting first time after sysprep generalizing?
    • First boot configuration is run
    • New SID is created
    • Re-arm counter is reseted if not already re-armed three times
    • Windows 7 is booted using first boot default drivers and settings


    Regarding your question, the part with Security ID is most interesting. The SID is not removed alone, also the product key used to activate the installation in question will be uninstalled and activation status is reseted to "Not activated". The image itself has no traces of hardware it was previously installed, or the product key and type of it it was activated with.

    Therefore when you shutdown Windows after successful sysprep and capture the image instead of letting it to reboot to OOBE, it will be a general one and as such can be used to deploy Windows to any computer capable of running Windows and when done, to be activated with any valid product key.

    A few examples, image created with sysprep /generalize on an existing Windows setup which was activated with an OEM key:
    • The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with a retail key on any computer, including the computer where it was made
    • The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with the original OEM product key only on the same computer the key has been previously used
    • The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with any valid previously unused OEM product key on any computer, including the computer where it was made
    • The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with any valid previously activated OEM product key only on the same computer in which the OEM key in question was previously activated

    Please notice that the above does not mean all bloatware will work on another computers. If for instance you sysprep a Dell pre-installed Windows without first uninstalling all Dell software, some, most probably all of those programs will not work when image is deployed to another PC. Hardware related drivers will be automatically removed, Dell's own software and applications not.

    Kari
    Last edited by Kari; 23 Apr 2014 at 19:49. Reason: Found a serious typo, had to fix it.
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  10. Posts : 24,479
    Windows 7 Ultimate X64 SP1
       #69

    The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with the original OEM product key only on the same computer from which it was made
    The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with any valid previously unused OEM product key on any computer, including on the same computer from which it was made
    The Windows deployed using this image can be activated with any valid previously activated OEM product key only on the same computer in which the OEM key in question was previously activated
    I see, then according to this the answer is no I assume. I wrongly assumed the OEM key would be deactivated, "unused".
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