generalize | PeteNetLive

KB ID 0000729

Problem

I don’t deploy large amounts of servers at once, so Windows Server sysprep is not as important as it is with the client operating systems I deploy. But I do need to create virtual machine templates, (mostly for testing), but some clients like to have server templates. I prefer to manually sysprep and shutdown a server then either convert or clone it to a template.

Thankfully sysprep is in the same place as it was with Server 2008 R2.

Solution

As before you can either run sysprep from command line by navigating to its location and running it with the correct switches. Or simply browse to it with Windows Explorer and double click it.

Problem

In part one we built and configured the WDS Server. Now you need to prepare the reference Windows 8 machine so that you can ‘capture’ its image.

Solution

Before you start, make sure that the machine you are imaging has PLENTY of room on one of its local drive(s), because it copies the image locally, before it sends it to WDS.

Place Your Reference Windows 8 Machine in Audit Mode

To put all the software on your reference machine and configure it how you like, the machine needs to be in ‘Audit Mode’ before you start. There are TWO ways to put the machine into audit mode.

Note: While a machine is in audit mode, it will log on automatically as the Administrator, and every time the machine boots sysprep will launch (in anticipation of you needing it).

Option 1: A Newly Built Machine

1. When you have first built the Windows 8 machine, you will see the screen below, Press CTRL+SHIFT+F3, the machine will automatically reboot and enter audit mode.

Option 2: You Are Already in Windows

2. You can also put a Windows 8 machine into audit mode by running the sysprep executable with the /audit switch.

3. Once in Audit mode, install all the program and configure all the settings you want in your master image. When you are happy run the sysprep program, (Or simply reboot, as sysprep launches at every boot when you are in audit mode).

4. Tick the ‘Generalize’ option, select either shutdown or reboot, (If you choose reboot make sure the machine is ready to pXe boot from the network, and the boot order has the NIC BEFORE the hard drive, or sysprep will start and rebuild the machine before it’s imaged).

5. Sysprep will run, and shutdown or reboot as requested.

6. When the machine boots press F12 to boot from the WDS server.

7. Note: Now you can see why (in part one) we called the boot image ‘Capture an Image’ and the capture ‘Capture an Image’. Select the capture option.

8. WindowsPE will run at the welcome screen > Next,

Note: If the process fails at this point, usually it’s because the network card driver for this machine IS NOT in the boot image.

Adding Drivers to Images on Windows Deployment Services

9. Select the volume that you want to image, (Note: It will NOT be C: that’s reserved, usually it’s D:) > Give the image a name, this is the name you will see in the WDS console, and when you are imaging the target machines > Enter a comment/description > Next.