Tag Archives: unattended

Windows XP – Sysprep (for imaging)

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KB ID 0000599 

Problem

A client who we recently did a WDS (Windows 7) install for, needed to image a couple of Windows XP machines, (They had some software that either would not run, or was not supported on Windows 7).

They asked me for some documentation on how to do this, it’s been such a long time since I imaged any XP machine, so I took the opportunity to document it properly.

Solution

Before you begin, be aware you need to be building your reference machine with a Volume Licenced copy of Windows XP NOT an OEM or Retail copy (i.e. DONT build the machine with manufacturers rescue disks like Dell or HP). If you don’t do this you will need to activate every Windows machine that you deploy with Microsoft.

Make sure the version of sysprep you are using is at the same service pack level as the reference machine or bad things will happen.

Windows XP SP3 version of Deploy.cab

1. Build your reference machine, and configure it as you require.

2. Create a folder on the root of the C: Drive called ‘Sysprep”. Insert the Windows XP CD and locate the Deploy cabinet file. (This is ‘like’ a zip file and it’s in the supporttools folder).

3. Double click the support cab, then copy over the sysprep.exe file, the setupcl.exe file and the setupmgr.exe file to your c:sysprep folder.

4. You can now run sysprep.exe and skip to step 13. BUT if you require an answerfile (a script that will answer all the questions Windows will ask while it’s reinstalling post sysprep) then run the setupmgr.exe program, at the welcome screen click next.

5. Create New > Sysprep Setup > Windows XP Professional.

6. Fully Automate > Enter Name and Organisation > Set the Display Properties.

7. Set Time Zone > Enter the Volume Licence unlock code > If you are joining a domain, I suggest generating a random name then changing it later.

8. Set the Local Administrators password > Typical settings will enable DHCP > Supply any domain and domain credentials you need to join your domain.

9. Telephony (I just skip this) > Regional Settings > Languages.

10. Printers > Run Once commands > Additional Commands.

11. Enter a string that will go into the registry, and can be identified later > Finish > Accept the default save path > OK > At this point it looks like it’s crashed, you can manually close the setupmgr.

12. Now you can run sysprep.exe > OK > I select ‘mini-setup’ (If you don’t, it will run the welcome to windows session and play the annoying music you cant turn down!) > If you have installed applications and are going to image the machine click Reseal > OK.

Note: Factory will literally set the machine back to a ‘day one’ install of Windows XP.

The machine will then shut down and can be imaged.

Final Note: If you power it back on, it will rebuild itself and delete the c:sysprep directory. Which is fine unless you are doing some testing and realise you have to do the whole thing from scratch!

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Windows Deployment Services (Server 2003)
Deploying Windows XP

Windows Deployment Services (On Server 2008 R2)
Deploying Windows 7

WAIK (Windows 7) Installing the Supplement for Windows 7 SP1

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KB ID 0000450 

Problem

I’ve been doing some prep work with WDS this week for a client, (I’ve covered Deploying Windows 7 with WDS before). So I went to check if there was a new WAIK as Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 have had a Service Pack 1 released since last time I deployed windows 7 in bulk.

And sure enough, there is an update. (Though the update is for WindowsPE Not the SIM tools I would be using).

The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) Supplement for Windows® 7 SP1

Note: This is an update not a complete install of the WAIK.

Solution

1. As mentioned above, before you start you should have the full WAIK installed.

The Windows® Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows® 7

2. Download the supplement to your machine (Note: is comes down in .iso format).

3. As the files are in .iso format you can burn them to a DVD, though I prefer to use 7Zip and just extract the files as if they were a zip folder/archive. By default WAIK will install to “C:Program FilesWindows AIK” (Note: your location may be different, check). In this example I’ve extracted the update to E:WAIK_SP1, change your path accordingly.

4. Execute the following command:

[box]xcopy E:WAIK_SP1 “C:Program filesWindows AIKToolsPETools” /ERDY[/box]

5. Alternatively you can just extract the files from 7Zip straight to the PETools folder.

6. To check, simply compare the date stamp on the folders in the PETools directory with the current date.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Deploying Windows 7 with WDS

Deploying Windows XP with WDS

Window Server Where is Sysprep

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KB ID 0000419 

Problem

You have a 2008 R2 Server to sysprep, but your not sure where sysprep is.

Solution

1. Thankfully in Server 2008 R2, there’s no messing about, its in c:windowssystem32sysprep. (Note: to regenerate a SID don’t forget to tick “Generalize”).

Server 2008 – It’s in the same place.

Server 2003 – As with Windows XP, you need to get it from the Windows install CD, its in the supporttoolsdeploy.cab.

Once the files are extracted you can run sysprep (Note: setupmgr.exe is used to create the unattended / answer files for sysprep.)

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Server 2012 – Sysprep

Error – Windows SIM was unable to generate a catalog

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KB ID 0000449

Problem

Seen while SIM attempts to create a catalog file from a Windows image (.wim) file.

This problem occurs if you are trying to create a catalog from from an x86 (32 bit) image, on a machine that is running a x64 bit version of the WAIK.

Solution

1. Instead of trying to create a catalog file, you can use the one from the install DVD.

2. You will find the catalog file (with a .clg extension) on the DVD in the sources directory.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

WDS – “The Network Path was not found” when adding an Unattend file

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KB ID 0000487

Problem

Saw this last week, while trying to use an unattended file for the roll out of some machines with WDS.

Every time you try and enter a value you get “The network path was not found” error, no combination of file path or UNC path seems to cure the problem.

Solution

This is a “work around” not a fix, essentially it will not accept any value you put into the path without throwing and error. If you close and reopen this page the value you enter has not been accepted.

So we are going to populate the entry by editing the registry, if you go back and view the entry afterwards it will STILL ERROR but the value will say put and the unattended file will work (providing the path you specify is correct of course!)

1. On the WDS server >Start > regedit {enter}.

2. Navigate to:

[box]HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESYSTEMCurrentControlSetServicesWDSServerProvidersWdsImgSrvUnattend[/box]

3. Locate the “Enabled” value and change it from 0 to 1.

4. Below this key you will see there is a key for each “image processor type”. I’m adding a 32 bit (x86) Unattended file so expand that, and set the “FilePath” value to your unattended xml file (Note: the path is from the WDS root directory, keep it simple and put your unattended file in the WDSClientUnattend folder. In this example mines called WDSClientUnattend.xml).

5. Finally restart the “Windows Deployment Services Server” service.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

WDS – Unattended file – Removing /Formatting Drive Partitions

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KB ID 0000490 

Problem

Over the last couple of years I’ve done a lot of imaging of School PC’s I don’t know why but they come with a myriad of different drive and partition configurations. Even big vendors like HP and Dell ship their machines with recovery partitions these days.

If you are imaging with WDS this can cause a problem so what I usually want to do is remove all the partitions, create one big one that takes up all the drive, and format it as NTFS.

Solution

Before you begin make sure you are clued up on working with WDS unattended files, run through my instructions here.

The following procedure needs to be added to the WDS Unattended file NOT the unattended file for the image, (again run through KB0000180 if you are unsure.)

1. While editing your Unattended answerfile you need to locate, “Microsoft-Windows-Setup_neutral” and add “DiskConfiguration” to the “1 windowsPE” component.

2. Right click it and add a disk > Set Disk ID = 0 > Set WillWipeDisk = true.

3. Right Click > Create Partition > Set Extend = true > Set Order = 1 > Set Type = Primary.

4. Select Modify Partitions > Set Active = true > Set Extend = false > Set Format = NTFS > Set Label = SYSTEM > Set Letter = C > Set Order = 1 > Set Partition ID = 1.

5. This procedure will add the following to your unattended file.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

NA

WDS – Unattended file – Joining a Domain Automatically

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KB ID 0000494 

Problem

During a large rollout the more things you can automate the better, before you continue though be aware of one thing…

You can only automatically join a client to a domain if it has an auto generated random machine name!*

*Note: This is not 100% true, if you pre-stage the computer objects into Active Directory with the GUID of the machine (you can see this on the screen at pXe boot time, or get it from the BIOS) Then you can auto join the machines and they will come in with the correct name. However, if you have a large number of machines to build, this is more time consuming than simply renaming them after they have been imaged.

Solution

Before you begin make sure you are clued up on working with WDS unattended files, run through my instructions here.

The following procedure needs to be added to the images unattended file NOT the WDS Unattended file, (again run through KB0000180 if you are unsure.)

1. While editing your unattended answerfile you need to locate, “Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral”, add it to pass 4 (Specialize) and set the ComputerName entry to * (an asterisk).

Note: In this section you can also enter to windows product code, and owner details, as well as your time zone.

2. Then locate, “Microsoft-Windows-UnattendedJoin”, add it to pass 4 (Specialize). Set the JoinDomain entry to the name of your domain. Set UnsecureJoin to “true”.

4. This procedure will add the following to your unattended file.

 

Related Articles, References, Credits, or External Links

Windows Deployment Services (On Server 2008 R2) Deploying Windows 7

Windows Deployment Services (Server 2003) Deploying Windows XP