Sysprep, Clonezilla and Wins 7
I am so confused on how to use sysprep. Basically, I need to create a customized PC with active directory info image that will be on the server. Then whenever I get a new machine I just load that image and make a few adjustments and hand it over to the user.
I read a few articles on sysprep and used the OBOE option with generalization on a machine I wanted to use for the "image". It saved some of the customization but not all and it didn't save the user as in the domain. Instead I now have two local users with the same username on the same machine.
I have a number of websites saying to use sysprep on the PC I intend to use for the image first before making an image, but I have a support person telling me to use sysprep on the new system after I load the image (I intend to use Clonezilla) on it.
Can someone help me understand this? How do I do this correctly?
I read a few articles on sysprep and used the OBOE option with generalization on a machine I wanted to use for the "image". It saved some of the customization but not all and it didn't save the user as in the domain. Instead I now have two local users with the same username on the same machine.
I have a number of websites saying to use sysprep on the PC I intend to use for the image first before making an image, but I have a support person telling me to use sysprep on the new system after I load the image (I intend to use Clonezilla) on it.
Can someone help me understand this? How do I do this correctly?
Comments
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joehalford01
Member Posts: 364 ■■■□□□□□□□
You need to download the AIK and install it on an admin pc. I just did this at work, it creates an answer file that answers all of the questions during oobe and makes the initial admin profile a default profile. You then use that answer file with sysprep before creating the image. Otherwise you'll end up with two users every time after running it. It's needlessly complicated for what we want to do but I'm sure it's a powerful tool for larger organizations. -
JeanM
Member Posts: 1,117
Have not used it with 7, but with XP sysprep was one of the last steps before "prepping" the image for cloning with ghost for example.2015 goals - ccna voice / vmware vcp. -
bud08
Member Posts: 58 ■■□□□□□□□□
Thank you.
Could you walk me through it like I'm five? LOL.
Right now, I don't know how to correct my initial mistake and I don't know where to start after that. Delete one user but will that mess up anything, recustomize it, run AIK, then run Sysprep with what option? and then use clonezilla to make the image?? -
higherho
Member Posts: 882
on my windows 7 image this is what I did. I installed the software , patched everything, hardened the OS, then ran SYSPREP on that machine ( I did not connect this OS / machine to a domain either). Then that was my Master image which then I just duplicate with a HDD duplicator. -
bud08
Member Posts: 58 ■■□□□□□□□□
I am starting to think I shouldn't even be doing this. The way the PCs are bought I have to anytime upgrade them to 7 Pro anyway. So I am worried about product ids. Is this even a time-effective thing to be doing for a small scale (5 or less) at a time deployment?