CSLSKY
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Deployment Server Limitations to resolve
1) When a computer is deployed and the 2nd section of sysprep is run, it forces user to input a new user. question: Is there a way to just take the administrator account on its own without having to add new accounts?
2) When having modified the 'default profile' to use a limited profile with system setting changes, sysprep resets it back to using the administrator account, therefore removing all my changes. question: Is there a way to stop this?
3) I use 2 partitions on my company's laptops. the first for 'operating system' and 2nd one for 'data', I have created an unattend.xml script and tried to allocate it to the *.wim file in order to create a D: partition automatically on deployment but an error that "I cannot use this script with this type of image" appears,
Question: how can I either capture both partitions into one image? or IF not possible how can I get a script to create the 2nd partition for me when using Windows XP NOT Vista.
2) When having modified the 'default profile' to use a limited profile with system setting changes, sysprep resets it back to using the administrator account, therefore removing all my changes. question: Is there a way to stop this?
3) I use 2 partitions on my company's laptops. the first for 'operating system' and 2nd one for 'data', I have created an unattend.xml script and tried to allocate it to the *.wim file in order to create a D: partition automatically on deployment but an error that "I cannot use this script with this type of image" appears,
Question: how can I either capture both partitions into one image? or IF not possible how can I get a script to create the 2nd partition for me when using Windows XP NOT Vista.
ASKER
I do not use a script for sysprep, just some standard paramaters when running it through the command line,
c:\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /reboot /reseal
would you suggest that I use the minisetup instead?
I always remove the computers from the domain before I sysprep the machine and add it manually later after the process, I use the local administrator account to add the computer to the domain at a later stage however I want any NEW user accounts to pick up the limited "users" default profile. Also adding the 2nd question about the admin account during oobe wizard, If i have deleted the admin account will it recreate it and then not ask to to create a new account myself?
and what process would i go about deleting the administrator profile? lusrmgr.msc and right click and delete administrator? If I am in that account how will I be allowed to delete it as it will be in use
Thank you for your fast response
Steve
c:\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /reboot /reseal
would you suggest that I use the minisetup instead?
I always remove the computers from the domain before I sysprep the machine and add it manually later after the process, I use the local administrator account to add the computer to the domain at a later stage however I want any NEW user accounts to pick up the limited "users" default profile. Also adding the 2nd question about the admin account during oobe wizard, If i have deleted the admin account will it recreate it and then not ask to to create a new account myself?
and what process would i go about deleting the administrator profile? lusrmgr.msc and right click and delete administrator? If I am in that account how will I be allowed to delete it as it will be in use
Thank you for your fast response
Steve
1) I personally using this command "SYSPREP -RESEAL -MINI -QUIET" - no any issue on XP or W2K3 server.
2) It is not critical to dis-join the domain before running sysprep. In fact, I never doing that. The newly imaged computer joins domain during Windows mini-setup (I have relevant lines in sysprep.inf).
No, you DO NOT need to delete user "Administrator" (I never tried but pretty sure it will cause a problem after reimaging) but remove Administrator's PROFILE right before launching sysprep: you could either use Delprof.exe (from Windows 2003 Resource Kit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9D467A69-57FF-4AE7-96EE-B18C4790CFFD&displaylang=en) or right click My Computer | Properties | Advanced | User Profiles | Settings | select Administrator and click on Delete button.
I have seen that sometimes you cannot delete the profiles. As a workaround you might install User Profile Hive Cleanup Service (http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b286e6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&displaylang=en) - it will also might help to speed-up a user logoff / system shutdown.
2) It is not critical to dis-join the domain before running sysprep. In fact, I never doing that. The newly imaged computer joins domain during Windows mini-setup (I have relevant lines in sysprep.inf).
No, you DO NOT need to delete user "Administrator" (I never tried but pretty sure it will cause a problem after reimaging) but remove Administrator's PROFILE right before launching sysprep: you could either use Delprof.exe (from Windows 2003 Resource Kit http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9D467A69-57FF-4AE7-96EE-B18C4790CFFD&displaylang=en) or right click My Computer | Properties | Advanced | User Profiles | Settings | select Administrator and click on Delete button.
I have seen that sometimes you cannot delete the profiles. As a workaround you might install User Profile Hive Cleanup Service (http://www.microsoft.com/downloadS/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b286e6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&displaylang=en) - it will also might help to speed-up a user logoff / system shutdown.
ASKER
Thank you for your reply, I will try everything you mentioned
Any idea how to resolve question 3? capturing both C: and D: drive using WDS
Any idea how to resolve question 3? capturing both C: and D: drive using WDS
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ASKER
The process of capturing an image from a reference computer involves running sysprep on the computer and then restarting, before the computer restarts back into windows however, you need to boot from the LAN and start the capture process, you then go through the wizard screens giving the capture a name and description, and if you have given the correct sysprep parameters the drop down menu shows the drives that you are ABLE to capture
also in the website that you listed above,
"VolumeToCapture
Specifies the volume that is holding the Windows installation to be captured. This setting must be in the following format: drive letter, colon, back slash. For example: c:\"
There is not an option to specify 2 drives in this script, it only gives the space to specify either C:\ OR D:\
also in the website that you listed above,
"VolumeToCapture
Specifies the volume that is holding the Windows installation to be captured. This setting must be in the following format: drive letter, colon, back slash. For example: c:\"
There is not an option to specify 2 drives in this script, it only gives the space to specify either C:\ OR D:\
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ASKER
Igor-1965,
Thank you for your reply. I have looked into the above solution but I still face the problem that the 2nd partition is created however the small amount of data that is stored on it will not be captured and deployed.
Is there any way that I can enable the deployment server to deal with the data in whatever method, including an XCOPY command if it comes to that (data is only around 100mb)
Thanks
Steve
Thank you for your reply. I have looked into the above solution but I still face the problem that the 2nd partition is created however the small amount of data that is stored on it will not be captured and deployed.
Is there any way that I can enable the deployment server to deal with the data in whatever method, including an XCOPY command if it comes to that (data is only around 100mb)
Thanks
Steve
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It is so nice to get an "Assisted Solution" after I have chew up everything for you!
2) This is behavior by design, when you run sysprep it copies Administrator profile over the "Default User". As a workaround use AD (or create a special local) account having administrative access. BEFORE running sysprep login as this user, delete Administrator profile and then run sysprep.