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Tearfang

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Syprep creating an endless cycle of reboot

I'm trying to use sysprep to reduce the number of images that we need to have. Currently we have 1 image for every different modle of computer. I created an image of a syspreped machine and tried to put it on machines with different hardware, and it images fine but when it's done it just boots to win 2K without the splash screen and just gets through the 1st progress bar with the little tabs that the bar goes over and then the computer reboots. This continues untill I turn the machine off. I am running sysprep V1.1 without any switches. The original image was built on a Dell Optiplex Gx110 and I have tried it on an Acma and a Dell Optiplex Gx1 The sysprep.inf file that I am using is included below.
Note: some info has been xxxxx out
also Note the 1st 2 mass storage devices drivers/whatevers are commented out, this should have no effect as all the machines I've tried it on are desktops and those are PCMCI storage devices. I would like to knwo why those give me errors though I simply copied them out of the example IDE mass storage file that was located in samples when sysprep1.1 unzipped.


[Unattended]
OemSkipEula=yes

[GuiUnattended]
OemSkipwelcome=1
timezone=004
adminpassword=xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
OEMSkipRegional=1

[UserData]
;FullName="UserName" ;;don't want to automate UserName
OrgName="xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx"
;computername="*" ;;don't want to automate CompName
productid=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[Networking]

[Identification]
joinworkgroup=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

[SysprepMassStorage]
;PCMCIA\*PNP060=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf ;;error
;PCMCIA\KME-KXLC005-A99E0=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf ;;error

PCMCIA\_-NinjaATA--3768=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCMCIA\FUJITSU-IDE-PC_CARD-DDF2=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
*AZT0502=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\CC_0101=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_10B9&DEV_5215=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_10B9&DEV_5219=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_10B9&DEV_5229=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1097&DEV_0038=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_0640=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1095&DEV_0646=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_0E11&DEV_AE33=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1222=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1230=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_7010=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_7111=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2411=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2421=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_7199=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1042&DEV_1000=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1039&DEV_0601=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1039&DEV_5513=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_10AD&DEV_0001=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_10AD&DEV_0150=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_105A&DEV_4D33=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
PCI\VEN_1106&DEV_0571=%systemroot%\inf\mshdc.inf
ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION
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GUEEN
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That is because Sysprep gets easily offended by Power Management settings that differ :)
Avatar of Tearfang
Tearfang

ASKER

Yup, ACPI was disabled in the GX1 BIOS that I was trying to image. The GX110 BIOS didn't have an option to chanage ACPI, it wasn't even listed, but since the image works I'm assuming it is ACPI.

An additional question if I may, how can you tell whether a BIOS is ACPI or non-ACPI?
When you go into BIOS - go to Power Management - for the newer mobos it should be the first selection in the list.
Some computer manufacturers will give you skeleton BIOS configured to their specifications so it might not be viewable in their BIOS settings.
Another place where it should be viewable is in device manager. Go to 'system devices' ACPI fixed feature button (or a similiar ACPI term)
and look at 'location' which should state something like this:
'on Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System'
Yup, ACPI was disabled in the GX1 BIOS that I was trying to image. The GX110 BIOS didn't have an option to chanage ACPI, it wasn't even listed, but since the image works I'm assuming it is ACPI.

An additional question if I may, how can you tell whether a BIOS is ACPI or non-ACPI?
Tearfang,
You can also do a search in the registry for ACPI and you will note excess keys listed.

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet002\Control\Class\{4D36E97D-E325-11CE-BFC1-08002BE10318}\0014]
"ResourcePickerExceptions"="IRQ:HAL"
"InfPath"="acpi.inf"
"InfSection"="ACPI_Inst"
"InfSectionExt"=".NT"
"ProviderName"="Microsoft"
"DriverDateData"=hex:00,40,99,31,33,2e,bf,01
"DriverDate"="11-14-1999"
"DriverVersion"="5.0.2183.1"
"MatchingDeviceId"="*pnp0c08"
"DriverDesc"="Microsoft ACPI-Compliant System"
Thanks. I don't know why my comment posted 2x I got some error message about experts-exchange having problems. I appreciate the promtness with which you have responded to my requests. :-) If you would be so kind I have 1 more question. I have been reading that sysprep will not work on machines with differing HALS... but that doesn't seem to make sence since the whole point of sysprep is that it allows you to create 1 image for a number of different computer models. Do you know anything about this?
Okay see here:
http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/q246/2/36.asp

HAL is the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL.DLL)
syspreping a computer with one HAL type and applying it to a computer with a differnt HAL (Such as APM) will cause the system to hang at boot and not all ACPI machines will be identical.  

Here is the list of HALs for w2K:

ACPI Multiprocessor PC
ACPI Uniprocessor PCAdvanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
Compaq SystemPro Multiprocessor or 100% CompatibleMPS Uniprocessor PC
MPS Multiprocessor PC
Standard PC
Standard PC with C-Step i486
Other