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andyoww

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How many times can sysprep be run

How many times can one sysprep the same image?
Say I build an image, then sysprep it.
After I load it, I find I missed an app.
So I take my master image, install the app, then sysprep again.
How many time can this be done?

I have a guy telling me it's 3, but want more info.

Thanks
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Dowwie

as many times as you need to.  I don't kown of a limit and we do it all the time here as we intigrate Microsofts patches into our images.
We always just used the  -mini -forceshutdown -activate -reseal -quiet

The 30-day countdown for Windows Product Activation does not begin
until the next time the operating system starts.
If you do not want to reset the clock, or if you want to preserve settings
while running Sysprep on an installation that is already activated, use the
-activated command-line option. For example, type:
sysprep -activated -reseal
By using the command sysprep -activated, you can avoid resetting the grace
period for activation. This requires that the system be preactivated in the
factory.



If the above fails try this.

Add a pid to sysprep via sysprep.inf add the following section and lines:

[UserData]
ProductKey=xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx
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ASKER

I'm pretty sure we don't have to reenter the product key after we sysprep & I know all we do is double-click on the exe, no options.

What about # of times for XP (I realize this is the 2000 spot)

Could I get some documents that prove about the unlimited # of times?

Thanks, you guys are always a big help!
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Dowwie

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ASKER

It appears this is what the guy is talking about:
activated Prevents Windows Product Activation resets. If this parameter is not set, Sysprep can reset Windows Product Activation a maximum of three times.
This is with XP, though.
Is it the same with 2000?
We don't have to reactivate when we reimage.
I didn't have the issues with 2k but then again I didn't use sysprep 2.0 either.  I beleave this was built into sysprep 2.0.