# Sysprep: Audit Mode, OOBE, Generalize



## Mattyd893

So...

If all you want to achieve is a standardised setup then forget about audit mode. The best thing you can do to standardise all of your computers is to use the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) - You can download it for free here: http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=5753

It will allow you to create custom images and package them, deploy them etc etc.

To answer your questions though:

The OOBE simply give you the initial configuration wizard, the same as you would get if you bought new laptop/pc with pre-installed OS.

Generalize is what is very important for using an image on multiple computers. This option removes everything that unique, we're talking SSIDs and GUIDs, computer names etc etc. Anything that would cause issues if there is duplicates on the network.

An important item to note, if you plan to generalize and use the OOBE, choose the option to "shutdown". The capture/duplicate the image.
The reason is that as soon as the computer reboots, it will start generating new SSIDs which will later cause issues on your network.


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## pedro1977

Hi

Im not sure if you can help me or not I have a quick question about sysprep. I would like to copy an image exactly as it is to another one of out machine keep all apps, settings etc as they are. The only thing I would like to alter is computer name on the network, remove the drivers so the drivers will install for the other computer which has different hardware and any other things which are unique and would prevent the computer from operating on the same network.

I assume first thing is to back up my existing image with acronis etc. I then select OOBE, tick generalise and select shutdown, then after the machine has shutdown, i would have to copy/clone the image with ghost or acronis to the other machine and then start it up, drivers would be installed and I would have to enter only another computer name etc. The OS apps settings would then be a spitting image. I would then restore my old image to the original sysprep pc or simply just let it run and enter the pc name etc again.

Thanks

Peter


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## Mattyd893

That's it!

1. Backup your original image to either restore from later or just in case...
2. Sysprep using OOBE and check generalise, shutdown. Do not let it boot or you won't capture the sysprep'd image properly, make sure you have your imaging software ready to capture and any boot orders configured properly.

Capture your sysprepped image, run it up, complete the mini setup and you're done, restore your old one!


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## pedro1977

Sorry to bother you again but I forgot to ask a few other questions.

I have one normal user account that I have configured (not the default account as in audit mode with windowspe). How would I either remove or keep this during the sysprep process?

Irrespective of this I would also like to know how to copy this account to the default account? I assume this is attained by using copyprofile (answer file created via image manager) which is applied in the sysprep command line? Should i be logged into the account I wish to copy as default when running sysprep? Or do i have to specify which account to copy in the sysprep command line?

I was also wondering if its possible to just do a repair install (select repair instead of clean install) after cloning the machine over and either removing the sid (is it even that important in a peer to peer network without a domain?) and renaming the computer manually?

Any advice on these three issues would be appreciated? Thanks for your help.


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