Using sysprep for xp "rollout"

[John Prophet]

Well. not really a rollout but....

I want to have a nice reference build for XP home.....using , say, the Biostar M7ncg 400 motherboard.

My idea is to have that be the base model motherboard for several different builds.

So I just want to have a base build, with whatever free aps I use, windows updates, optimizations etc.

Well, with w9x it was no problem...just ghost it, then for each machine just regedit to give it the proper product ID, no problem.

Of course we all know that wont work with xp...because of the product key/activation stuff, (thanks Bill, you make my life so much easier......not!)

So I suppose I have to use sysprep for this, correct?

I have read up on it a little but I am still not really getting the full picture. So I build the build..then make a ghost image using norton ghost? correct so far right?

So I am a little confused with the actual mechanics of sysprep. Do I then run sysprep on THAT machine, or ANOTHER machine?? lol In other words does sysprep need to run on a w2k server machine?? By sysprep itself coming on the xp cd I am a little confused as to whther it is a stand alone prog or whether it runs from w2k server like RIS.

What I want to do is have it output to a cd so that when I slap together a new system I can boot off of the "sysprepped" cd, which will image the drive, then reboot and have it go thru the little wizard to allow me to input the individual product key for that machine.

Should be really easy and straightforward, yes??

Can anyone help me out some??

Thanks, JP

[John Prophet]

oops, ok I found this much on a site

- Install OS (WinNT or 2000) on your Master build PC
- Install Apps and configure PC
- Run Sysprep (with the optional sysprep.inf file). You run Sysprep from a command line.
- Shut down the PC
- Run your PC imaging software (usually from a bootable disk) to create a disk image.
- Restore the Image to a new PC
- Boot up the new PC with the restored Image
- Sysprep automatically runs a mini setup wizard before you log on.
The setup wizard can get it's settings from the sysprep.inf file already on
the hard drive, or will prompt you for information if no sysprep.inf is used.
- The PC will then be rebooted, and you can log on.


Why cant the microsoft resource kit just be this straightforward??

Still though, I need some feedback as to whtether this will do what I need.

Thanks, JP

ps..for instance does sysprep work equally well on xp home or is it a "pro only" thing?

[John Prophet]

Ok, now I notice this

"If the destination computer has a larger hard disk, the difference is not included in the primary partition. However, you can use the ExtendOemPartition entry in the Sysprep.inf file to extend the primary partition if it was formatted to use the NTFS file system. "


So I should do the master build on the smallest drive I would normally use and use the ExtnedOemPartition entry?

[capybara]

pls correct me ifm wrong, but sysprep is an imaging tool
like ghost. (only ghost is usually rec as better/easier)
first you wanna run setupmgr.exe. this creates an answer file.
then you create a disk img usg the tool of ur choice
(ghost or sysprep or ...)

[John Prophet]

nah, sysprep doesnt do the imagine part...actually it just sort of strips away stuff from a build..such as the user name, time zone, product key etc. Then you ghost it using 3rd party tools like Norton Ghost....then when you ghost it to the new machine and boot..it goes thru a little wizard that makes the new user put back the info that was stripped away.

So when you buy that new Dell...when you first boot...it has you to enter the user name, etc etc.

JP

[John Prophet]

Anybody used this much??