Creating SysPrep Images
Overview
- How many images do I need?
- Preparation
- What to run
- Cookbook
- Imaging
How many images do I need?
With srcbin Loader, you don't need an image for every hardware configuration that you run across. We tailor your image to the hardware dynamically. You will potentially need 4 XP images: OEM-HOME, OEM-PRO, RETAIL-HOME, RETAIL-PRO. The retail versions are not as popular so we encourage new users to make OEM-HOME and OEM-PRO images first. It is possible to use srcbin Loader to install Windows Media Center (based on XP) or XP Pro Corporate Volume License Key editions, we are working on testing these configurations.
Preparation
First, know that typical XP system can only be SysPrep'ed 3 times. It is a good idea to make an image backup before you run SysPrep, so you can revert to that point in time again. If you don't have a plan like this, the hard work in perfecting an image may hit a dead end.
A very handy tool is VMware Workstation (with snapshots).
- Snapshots to revert back to, so you don't keep the SysPrep counter rolling.
- A safety mechanism so you can always get back to where you want in time.
- Ease of virtualization, you can switch computers and still haul your "Gold" virtual machines that make images with you.
A very complete methodology that we use making our "Gold" copies:
- Install Windows
- Snapshot
- Activate Windows
- Snapshot
- Make UI customizations (that we'll always want and never want undone)
- Snapshot
- Service Pack
- Snapshot
- Windows Updates
- Snapshot
- Up-to-date Free Apps
- Snapshot
- Get SysPrep put on system, with working Sysprep.inf
- Run defrag
- Snapshot
- SysPrep / Resealed state
- Snapshot
It's doubtful that someone would need more control than this, and likely that most of that is not necessary for most shops. Again, at a minimum, a snapshot or image backup before the actual SysPrep is highly recommended. This allows you to try again and again.
What to Run
You may ask, what is SysPrep? There is much documentation on the Internet. The short story is how we use it, we "Reseal" an Image. This is much like what an OEM does at the factory. They have a stock image that they blast on every Model XYZ that goes out the door. Can this be used for Piracy? Not really. SysPrep does not get around the Microsoft Windows Activation routine. SysPrep is a Microsoft tool! It is merely a way to get an "Out Of Box Experience" again.. it wipes user data from the machine and hardware profiles - allowing the machine to come up fresh as if it was just installed from CD.
Where do I get SysPrep? It is available on your OEM installation CD in \TOOLS\DEPLOY. You can also download a newer version from Microsoft's website.
What we have done:
- Created a network share with a subdirectory "Sysprep".
- We copy this entire directory over to C:\
- We run a .bat script we've created C:\Sysprep\sysprep-full.bat
- We wait several minutes for machine to shutdown.
- Boot off of our SysRescCD (Linux CD).
- Copy the image with "ntfsclone" to the "Loader Server"
Before we move on the details of imaging, lets explain the details of the Sysprep directory.
Cookbook
Download the *deploy.cab* file (SysPrep for XP SP3) here:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/4/2/c/42c881f1-4bc4-4772-8bad-e3936c856a30/deploy.cab
Unpack these (from deploy.cab) files in C:\Sysprep
Now, overlay our files (attached to the bottom of this page) on to you C: drive:
You should start with our base with tailored *sysprep.inf* and *oobeinfo.ini* file. If you structure your directory appropriately on a network share, you can drag and drop the contents on C:\ and files will be in the correct locations.
Our overlay files:
./WINDOWS ./WINDOWS/system32 ./WINDOWS/system32/oobe ./WINDOWS/system32/oobe/oobeinfo.ini ./Sysprep ./Sysprep/full.bat ./Sysprep/sysprep-full.inf ./Sysprep/sysprep-quick.inf ./Sysprep/quick.bat ./Sysprep/sysprep.inf
It should look like this on the C: drive in the end:
./Sysprep ./Sysprep/setupcl.exe ./Sysprep/sysprep.exe ./Sysprep/sysprep-full.inf ./Sysprep/quick.bat ./Sysprep/full.bat ./Sysprep/wfinf_guide.doc ./Sysprep/sysprep.inf ./Sysprep/readme.txt ./Sysprep/cvtarea.exe ./Sysprep/setupmgr.exe ./Sysprep/sysprep-quick.inf ./Sysprep/factory.exe ./Sysprep/ref.chm ./Sysprep/deploy.chm ./Sysprep/oformat.com ./WINDOWS ./WINDOWS/system32 ./WINDOWS/system32/oobe ./WINDOWS/system32/oobe/oobeinfo.ini
Finally, run the *full.bat* script. Note, this takes several minutes to complete.
Imaging
- Boot off the SysRescCD or our modified SysRescCD
- Ensure you can communicate with your *Loader Server*, i.e. ping 192.168.1.2
- Assuming the user running *srcbin Loader* is *"loader"*, Run
# resize the NT filesystem down to something that should fit on all computers ntfsresize -s 8G /dev/sda1 # copy pro image over ntfsclone --force -s -O - /dev/sda1 | gzip | ssh loader@192.168.1.2 "cat > srcbin_loader/images/oem-pro.ntfsclone.gz" # or for home ntfsclone --force -s -O - /dev/sda1 | gzip | ssh loader@192.168.1.2 "cat > srcbin_loader/images/oem-home.ntfsclone.gz"
Attachments
-
sysprep-overlay.zip
(9.9 KB) -
added by scott 19 months ago.
