The System Preparation (Sysprep) tool is used to change Windows images from a generalized state to a specialized state, and then back to a generalized state. A generalized image can be deployed on any computer. A specialized image is targeted to a specific computer.
How does Sysprep work?
Sysprep removes PC-specific information from a Windows installation, "generalizing" the installation so it can be installed on different PCs. With Sysprep you can configure the PC to boot to audit mode, where you can make additional changes or updates to your image. Or, you can configure Windows to boot to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE).
How to run Sysprep in Windows 10?
How to run Sysprep in Windows 10? Follow the steps below to generalize your image and make it ready for deployment. 1. Press Windows logo key + X at the same time. Select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu. 2. Type cd WindowsSystem32Sysprep and then press Enter. 3. Type sysprep and then press Enter to open Sysprep GUI mode. 4.
Can Sysprep prepare an image that has been upgraded?
Beginning with Windows 10, version 1607, Sysprep can be used to prepare an image that has been upgraded.
Why does Sysprep remove a PC from a domain?
If the PC is joined to a domain, Sysprep removes the PC from the domain. If a PC is joined to a domain, and the Group Policy of that domain assigns a strong account password policy to the PC, all user accounts will require strong passwords.
What changes does Sysprep make?
Sysprep can remove PC-specific information from a Windows installation (generalizing) so it can be installed on different PCs. When you run Sysprep you can configure whether the PC will boot to audit mode or to the Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE). Sysprep is part of the Windows image, and is run in audit mode.
What is the function of Sysprep?
Sysprep is Microsoft's System Preparation tool intended to duplicate, test and deliver new installations for the Windows operating system based on an established installation. It is a command-line tool that can be run manually or through a script.
What does Sysprep capture?
Sysprep (System Preparation) prepares a Windows installation (Windows client and Windows Server) for imaging, allowing you to capture a customized structure. Sysprep removes PC-specific information from a Windows installation, “generalizing” the structure to be installed on different PCs.
What happens if you dont Sysprep?
If you don't Sysprep you will end up with machines with the same SID, which is what Windows really uses to identify a machine, not the "pretty" name, DNS name or IP address.
Does sysprep remove files?
In general, Sysprep does not remove applications. Some applications are sensitive to sysprep, but those are rare exceptions. Sysprep strips out the machine-specific settings like activation ID and SID, while leaving the installed programs for ease of deployment.
Does sysprep remove environment variables?
If you run Sysprep on an NTFS file system partition that contains encrypted files or folders, the data in those folders becomes completely unreadable and unrecoverable. Sysprep converts the %COMPUTERNAME% environment variable to uppercase characters. However, the actual name of the computer does not change.
Does sysprep remove license key?
In any case, you must use generalize switch with Sysprep if you want to make image hardware independent and / or use CopyProfile = True setting to copy your customizations to default user profile. Generalizing automatically removes any used product key and license, activation status will be reset to Not activated.
Do I need to run sysprep before cloning?
Note: Before you can perform cloning, your VM MUST be switched (Turned) off. Therefore, after cloning, you will have to sysprep the server. Sysprep removes PC-specific information from a Windows installation, "generalizing" the installation so it can be installed on different PCs.
How do you know if sysprep is successful?
If you find a value named CloneTag under this key, the system has been sysprepped (i.e. generalized) and the value of this key will tell you when this was done.
How many times can you run sysprep on Windows 10?
There is no limit to the number of times that the Sysprep command can run on a computer. However, the clock for Windows Product Activation begins its countdown the first time Windows starts. You can use the sysprep /generalize command to reset Windows Product Activation a maximum of three times.
How long does sysprep usually take?
Sysprep - Taking 30 Minutes | Deployment Solution.
What is a sysprep?
The System Preparation ( Sysprep) tool is used to change Windows® images from a generalized state to a specialized state, and then back to a generalized state. A generalized image can be deployed on any computer. A specialized image is targeted to a specific computer. You must reseal, or generalize, a Windows image before you capture and deploy the image. For example, when you use the Sysprep tool to generalize an image, Sysprep removes all system-specific information and resets the computer. The next time that the computer restarts, your customers can add user-specific information through Out-Of-Box Experience (OOBE) and accept the Microsoft Software License Terms.
What is a sysprep provider?
Independent software vendors (ISVs) and independent hardware vendors (IHVs) can create Sysprep providers that enable their applications to support imaging and deployment scenarios. If an application does not currently support generalize operations by using the Sysprep tool, you can create a provider that removes all software-specific and hardware-specific information from the application.
Where is sysprep located?
Sysprep.exe is located in the %WINDIR%system32sysprep directory on all Windows installations . If you use the command line instead of the System Preparation Tool GUI, you must first close the GUI and then run Sysprep from the %WINDIR%system32sysprep directory. You must also run Sysprep on the same version of Windows that you used to install Sysprep.
How to prepare a computer for an end user?
To prepare a computer for an end user, you must configure the computer to boot to OOBE when an end user starts the computer for the first time . In a default Windows installation, OOBE starts after installation is completed, but you can skip OOBE and boot directly to audit mode to customize images.
What does sysprep do?
What Sysprep does is pretty simple, and though there are variations on this, this process is pretty close, and is likely what you'll see when using DS. Strips out several settings like networking and such from the registry. Flips a switch in the OS that tells the OS that it's not done installing and will need to complete ...
Can you use sysprep on a legacy app?
As a legacy app, it's still there today, though the main reason for it's continued existence is thin clients, which can't run Sysprep. You COULD still use it, but 1) it's not recommended, and 2) you should NOT use it AND use Sysprep. That's just asking for troubles.
Is sysprep still running?
Shuts down the system for imaging. At this point in the process, Sysprep is still ON the system, but is done. It will never be run again. Instead, you may have noticed the second bullet - which talks about MiniSetup. The second part of the Sysprep "process" is actually completed by MiniSetup.
What is sysprep?
Sysprep allows you to delete all the information related to a specific operating system. This includes unique identifiers (SID, GUID, etc.), the Windows activation reset, and installing apps and drivers in the Audit mode. All the configuration of the operating system before you run Sysprep remains untouched.
What is a Sysprep image?
With Windows System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) tool, you can create a customized Windows 10 reference image. You can install all apps, drivers, and updates in the image. After that, you can deploy Windows image to users’ computers within your company.
Why does sysprep fail?
Sysprep may fail if you install or update Microsoft Store apps before generalizing a system image. Users are often disappointed to find Windows 10 Sysprep fails when the Generalize checkbox is enabled. As you can see from above, Sysprep doesn’t always work fine.
Can SID be copied to other devices?
Note that the SID information will be copied to other devices at the same time. However, SID duplications on the same network may cause many problems, for example, WSUS incompatibility. Thus, you must remove the computer-specific information before deployment. Luckily, Microsoft created Sysprep for this purpose.
Can you deploy Sysprep remotely?
As you can see from above, Sysprep doesn’t always work fine. Once it fails, you can’t perform deployment with Windows deployment tools like Windows Deployment Services (WDS) and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT). In fact, you still have chances to deploy system remotely if you read on.
When did Sysinternals retire NewSID?
On November 3 2009, Sysinternals retired NewSID , a utility that changes a computers machine Security Identifier (machine SID). I wrote NewSID in 1997 (its original name was NTSID) because the only tool available at the time for changing machine SIDs was the Microsoft Sysprep tool, and Sysprep doesn’t support changing the SIDs ...
Does Microsoft use the same SID?
No Microsoft software does so and using the machine SID in that way doesn’t work just for the fact that all DC’s have the same machine SID. Software that relies on unique computer identities either uses computer names or computer Domain SIDs (the SID of the computer accounts in the Domain).
