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Question : WinPE, SysPrep, Unattened - Remote Deployments
What is the relationship of unattend.txt answer files and the sysprep.inf Files.
What I am looking for is not necessarily definitions:
SYSPREP.INF
An answer file used by the Microsoft Sysprep utility to assist with the remote deployment of an image based operating system. Information provided in this file consist of the Windows Product ID, ComputerName, defined mass storage controllers and drivers, etc.
UNATTEND.TXT
An answer file used by Microsoft Windows to assist with the remote scripted installation of a Windows operating system. Information provided in this file is very similar in nature to the SYSPREP.INF, but in a slightly different format.
But how the process works in terms of how the files are actioned in sequence during a Build Deployment OS installation?
So what happens when have PXEd into WinPE and then kickoff a winnt32.exe /s:
/unattend:
....
The %windir% starts, OK, files are copied, but then what's the difference between the two files and when actioned.
Answer : WinPE, SysPrep, Unattened - Remote Deployments
This is a great post by our EE Friend, Pete Long..
http://www.experts-exchang
e.com/OS/
M
icrosoft_O
perating_S
ystems/Win
dows/XP/Q_
21298286.h
tml
Well I use imaging software (symantec ghost) and I sysprep the images first
this is how I do it........................
....
Using Ghost to Image a Windows PC
NB This applies to Windows95/98/ME/2000 & XP
IMPORTANT: Make sure you are licensed to produce imaged copies of your version of windows.
If you are imaging windows XP be aware that you will need to ACTIVATE each client UNLESS
you build the source machine from a "Volume Licenced" copy of XP
see
http://support.microsoft.c
om/?kbid=2
99840
for details.
1. Set the Master PC\Laptop up from its manufacturers rescue disks or the copy of windows that you wish to use. unistall any applications you wont use (like Messenger using
http://www.dougknox.com/xp
/utils/Mes
sengerDisa
ble.zip
)
2. Ensure that you apply all the latest service packs for your version of windows. Go to
http://v4.windowsupdate.mi
crosoft.co
m/en/defau
lt.asp
to see if you need to install anything.
3. Install and configure all the applications you would like on the image, and remember applications need service-packing too for MS Office updates go to
http://office.microsoft.co
m/officeup
date/defau
lt.aspx?CT
T=6&
Origin
=EC7900201
11033
and run the office update wizard. Dont forget things like Adobe Acrobat reader and WinZip (This is a licensed product so ensure you have the rights to do this)
4. If you have not serviced packed you internet explorer (in step 2) do this now. aslo consider installing the latest version of JAVA
http://www.java.com/en/dow
nload/wind
ows_automa
tic.jsp
5. If you use a proxy server and/or wish to have ALL the imaged PCs preconfigured to use this do the following, Open a MMC Console (Start - Run - MMC - [ENTER]) Add the group policy snap in. Configure the home page as
http://yourhomepage
then configure the proxy as Your Proxy IP address (Look in User Configuration\Windows Settings\Internet Explorer Maint)
6. To display a Login message on every machine Go to the following registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR
E\Microsof
t\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
and in the following keys paste in this text...
LegalNoticeCaption
LegalNoticeText <Text of the Message><br /><br />7. If you use Host Files on your network copy them to the following locations<br /><br />Win9x/ME c:\windows<br />WinNT/2k c:\winnt\system32\drivers\<wbr />etc<br />winXP c:\windows\system32\driver<wbr />s\etc<br /><br />8. If you use Novell Install and configure the Novell Client (WARNING If using Zenworks for desktops and automatic workstation input consider NOT putting the Novell Client on your Image)<br />9. If you wish you can copy the windows setup files to the hard drive though this will obviously make the image a LOT larger. if you do copy the I386 directory from the CD to c:\I386, and change this Registry key to c:\I386<br />HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWAR<wbr />E\Microsof<wbr />t\Windows\<wbr />CurrentVer<wbr />sion\Setup<wbr />\SourcePat<wbr />h<br />10. Defragment the hard drive then empty the recycle bin. (Unless you want to clone your rubbish: 0)<br />11. Now if you meet any of the following criteria go to step 18.<br /><br />You are imaging Windows 95/98/ME<br />You are imaging Windows 2000 or Windows XP that will NOT be on a network (i.e., its a standalone or your home PC)<br /><br />12. If you reading this bit your imaging a windows 2000 or XP machine and you rolling you image out onto a network, proceed to step 13.<br />13. Download the latest version of sysprep for your operating system<br /><br />Windows 2000 version 1.1<br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/downloads/tools/sysprep/download.asp" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/w<wbr />indows2000<wbr />/downloads<wbr />/tools/sys<wbr />prep/<wbr />downl<wbr />oad.asp</a><br />Windows XP version 2.0 (its in the deployment cab)<br /><a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=7a83123d-507b-4095-9d9d-0a195f7b5f69&DisplayLang=en" target="_blank">http://www.microsoft.com/d<wbr />ownloads/d<wbr />etails.asp<wbr />x?<wbr />FamilyID<wbr />=7a83123d-<wbr />507b-4095-<wbr />9d9d-0a195<wbr />f7b5f69&Di<wbr />splayLang=<wbr />en</a><br /><br />14. You now need to create a directory called c:\sysprep and do the following<br /><br />Windows 2000 <br />Extract the file you downloaded to the c:\sysprep directory.<br />Look on the windows 2000 CD for the following d:\support\tools and there should be a file there called deploy.cab, Extract this to your C: \ sysprep directory.<br />Copy all the files from C: \sysprep\tools\ to the C: \ sysprep folder click YES when you are asked to overwrite the originals.<br /><br />Windows XP<br />Extract the file you downloaded earlier to the C: \sysprep directory.<br /><br />15. In your sysprep directory you will now have a program called setupmgr double click it to run it, answer all the questions and it will create another file that will hold the answers to all the questions windows usually asks you when you install it. REMEMBER to tell it you ate IMAGING or it wont work.<br />16. Close all your open windows and click Start > Run > c:\sysprep\sysprep.exe -pnp The machine will then give you a warning message and close down, DONT power it back up unless you want to test it (note if you do and your windows 2000 youll have to carry out all from step 13 again)<br />17. Before cloning your Hard Drive, ensure you have another hard drive (That Big enough to hold the image fitted to the machine being ghosted. (You cannot ghost to the same Hard Drive!) NEWER versions of ghost can) this procedure was tested with v6.5 and v7.0<br />18. Arm yourself with a boot disk from <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bootdisk.com" target="_blank">www.bootdisk.com</a> (Ensure it had RAMDRIVE on it and it works!) And a copy of Ghost.exe from Symantec<br />19. Boot with your boot disk<br />20. Type ghost then return. (This will create one big image if you want to split the image up, to fit on CDROMs type ghost.exe -split=600 auto)<br />21. At the welcome screen press enter to clear the message.<br />22. Using the Cursor Keys select Local, Disk, To Image then return.<br />23. At the select local source press enter<br />24. At the file name to copy to screen, Use the Tab Keys to navigate to the image location your second Hard Drive.<br />25. Press Tab to navigate to the filename box and give the image a name (i.e. image01)<br />26. Keep pressing the Tab Key till Save is highlighted then press return.<br />27. At the Compress Image screen Tab to "High" Then press return.<br />28. At the proceed screen Tab to "Yes" then press return.<br />29. When it is completed it should say, "Dump completed successfully"<br />30. If youre deploying from CDROM you can now burn the image portions to CDROM. 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