As I am a full time teacher I often have to put that work first and this week has seen me focussing on GCSE coursework.

However, everyone needs a break and this morning I managed to sysprep a clean profile following information I found on the internet. I created a brand new unattend.xml file and expected the worst - it worked first time and I managed to copy the default profile over to our profile server.

I've changed the ntuser.dat to ntuser.man and now feel I am further on than before.

What information did I follow? Well here it is:

· I've come up with this method using the guide at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349348%28WS.10%29.aspx

In that guide, Step 2 is all about creating the Reference computer. At the end of that step, you have a computer that can be deployed, cloned, or whatever.

The below instructions can replace Step 2 part 4

1. Create a new Answer file in Windows System Image Manager

2. Edit it with these settings:

· Add Microsoft-Windows-Deployment_neutral\Reseal to the oobeSystem configuration pass

· Set ForceShutdownNow to false and Mode to OOBE

· Add Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral\OOBE and \UserAccounts\AdministratorPassword and \UserAccounts\LocalAccounts\LocalAccount\Password

· Set all approrpriate settings for the above. In OOBE: HideEULAPage is true, NetworkLocation is Work ProtectYourPC is 3, SkipUserOOBE is true

· Set the administrator password, create a local account in the Administrators group, set that password etc.

· Add Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup_neutral. Set CopyProfile to true, add the product key, set the RegisteredOrganization and RegisteredOwner and the TimeZone

· Don't forget to save this, and be sure to not overwrite the AutoUnattend.xml file created earlier

3. Customize the profile of the user you're logged in as (I've only tested this logged in as Administrator

4. On the target computer, copy the new answer file to \windows\system32\sysprep

5. Open Task Manager and end any process that starts with "WMP" as this will cause sysprep to fail

6. Open a command prompt and change directory to c:\windows\system32\sysprep

7. type the following command: sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /quiet /unattend:nameofanswerfile .xml

Not sure how much use it is to others out there. I also read the WSIM docs to get some clarification.

I hate reading docs and like to just plough in but in this instance it has helped.

Now - machine has deployed but I had to put in the machine name. Similar to how RIS used to be.

I can also type in the OU but I'd rather that was a drop down box as I cannot remember every OU we have - plus it's very long.

Ideally they would be pre-staged but I cannot get the unattend.xml file to pick up %machinename%. I've just seen one custom.ini file that says %computername% so am going to try that.

In the meantime does anyone want to add anything?

Gareth