Michael Posted July 22, 2011 Posted July 22, 2011 Hello all, I know from discussions on here that many people have or are thinking about deploying Windows 7, changing from Windows XP. The Sysprep process however is very different with Windows 7 and by default there's no method to specify a computer name before joining your network domain. Below is how to do it all from start to finish: 1. From your Windows 7 Pro SP1 disc (volume license) copy the install_Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL.clg file from the \Sources\ folder into: C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ 2. Download Mysysprep2 here (scroll down the page) and extract MySysprep.exe into: C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ 3. Open up Notepad and paste the code below. Save the file as Sysprep.cmd in C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ @echo off mysysprep /oobe /generalize /unattend:c:\windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml 4. Open up Notepad and paste the code below. Save the file as unattend.xml in C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ en-GB en-GB en-US en-GB en-GB true Work 1 dwBlAGwAYwBvAG0AZQBQAGEAcwBzAHcAbwByAGQA false Local User LOCAL USERNAME administrators LOCAL USERNAME GMT Standard Time SCHOOL NAME SCHOOL NAME false FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4 %Please input a computer name% SCHOOL NAME SCHOOL NAME false GMT Standard Time DOMAIN ADMINISTRATOR PASSWORD DOMAIN You just need to search/change the following: LOCAL USERNAME - A suitable local account, such as for teachers when they're working from home SCHOOL NAME - Enter your school name %Please input a computer name% - Leave this as it is! DOMAIN - Enter your domain name ADMINISTRATOR - Specify the domain administrator account (if renamed) PASSWORD - Specify the domain administrator password Run the Sysprep.cmd file and Sysprep will start as normal. When the computer reboots, it'll prompt you for a computer name (of your choice), then join your domain. Windows 7 is then ready to be activated with a KMS server. The machine will be added to the Computers container where you can move it as required. You can specify an OU, but as all networks are different, I've tried to keep this as simple as possible! I hope this helps some of you! Good luck with your Windows 7 deployment! 3
Michael Posted July 22, 2011 Author Posted July 22, 2011 Another 'feature' of 2008 R2/Windows 7 is that there's no method to make 'Documents' and 'Computer' appear on the desktop for all users. The following reg file does the trick: Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons] [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\ClassicStartMenu] "\"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\""=dword:00000000 "\"{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}\""=dword:00000001 "\"{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}\""=dword:00000000 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\HideDesktopIcons\NewStartPanel] "\"{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\""=dword:00000000 "\"{5399E694-6CE5-4D6C-8FCE-1D8870FDCBA0}\""=dword:00000001 "\"{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}\""=dword:00000000 "{59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c5-5595fe6b30ee}"=dword:00000000 "{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}"=dword:00000000 Save as DesktopIcons.reg, then include it within a logon script: regedit.exe /s \\SERVERNAME\NETLOGON\DesktopIcons.reg
Don__1 Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 Is first post suitable for 32bit & 64bit versions or is a separate unattended file needed for each?
Michael Posted July 25, 2011 Author Posted July 25, 2011 Is first post suitable for 32bit & 64bit versions or is a separate unattended file needed for each? Yes as far as I am aware. Open it up in Notepad and do a search and replace for x86 to x64. You also need to make sure you're running the 64Bit version of MySysprep too.
Don__1 Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 I thought AMD64 was used instead of X64. Asking because I use an unattended file with just X32 in it and it doesn't work for X64 systems.
Michael Posted July 25, 2011 Author Posted July 25, 2011 Deploying wireless settings (as a startup script) is also straight forward as follows (including the security key): WIRELESS 574952454C455353 WIRELESS ESS auto WPA2PSK AES false passPhrase false ENTERKEY Run it at startup as follows: netsh wlan add profile filename="\\SERVERNAME\NETLOGON\WIRELESS\WIRELESS-SETTINGS.xml" 2
Michael Posted July 25, 2011 Author Posted July 25, 2011 I thought AMD64 was used instead of X64. Asking because I use an unattended file with just X32 in it and it doesn't work for X64 systems. I stand corrected, you are right! 64Bit XML files are AMD64 and 32Bit XML files are x86. Not quite sure why it's called AMD64, as 64Bit is for Intel and AMD and other manufacturers. You'd think they'd of stuck to x64 but there you go!
tommej Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 You left a product key in the original post, should probably remove that :x
Don__1 Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 It is a KMS client key. Free for the world to use if you have a KMS server for it to communicate with.
featured_spectre Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 No, not free, someone had to pay for it and could fraudulently set up a KMS server with the key
Don__1 Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 No, not free, someone had to pay for it and could fraudulently set up a KMS server with the key I don't think so, but we are going off topic.
DaveyPitch Posted July 25, 2011 Posted July 25, 2011 I wish I'd seen this before I struggled to figure it out myself. I got it joining the domain and then changing the PC name, but it would only join the PC name on the computer, not in AD, so it wouldn't let the computer log in to the domani afterwards. Eventually got it sorted using a batch script on first (automatic) login, which uses netdom to join the domain, then auto activates Windows, then reboots the PC. It's then ready to use after it's come back up again.
Michael Posted July 25, 2011 Author Posted July 25, 2011 Thank you all for your concern guys, it's nice to know people care on these forums KMS keys are available to the public here. A KMS key tells a newly imaged workstation to talk/activate Windows by communicating with your KMS server.
featured_spectre Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Can I do this without a KMS key, say for example with a MAK key?
Michael Posted August 12, 2011 Author Posted August 12, 2011 Can I do this without a KMS key, say for example with a MAK key? Yes, just change it for your MAK. You'll need to activate each workstation once however
featured_spectre Posted August 12, 2011 Posted August 12, 2011 Thats not a problem, just making sure its possible
internetuser Posted January 9, 2012 Posted January 9, 2012 For some reason I am getting this error when trying your solution. (Windows 7 Enterprise N 64bit) Windows could not parse or process the unattended answer file for pass [specialize]. the settings specified in the answer file cannot be applied. the error was detected while processing settings for componeted [Microsoft-windows-shell-setup] then goes in a loop this happens once I enter the name of the workstation I want ? Any ideas ? en-GB en-GB en-US en-GB en-GB true Work 1 cABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkAFAAYQBzAHMAdwBvAHIAZAA= false IT.Services IT.Services administrators IT.Services GMT Standard Time test me test me false FJ82H-XT6CR-J8D7P-XQJJ2-GPDD4 %Please input a computer name% test me test me false GMT Standard Time test.AC.UK ADMIN password test.AC.UK
Michael Posted January 9, 2012 Author Posted January 9, 2012 I have created a slightly revised guide which you can find here. Your XML file looks OK to me (from what I can see), other than the CPI:source being different. And I presume you're using the 64Bit version of MySysprep 2?
internetuser Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 I have created a slightly revised guide which you can find here. Your XML file looks OK to me (from what I can see), other than the CPI:source being different. And I presume you're using the 64Bit version of MySysprep 2? Hi, Same error on Windows could not parse or process the unattended answer file for pass [specialize]. the settings specified in the answer file cannot be applied. the error was detected while processing settings for componeted [Microsoft-windows-shell-setup] Its the 64bit version I am using, with Windows 7 Enterprise 64bit SP1 N Am I missing anything obvious out ?
Michael Posted January 10, 2012 Author Posted January 10, 2012 64Bit N shouldn't make any difference. I wonder if the publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" is different from the 32Bit answer file?
internetuser Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 Will give it ago, I am busy going through the specilize but which it fails at. I will then try to recreate the file using the AIK as a 64bit file and not copy and paste the above one
internetuser Posted January 10, 2012 Posted January 10, 2012 I recreated my sysprep file and it now works ?!? Any way to remove the My Sysprep logo that is plastered all over the screen ?
Michael Posted January 10, 2012 Author Posted January 10, 2012 I recreated my sysprep file and it now works ?!? Any way to remove the My Sysprep logo that is plastered all over the screen ? I don't think so, but I don't care about it really. It disappears once Sysprep has finished and you see the logon screen.
gatnic Posted April 24, 2012 Posted April 24, 2012 I recreated my sysprep file and it now works ?!? Any way to remove the My Sysprep logo that is plastered all over the screen ? Is there any way you could post your answer file as I am having the same error and have tried rebuilding with no success. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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