Do I need to generalize sysprep?

2020-11-12 by No Comments

Do I need to generalize sysprep?

If you intend to transfer a Windows image to a different computer, you must run sysprep /generalize, even if the computer has the same hardware configuration. The sysprep /generalize command removes unique information from your Windows installation, which enables you to reuse that image on different computers.

Can I sysprep without Oobe?

One of the missing options of sysprep in my opinion is to just generalize an installation. The only two options available in the sysprep utility are: The out-of-box experience: this will reinitialize the screens that you will usually see when you first start a new computer.

Do I need to run sysprep after cloning?

general and recommended practice is to run sysprep once you done with master image and then keep that copy moving to your system and rolling out VMs. you dont want to run system prep again and again and investing time.

What removes sysprep?

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.

What happens if you do not 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 certificates?

When you run Sysprep to generalize a computer, every Windows component is allowed the opportunity to remove information from the system, such as registry keys, certificates, files, folders, and so forth; anything that the component knows will cause issues if that installation were ever cloned.

Does Sysprep generalize Remove Programs?

Sysprep does not remove applications. Some applications are sensitive to sysprep, but those are rare exceptions. Sometimes, software will look at the machine key or SID as part of a license activation.

Does Sysprep remove Windows license key?

Tech Notes: Sysprep does not remove product key.

How do I trigger Sysprep?

How to run Sysprep in Windows 10

  1. Press Windows logo key + X at the same time. Select Command Prompt (Admin) from the menu.
  2. Type cd \Windows\System32\Sysprep and then press Enter.
  3. Type sysprep and then press Enter to open Sysprep GUI mode.
  4. Choose Enter System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE) and tick the Generalize checkbox.

Does Sysprep remove everything?

Sysprep provides the following benefits: Removes system-specific data from Windows. Sysprep can remove all system-specific information from an installed Windows image, including the computer security identifier (SID). The Windows installation can then be captured and installed throughout an organization.

Does sysprep remove computer name?

Sysprep = Prepare system for imaging and mass deployment. Strip all the umique items from the system and create and/or apply new unique items at the next reboot. Therefore, it is not possible to retain original computer name.

Will sysprep remove drivers?

Run Sysprep – Sysprep is a tool built into all versions of Windows and serves to remove device drivers, among other things. Sysprep removes all device drivers, sets the system to a first-run state and removes Windows license authorization.

How to generalize Windows Image with sysprep without OOBE?

Sysprep generalize Windows image without OOBE One of the missing options of sysprep in my opinion is to just generalize an installation. Alternatives are to use third-party utilities to reset the computers’ SID, but since it’s not an official solution, I will show you how to do it the ‘official way’ by using an answer file.

How to generalize Windows image without OOBE screen?

Basically, the deploy.xml file contains everything to override anything that has to do with OOBE. This will essentially render the oobe flag useless, so you pratically have just geleralized an image without having the somewhat annoying OOBE screens. What is this solution good for?

Can You generalize a Windows installation without Sysprep?

Short Answer: NO. You can’t generalize a Windows installation without Sysprep. I don’t think this is really your problem, however. Getting sysprep to run on already deployed image would have been a better line of questioning.

What happens when you generalize a Windows installation?

Generalizing a Windows installation uninstalls configured devices, but does not remove device drivers from the PC.