B
Bill Jackson
I am trying to use sysprep on a cloned XP-pro drive in order to install
the clone on another system and give it a different product key.
The version of XP is XP-pro, system builder edition. Here is an example
of what this product looks like:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/systembuilder/
I created a "master" installation probably in 2006 using an SP2 version
of this product, and have been updating it periodically. I have not
migrated it to SP3 - it remains SP2. Because I have been updating it in
it's current state, and because (so I've been told) there is very little
difference between a fully updated SP2 vs SP3, I simply haven't bothered
to migrated it to SP3. I don't think this matters in this case.
This master was validated using a product key that came with an XP-CD at
the time it was originally installed on the master system. This
particular product comes in a small cardboard box as a 3-pack, along
with a separate CD which is labelled "Windows XP OEM preinstallation
kit". It is described here:
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/sblicense/OPK/default.mspx
I did not use the pre-install kit to prepare the master system back in
2006.
I now want to duplicate the master and install it on another system (the
target system) with identical hardware.
For example, I can clone the master drive, take the clone and install it
on a target system, and it comes up just like it is the master drive.
No issues, no problems. But naturally that is not "legit".
So now I have the clone drive operating on the master system. I have
obtained sysprep from two sources: 1) downloaded most recent version
for XP-sp2 from Microsoft, and 2) the version that is present on the
preinstallation CD mentioned above. Perhaps they are identical - I
haven't checked.
In any case, the results are the same.
With the system up and running, I launch sysprep.exe from explorer (not
the command line).
This is from the pre-installation CD:
Sysprep.exe version 5.1.2600.2180 8/4/2004
When launched, I have the following primary options:
- Factory
- Audit (this is greyed out)
- Reseal
And these secondary options
- Don't reset grace period
- Use Mini Setup
- Don't regenerate security identifiers
- Detect non-pnp hardware
And then I can select shut-down mode (I always select shut down).
The first few times I tried using sysprep (using Reseal, detect non-pnp
hardware) I got this error after sysprep had finished and the system was
restarted:
"The system is not fully installed. Please run Setup again."
Some internet searching turned up the comment that this error can be
fixed if the option "use mini-setup" is selected, and yes that did work
so from that point on I always set that option.
But I've tried various other combinations (grace period yes/no, detect
non-pnp yes/no, regenerate SID's yes/no) and have fooled around with
Factory and Audit (couldn't figure out what they were supposed to do).
None of those combinations produced a satisfactory result.
The following is what typically happens after the sysprep is finished
and the system is restarted. Now, sysprep does not give a warning
message that it wants to shut-down (yes/no) - it just shuts down without
asking. I don't know if it's supposed to do that.
After shutdown, I keep the drive in the master system - it is not
removed and placed into another system. It is simply restarted as-is
after sysprep shut-down. I then press the power button, and the
following happens:
A) The System starts with dark blue screen behind a window titled
"Windows XP Pro Setup Wizard".
B) License agreement is shown, accepted, next
C) Regional and language settings, next
D) User Name and Organization, next
E) Enter product key, next
F) Computer name and admin password, next
At this point, there is a little bit of hard drive activity. The setup
window goes away. The screen goes black (but mouse pointer still
visible for a brief moment). There are no other messages, warnings,
etc. The system reboots itself and this whole thing loops back to (A)
above.
I've gone through the loop 2 or 3 times but it never exits the loop.
The product key I enter in step E above is a completely different, new
key (but still a key for XP-sp2 oem system builder version).
What exactly is the problem here that is preventing sysprep from
creating a functional "prep'd" image of this drive?
the clone on another system and give it a different product key.
The version of XP is XP-pro, system builder edition. Here is an example
of what this product looks like:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/systembuilder/
I created a "master" installation probably in 2006 using an SP2 version
of this product, and have been updating it periodically. I have not
migrated it to SP3 - it remains SP2. Because I have been updating it in
it's current state, and because (so I've been told) there is very little
difference between a fully updated SP2 vs SP3, I simply haven't bothered
to migrated it to SP3. I don't think this matters in this case.
This master was validated using a product key that came with an XP-CD at
the time it was originally installed on the master system. This
particular product comes in a small cardboard box as a 3-pack, along
with a separate CD which is labelled "Windows XP OEM preinstallation
kit". It is described here:
http://www.microsoft.com/oem/sblicense/OPK/default.mspx
I did not use the pre-install kit to prepare the master system back in
2006.
I now want to duplicate the master and install it on another system (the
target system) with identical hardware.
For example, I can clone the master drive, take the clone and install it
on a target system, and it comes up just like it is the master drive.
No issues, no problems. But naturally that is not "legit".
So now I have the clone drive operating on the master system. I have
obtained sysprep from two sources: 1) downloaded most recent version
for XP-sp2 from Microsoft, and 2) the version that is present on the
preinstallation CD mentioned above. Perhaps they are identical - I
haven't checked.
In any case, the results are the same.
With the system up and running, I launch sysprep.exe from explorer (not
the command line).
This is from the pre-installation CD:
Sysprep.exe version 5.1.2600.2180 8/4/2004
When launched, I have the following primary options:
- Factory
- Audit (this is greyed out)
- Reseal
And these secondary options
- Don't reset grace period
- Use Mini Setup
- Don't regenerate security identifiers
- Detect non-pnp hardware
And then I can select shut-down mode (I always select shut down).
The first few times I tried using sysprep (using Reseal, detect non-pnp
hardware) I got this error after sysprep had finished and the system was
restarted:
"The system is not fully installed. Please run Setup again."
Some internet searching turned up the comment that this error can be
fixed if the option "use mini-setup" is selected, and yes that did work
so from that point on I always set that option.
But I've tried various other combinations (grace period yes/no, detect
non-pnp yes/no, regenerate SID's yes/no) and have fooled around with
Factory and Audit (couldn't figure out what they were supposed to do).
None of those combinations produced a satisfactory result.
The following is what typically happens after the sysprep is finished
and the system is restarted. Now, sysprep does not give a warning
message that it wants to shut-down (yes/no) - it just shuts down without
asking. I don't know if it's supposed to do that.
After shutdown, I keep the drive in the master system - it is not
removed and placed into another system. It is simply restarted as-is
after sysprep shut-down. I then press the power button, and the
following happens:
A) The System starts with dark blue screen behind a window titled
"Windows XP Pro Setup Wizard".
B) License agreement is shown, accepted, next
C) Regional and language settings, next
D) User Name and Organization, next
E) Enter product key, next
F) Computer name and admin password, next
At this point, there is a little bit of hard drive activity. The setup
window goes away. The screen goes black (but mouse pointer still
visible for a brief moment). There are no other messages, warnings,
etc. The system reboots itself and this whole thing loops back to (A)
above.
I've gone through the loop 2 or 3 times but it never exits the loop.
The product key I enter in step E above is a completely different, new
key (but still a key for XP-sp2 oem system builder version).
What exactly is the problem here that is preventing sysprep from
creating a functional "prep'd" image of this drive?