Description
This article was written to provide some basic information regarding the SYSPREP process for Windows 7, to help customers with the task of creating a gold Windows 7 image using the tools provided with LDMS.
Resolution
1. Install the WINDOWS 7 operating system.
2. Enter Audit Mode: After the OS is installed, the machine will reboot for the first time, CTRL + Shift + F3 will load the OS in Audit Mode.
For more details, please visit the following link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799305(WS.10).aspx
3. If you miss this step you can still enter audit mode by running SYSPREP. SYSPREP for Windows 7 is now located here in C:\windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe and is a file that does not require a download.
Here is a screen shot of placing a device into Audit mode via SYSPREP.
4. The SYSPREP AUDIT mode behavior is different from what would have been the experience in Windows XP. Once you place a device in Audit mode it will remain in that mode until you configure the device to boot into Windows welcome. This “sysprep.exe /oobe /reboot” function is included in the ‘auditUser” section of the unattend.xml file that is generated when an OSD deployment script is created. If using provisioning to deploy your image this function should be included in your unattend.xml file as well. Here is a screen shot of what will be displayed on the device that is in placed in AUDIT mode after each reboot until the device is booted into Windows welcome.
5. Install OS patches, required applications and do not install the LDMS agent, this step will take place when the image is deployed. This step has an endless number of possible configuration options, and what to add to your gold image will be based on individual customer requirements. It could be as simple as installing the operating system patches and Microsoft Office or elaborate as all of your core applications and operating system patches followed up by a quarterly update of your gold image so that the image deployment process is never more than three months behind on operating system patches, making it easier to manage what is placed in the scan bucket for security and patch.
6. Once all of the required applications and patches have been installed on your Gold image, you can capture it using a provisioning template or PXE boot the device and capture the Gold image using an OSD capture script. The following article will be useful in this step: Best Known Method for Deploying Windows 7, at the following link: http://community.landesk.com/support/docs/DOC-7444
Summary: The SYSPREP process only requires the use of the audit mode switch prior to capturing your gold or base image for either OSD hardware independent imaging or provisioning. Additional information can be found in the OS Deployment or Provisioning sections of the community.