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Use the System Preparation (Sysprep) tool to install Windows operating systems onto new PCs. You can create images of operating systems, duplicate disks, automate the mini-setup program, and perform many other deployment tasks.
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Sysprep is a tool used to prepare a computer's hard disk for:
- Disk duplication, also called imaging
- Auditing
- Customer delivery
Sysprep prepares a computer for disk imaging or delivery to a customer by configuring the computer to create a new computer security identifier (SID) when the computer is restarted.
Sysprep must be used only to configure new installations of Windows:
- You can run Sysprep as many times as required to build and configure your installation of Windows.
- You can only reset Windows activation up to three times.
- You must not use Sysprep to reconfigure an existing installation of Windows that has already been deployed.
- Use Sysprep only to configure new installations of Windows.
Common Sysprep Scenarios
- Creating a build-to-plan (BTP) Windows image
- Creating a build-to-order Windows image
- Booting to audit mode
Disk Cloning Challenges
Although disk-cloning is the fastest way to deploy large numbers of computers,
disk-cloning software presents four major problems:
| Identical hardware configuration |
The target computer(s) and the reference computer must
virtually have an identical hardware configuration. |
| Identical security identifiers
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The target computer(s) and the reference computer will
have identical security identifiers (SIDs). This poses a significant security
problem since each computer requires a unique SID.
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| Quality control |
Disk-cloning doesn't really test the target computer for
quality. When you load a system with the sysprep tool, you are putting a load
on the system insuring a consistent and quality computer. |
| Microsoft support |
Microsoft does not provide support for computers that
were set up with SID duplicating tools other than the Sysprep tool.
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For more about Sysprep for system builders,
enroll in the Microsoft Partner Program.
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