Installing software directly after deploying a sysprep image

[valkenaer]

Our company deploys computers containing sysprep images to the end user. The only thing the user has to enter in the mini-setup is the computer name. The computer account is then already defined in a Computer OU that has software installs linked to it in the Computer part of the GPO. Now here's my question: how can I make the gpo installs work before logon? Currrently, the deployment of software works but only after the user logs in and does a "gpupdate".

If we don't use a sysprep images but RIS to deploy XP, the installer gpo's do run before logon. Is there an additional argument I can put in the "sysprep.inf" to force it?

[IcemanND]

Your GPO's should be running at startup. I have seen three things cause the failure of GPO's to be processed before logon.

1. there is a bug with some early gigabit nics that will report that they are connected and active to the OS before they are, turning off DHCPMediaSense on these cards solve that.

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\DisableDHCPMediaSense=1

2. Your GPO's is not set to wait for the network (or your network card for some reason is not yet fully installed, highly unusual)

3. depending upon your AD configuration you mad need to turn on the "user group policy loopback processing" in your GPO, usually only needed for User policies not computer policies.

Another option would be to autologon once and run gpupdate from runonce and then reboot.