Is it possible to run an image, set up windows settings how you like them, then have those settings saved so that windows is installed with those settings?

if so, would somebody be kind enough to tell me the basic steps so i can get headed in the right direction?

Is it possible to run an image, set up windows settings how you like them, then have those settings saved so that windows is installed with those settings?

if so, would somebody be kind enough to tell me the basic steps so i can get headed in the right direction?

You mean sysprep?

i don't think sysprep is really what i need. all i need to do is change windows settings. i would like it to be a fairly normal vista installation otherwise.

Edited March 9, 200818 yr by [TiLT]

you can try making an autounattend.xml file with WAIK that only changes some preferences and show all the standard dialogs if you want. This way you can make a normal installation a little bit customized to your likings. I don't know if this answers your question.

What I was thinking of just isn't possible I don't think. I did finally figure out that what I want done requires me to boot into audit mode, just trying to get it to play nice with vLite now.

Another option would be hive replacement, but I think that's cheating so I'll avoid it for now