Confused about specialize pass

[epoch]

Hi all

I'm struggling with understanding exactly when the specialize pass runs.

I have an autounattend.xml that I'm using to install the 'base' OS. It does the unattended install exactly as I require, and then boots into audit mode.

I then perform any necessary customisations and app installs, then do a sysprep /generalize /oobe / shutdown

My understanding is that after generalize, the specialize pass runs at first startup (prior to oobe). Is that correct?

What's confusing me is that in the unattend.xml in c:\windows\panther - which seems to be a copy of my autounattend.xml, there's the following 'flag':

<settings pass="specialize" wasPassProcessed="true">

If the specialize pass was already processed when the system was building from autounattend.xml, does it actually run again after generalize?

Also - in order to get into Audit Mode my autounattend has the Reseal mode set to Audit. So, same question again really - if OOBE pass has been already processed (to get me into Audit mode) does it run again after sysprep /oobe /generalize. Or do I need two answer files? One to get the base OS onto the reference machine, and then another to perform final customisations.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[Tripredacus]

Technically, it runs twice. Check the timestamps on the log file you are looking at. Specialize is run during initial setup, and then is run after you sysprep. There are two Panther folders. One is for the first install and the other is for sysprep.

[epoch]

Hi - thanks for your reply.

Ok, well I think I'm totally confused about what I need to do here then!

Here's what I'm doing, and what I'm trying to acheive (I'm working on VMs at the moment, until I get this right!).

I need to create a standard desktop for an external customer. They won't be part of our MS volume licensing agreement, and so will be using OEM instead of KMS/MAK keys.

All I want is for the end user (actually the install technician) to be asked to provide the computer name and to enter the OEM key during first start up. This should then get to the local admin logon, from where they can do some other tasks as required.

• I'm installing Win7 & Office 2010 using a configuration set and an autounattend.xml (attached). This gets me into audit mode.
  
• In audit mode I install any necessary apps and perform customisations that will be applied to the default user.
  
• We need to rename the local administrator account (to fit in with our organisation's support standards) so I do this as per this page.
  
• I create a new unattend.xml and save it in a temporary folder C:\unattend (deleted as part of setupcomplete.cmd). I've attached that xml too.
  
• I then run sysprep /oobe /generalize /shutdown /unattend:c:\unattend\unattend.xml
  
• The machine does its sysprep, restarts, and does indeed ask only for PC name and license key, then gets me to the (renamed) admin logon.
  
• Assuming what I've done here is ok, I'll capture this as my install.wim.
  

However - I still think I've done something wrong. Whilst everything seems ok, what's worrying me is the presence of a load of files in c:\windows\panther. I don't know exactly what the files are, but they look as if they're not finished doing something! I've attached a .jpg of the leftover files.

I guess what I'm after is either some reassurance that I've nothing to worry about, or a slap in the face and some advice on where I'm going wrong!! I'm sure there's some unecessary duplication in the xml files.

Once I get this sorted I can get started on ImageX and creating the recovery image etc!

Any advice is very gratefully received.

Thanks in advance.

AutoUnattend.txt

unattend.txt

Edited August 2, 2011 by epoch

[Tripredacus]

Your Autounattend has things it in that shouldn't be there, such as:

    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OEMInformation>
                <HelpCustomized>false</HelpCustomized>
                <Logo>c:\windows\system32\oobe\info\MyCorp\usertile.bmp</Logo>
                <Manufacturer>MyCorp</Manufacturer>
                <SupportHours>24/7</SupportHours>
                <SupportPhone>0800 123 456</SupportPhone>
                <SupportURL>http://www.MyCorpAddress.com</SupportURL>
                <Model>SomeHardware</Model>
            </OEMInformation>
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
            <RegisteredOwner>MyCorp</RegisteredOwner>
            <RegisteredOrganization>MyCorp</RegisteredOrganization>
            <BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>false</BluetoothTaskbarIconEnabled>
            <DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
            <TimeZone>GMT Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RunSynchronous>
                <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>1</Order>
                    <Path>net user MyAdminUser /active:yes</Path>
                    <Description>Activate MyAdminUser account</Description>
                </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
        </component>
    </settings>

Obviously you already have this in the unattend.xml. Second. In your unattend.xml, you can remove the following because you specify the reseal mode with sysprep.exe:

        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Reseal>
                <Mode>OOBE</Mode>
            </Reseal>
        </component>

In addition, you cannot specify this!

<HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>

You can't accept the EULA for your customer with this version of Windows.

what's worrying me is the presence of a load of files in c:\windows\panther

It is safe to ignore these files.

Once I get this sorted I can get started on ImageX and creating the recovery image etc!

Ehh this is an entirely different animal... MS recently pulled the ability to redist imagex.exe within either a recovery partition or recovery media. Also, only an Authorized Replicator is allowed to press the recovery (DVD) media.

I'll presume you are using the WAIK (instead of OPK) to do all of this.

[epoch]

Hi - thanks for your help.

Several valuable pieces of information in there for me to take on board. Very much appreciated.