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Windows 8.1 failed after re-image


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Hello! I wonder if anyone has experienced this.

I install Windows 8.1 64-bit Enterprise, remove all modern apps, log on as the built-in administrator account, delete all other accounts profiles and remove them from the local computer, customize settings, icons, and etc... then run Sysprep.xml. In my Sysprep.xml, CopyProfile is true to copy the profile to the default profile. Everything is good.

I apply the wim file to three different machines all under UEFI 2.3.1. They all work. But on one of them, the Panasonic FZ-G1 ToughPad, when I re-image it, using the same wim image, the image applies but upon "Getting Ready", it gives an error, "Windows could not parse or process the unattend answer file for pass [specialize].......The error was detected while processing settings for component [Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup].

I know the error is related to the <CopyProfile>. But why it works before and on other machines and fails when I re-image it using the same wim file.

Thank you and happy Thanksgiving!

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Depending on where your deployment is failing we might be able to check the logs for insight into why. Since it appears that your deployment is failing during the specialize phase of Setup, you will want to check the setuperr.log file which is typically found in the %windir%\panther\ directory. More information on where log files are located can be found on in the TechNet library articles, ‘Deployment Troubleshooting and Log Files’ and ‘Windows Setup Log Files and Event Logs’. In the second article, we can see that the %windir%\panther\ location typically contains log information the correlates to the setup actions after disk configuration. With that in mind, it might be helpful to check the disk partitions of the Panasonic FZ-G1 Tough Pad; in some situations, we have seen Sysprep failures be the direct result of a recovery partition by the manufacturer.

Hopefully after you check the log files we will be able to take a look at why it may be failing further.

Keep me posted.

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet

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Thank you Jessica for your reply. I have looked at the two TechNet articles. I'm going through the logs to see if I can see and get anything.
Below is my UEFI diskpart script. We do NOT need Win RE partition.

select disk 0
clean
convert gpt
create partition efi size=100
format quick fs=fat32 label="System"
assign letter="S"
create partition msr size=128
create partition primary
format quick fs=ntfs label="Windows"
assign letter="W"
exit

So when I apply the image, I only apply the windows partition and use "bcdboot W:\Windows"

See attached for my simple unattend.xml

See the "setuperr.log" below

2013-11-26 12:49:40, Error SYSPRP SPPNP: Failed to enumerate PnP DRP files. Err = 0x5[gle=0x000003f0]
2013-11-26 12:50:31, Error [setup.exe] [Action Queue] : Unattend action failed with exit code 4
2013-11-26 12:50:31, Error [setup.exe] Execution of unattend GCs failed; hr = 0x0; pResults->hrResult = 0x8030000b

Maybe like you said, it may have something to do w/ the ToughPad. It bugs me that it works after few imaging and then it fails.

unattend.xml

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You’re welcome. Again, I would strongly suggest checking out the logs for any indication into why the deployment might be failing. If there is an existing recovery partition on the hard drive you might want to clear that out in case the RE partition is causing the deployment of the image to fail. Another thought is if there is a driver that is interfering. Can you try to deploy the image without any drivers and see if the ToughPad accepts the driver-free image? Presuming that the issue does lie within the driver store there are a few things you will also want to check; there are three steps in the driver injection process and each one needs to be verified:

· Were the needed drivers copied locally by ZTIDrivers.wsf?

· Did SETUP inject the drivers into the driver store?

· Did PNP install the drivers from the driver store?

The log files to review for the driver store are ZTIDrivers.log, setupact.log, cbs.log and setupapi.dev.log

Also, while looking for a solution to your problem I came across this thread from the TechNet forums in which Johan helped a poster with a similar issue to your own by checking the driver store; it might be worth it to check the thread out and see if any of Johan’s tips assist you.

Keep me posted!

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet

Edited by winoutreach5
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I have building/deploying Win 8.1 w/out any drivers. All drivers are from native 8.1.

Anyway the logs show it failed to copy the C:\Users\Administrator which again bugging me because it worked and then not. I even gave reset permissions to C:\Users\Administrator\Local\Adobe like someone on TechNet had the same error w/ Adobe Acrobat 10 installed but still no lucked.

Johan's tips didn't work for me.

If I found out something, I'll update this topic.

Thanks everyone.

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It's not working all the time but when I try to reimage, I place the ToughPad on the Panasonic cradle, model FZ-VEGB11, the reimaging works. I then reimage it again off the cradle using USB to Ethernet dongle. Then put it back to the cradle if I want to reimage it again. Very weird. But just like Jessica said, it probably has to do something w/ the hardware. I'm still waiting for Panasonic for answer as I also run into some other issues, especially IE 11 freezes and crashes from time to time. Wonder if it has something to do w/ Intel Graphic HD 4000.

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Just a thought after re-reading this – are you editing the Windows 8.1 image by chance? Are you updating apps or removing certain apps prior to your sysprep / capture? The reason I ask is because of this Microsoft support knowledge base article which provides 3 possible scenarios and offers a potential resolution. Another thought I had came after I read that you were using a USB to Ethernet dongle which brings a concern of a driver issue into play.

From within MDT, you might try to create bootable USB media and use that to deploy your image to the Panasonic. If that works then you might take a look at your USB dongle and drivers for said dongle. This TechNet forums thread will provide insight on how to use MDT to make a bootable USB stick.

Jessica
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet

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With the built-in administrator account, I remove all the provisioned apps prior running Sysprep. However I did not get any errors during the Sysprep and prior to the shut down. I don't think it's applied to my case.

That is what I put WinPE 5.0 x64 on, USB flash drive, w/ the driver of that USB to Ethernet adapter/dongle.

It gotta be firmware/driver issues on this ToughPad w/ Windows 8.1. I didn't have any issue on it w/ Windows 8. Waiting for Panasonic to release updated firmware/drivers.

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When you apply the image to the other machines are you using a USB to Ethernet dongle with those deployments also? Is the USB port on the Panasonic a USB3 port by chance?

Also, according to the article I linked previously, you should remove the AppX package for the user that is going to run sysprep first and then remove the provisioning to ensure the configuration is correct. From your most recent response, it is clear that you are removing the provisioned apps but it appears that you may not be removing them for the admin user first.

Again, in the article I linked above, under the “resolution” section, it states “The correct way of removing the package is to remove the package for the user running sysprep and also remove the provisioning. This can be done using the following Powershell cmdlets:

  1. Import-Module Appx
  2. Import-Module Dism
  3. Get-AppxPackage -AllUser | Where PublisherId -eq 8wekyb3d8bbwe | Format-List -Property PackageFullName,PackageUserInformation

    Notes:
    1. From the output of the above command, check the users for whom the package is showing up as Installed. Delete these user accounts from the reference machine, or log in to the machine using these user accounts and run Step 4 to remove the Appx Package.
    2. The above command lists all packages that were published by Microsoft and installed by any user of that reference machine. Since the machine is to be sysprepped, we assume that these user profiles no longer need the package.
    3. If you have manually provisioned apps belonging to other publishers, then use the command below to list them:

      Get-AppxPackage -AllUser | Format-List -Property PackageFullName,PackageUserInformation
  4. Remove-AppxPackage -Package <packagefullname>
  5. Remove the Provisioning using the following cmdlet: Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName <packagefullname>

If you do not remove the packages properly as outlined above it can affect sysprep and imaging settings for Windows 8.1 specifically for certain hardware. My suspicion is either the USB to Ethernet dongle driver, the USB port itself or the AppX package configuration is the culprit in this scenario.

Please keep me posted!

Jessica

Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet

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  • 2 weeks later...

Thanks again Jessica for following up.

I don't used the USB-Ethernet dongle to apply the image to other machines. I use it to apply the image on this ToughPad when it's not in the cradle (as the cradle has a built-in Ethernet port). Again the reason I apply the image on and off the cradle because of the failing as stated at the beginning of this topic.

The USB port on the ToughPad is USB 3.0.

What I have done under the administrator account is deleted all the user profiles that I logged in with, follow the link you provided to remove all the preinstalled apps. NO other apps have been installed from Microsoft Store. Sysprep successfully and capture the image. When deploy, same error. I have to try few times w/ on and off the cradle and finally able to apply the same image successful.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Just to give another update. I have another model to try this time, Dell Latitude E6430. Again, apply the same Windows 8.1 image for the first time, works, the second and third times, got the error message at the beginning. The laptop is NOT on a docking station. So what there to remove?

Another engineer suggests to reseat the RAM, image it one more time and wowla, it works.

That's just a temp. workaround.

The ToughPad and E6430 have in common are they both i5 Ivy Bridge, i5-3437U and i5-3210M respectively.

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I would understand the actual procedure, however it shouldn't matter. If reseating the RAM were to resolve this issue, it would indicate a potential hardware failure, a potential memory error occuring during deployment in the PE, or maybe it ends up being coincidence and not related to making it work again.

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