KACE Product Support : How to win7 sysprep without having windows explore libraries window opening upon any login. Self removal of unattend.xml. Dell driver feed for hardware independent images.

How to win7 sysprep without having windows explore libraries window opening upon any login. Self removal of unattend.xml. Dell driver feed for hardware independent images.

Perhaps this has already been asked and answered before, could not find it in a search so here are some questions and if it is please direct me to where it is. Plus I am new to this community.

Just recently purchased K2000 and went through training. Other than scripted installation, first time running sysprep on this image, I guess that would make the sysprep count 2.

System is a Dell Optiplex 7010 with Windows 7 Enterprise x86

Question 1: How to not have the windows explore libraries window open upon login of any user after sysprep has completed. I used Dell's unattend.xml creator. Copied unattend.xml to %WINDIR%\System32\sysprep.
Windows 7 Enterprise x86
All defaults, local admin account set to join workgroup, set to 1 auto login.

Question2: Should the unattend.xml file automaticaly be removed through a self cleanup or will I need to create a SetupComplete.cmd located in %WINDIR%\setup\scripts?
del /Q /F c:\windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml
del /Q /F c:\windows\panther\unattend.xml

Or creating a post installation task in windows environment would be fine that runs the above script, that is assuming if this even needs to be done at all.

Question 3: Do I need to run sysprep in audit instead of OOBE mode if I make a KBE post installation task if deploying image to different hardware to access Dell driver feed. Post installation task would be, correct me if this is wrong or if this will work.
Runtime environment set to KBE.
BAT Script Y:\hta\copy_drivers.vbs

Thank you in advance.

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Answers (3)

Answer Summary:

Posted by: kshoot 11 years ago

I chose not to install the Kace Agent on my base pre sysprep image. Instead, I just apply that post installation task to the final image.

Posted by: 5t3v3 7 years ago

For anyone still experiencing the issue of Windows Explorer windows popping up after sysprep, I found the following article helpful:

http://helpdeskgeek.com/windows-7/fix-windows-explorer-window-opening-on-startup/

As a KACE user, I wanted to post it here too since I've gotten so much out of ITNinja.

The ones that were affecting my machines were the registry entries for userinit and shell as described in Method 2 and Method 3 of the above article.

Hope this helps someone.

Posted by: SMal.tmcc 11 years ago

I create a user and copy that profile to default during sysprep to stop all the little things like this. Why are you worried about deleting the answer file? See my blogs for setting images

http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/windows-7-image-process-for-the-college-s-classrooms

http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/creating-a-windows-7-sysprep-image-without-having-to-install-any-drivers-at-post-install-tasks

Comments:

If you skip rearm you only get 3 syspreps, if you rearm you get 7.
I create a master that has never been sysprep'd and keep that updated and upload new images on a regular basis, that way the sysprep count is 1 for all deployed images.

I use windows backup under control panel to create a system image to second drive, sysprep and capture to Kace, then restore the master prior to sysprep using the boot cd and the backup on the 2nd drive for the next round of updates. You can also do this with VM's - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
- I think you might have the SkipRearm concept backwards, if you don't skip the rearm you only get 3 tries, but if you skip it there is no limit to the number of times you can sysprep.
  http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ff716063.aspx - nheyne 11 years ago
  - thanks, did cross thoughts, Win 7 is only unlimited if it is reporting into a KMS server, a MAK license limits the number of rearms. - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
The number of syspreps does not bother me. I create a master image non-sysprep. Then create a sysprep version of that, so that either gives me 2 or 3 which is fine with me.

Reason why I want the answer file to delete because of the plain text local admin password that is in it. But the above scripts should probably take care of it.

I am going to try creating the answer file with AIK instead of the dell utility. And if this does not work I will try what you posted about copying a default profile during sysprep, but I am not sure if that will work since windows explorer opens after the images have been sysprepped. - kshoot 11 years ago
- In the WAIK it encrypts it.
  
  <AdministratorPassword>
  <PlainText>false</PlainText>
  <Value>UwBCAYQBsAXQAaAAkAXXAZABtAGkAbgBpAHMAdAByAGEAdABvAHIAUABhAHMAcwB3AG8AcgBkXX</Value>
  </AdministratorPassword>
  
  You can set no password or a dummy password in your ans file and change it to the real one post sysprep also.
  
  I have these lines in my post script so I can change the admin password when needed without creating a new image
  
  Start /wait net user administrator Password!
  Start /wait net user dfault Password!
  start /wait net localgroup administrators dfault /add
  
  start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v AutoAdminLogon /d 1 /f
  start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v AutoLogonCount /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
  start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v DefaultUserName /d Administrator /f
  start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v DefaultPassWord /d Password! /f
  start /wait reg.exe delete "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v DefaultDomainName /f - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
- When you say windows explorer what are exactly referring to opening
  Like the first run or welcome screen? You can disable some of those things in your answer file. You should only use the dell answer file for scripted installs, the WAIK has many more options you can use and should be the tool to use for anything you sysprep.
  
  <DisableFirstRunWizard>true</DisableFirstRunWizard>
  <DisableWelcomePage>true</DisableWelcomePage> - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
  - coping the user profile to default solves a lot of configurations popups. I set my browsers, office, itunes license, turn off updaters, wallpaper for one user, sysprep then moves that users registry and file structure to default so everyone then gets those mods you made for that one user. Email me and I can send you my current ans file for you to look at. - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
I used to have the libraries window open also after the KACE Agent was installed, it's related to an extra registry entry that doesn't get removed. Put this in your postinstall tasks: http://www.kace.com/support/resources/kb/article/kcleanup-does-not-run-in-a-3-4-sysprepped-image - nheyne 11 years ago
- Yea that happens when there is a startup call with a missing target executable, it just pops open explorer. You can replicate this by typing a bad command in the start run box - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
Here is some useful information. I was creating my answer file using the dell sysprep utility and my password is in plain text, but creating the answer file using microsoft AIK it encrypts the password in the answer file, so I guess using this answer file i would not need to delete the unattend.xml answer file that gets saved to the sysprep and panther directories.

I am going to try using the copy profile feature, if that does not work I will try sysprep on the base windows 7 disk install to determine if there is software on my image that does not like sysprep. - kshoot 11 years ago
- when you copy the profile to default just prior to syspreping delete all files and sub dirs under the default user profile. (I delete the default dir and create a new one.) - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
I didn't see your post nheyne until after mine above. Will check that out, thank you. - kshoot 11 years ago
- also before you sysprep do a msconfig and uncheck anything not needed under startup and services (choose hide all MS service's) - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
- I added this to the end of all my post scripts
  start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" /v kclean /d "c:\kcleanup.exe" /f - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
  - Would this be the same as the package nheyne linked? I tried what nheyne linked because we were on that version but with no luck. But I did find the issue because of what he linked, the issue is this.
    
    On a scripted install I ran a post install task in windows environment to install the KBOX 1000 agent. Without this task I did not have this issue with windows explorer opening, assuming due to a registry issue? With that post install task applied I received that issue.
    
    I will take everything you have posted into consideration, it appears that you have some K2000 experience.
    
    Thank you, - kshoot 11 years ago
  - this does the same thing, the script did not always work for all of my scripts, so I created this hybrid method to move the cleanup out after reboot. - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
Since we were on version 3.4.54256 I updated today to 3.4.63129. I took vmware snapshot so i could revert if needed. The current version now shows 3.4.63129 but would anyone happen to know why the update status flashes yellow and shows Error: with nothing else? - kshoot 11 years ago
I had the explorer window pop on an acad image(x86) and added this to post install to stop it
start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v Userinit /d "C:\Windows\system32\KUsrInit.exe," /f - SMal.tmcc 11 years ago
- Thank you for all of your tips. I will look into your scripts and see if they will help me in this new journey with the K2000. - kshoot 11 years ago
I placed a support ticket for the update issue. With the help of everyone posting on this question I think the issue has been resolved. I will know more after this image is completed and will post the answer. But I think it had to do with Kace agent and kcleanup was unable to resolve it. Will know more soon. - kshoot 11 years ago

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