[ricka182]

Greetings... I'm having a problem while trying to sysprep a machine. I loaded the base image, made a few customizations and added a few applications for my users. I run the following command :

SYSPREP /GENERALIZE /OOBE /SHUTDOWN /UNATTEND:C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\SYSPREP\UNATTENDSYSTEM.XML

I have also attached the referenced XML file to view.

I get a message stating, "A Fatal Error has occured" Nothing in the system log, or sysprep error log.. This happened once before, and Iwas able to fix the SkipReArm line to allow more than 3 Syspreps, but now the problem is back. I've taken out SkipReArm line, chnaged it to 0, changed it to 1, and still get the same error.

Thisng to know : I didn't write the XML file. It was given to me and I was told to use this, as is. But I'm willing to make edits to make it work. I haver no Vista DVD available.. I'm at a low level in a huge enterprise, my unit is lucky to have local support that can do what I do or nothing would ever get updated or completed. The image I'm using was taken from a laptop of the same brand, HP. I just changed the drivers and removed the VPN client, and now I'm stuck...

Any suggesstions or solutions?

v/r
ricka182

 unattendsystem.xml (3.42K)
Number of downloads: 7

[Tripredacus]

There should be a setupact.log file in the Panther or Sysprep folder. Need to know exactly what the reason is. Also, is this Vista on its first install (ie one generalize used) and you are sysprep from Audit or User mode?

[ricka182]

This is not the first install of Vista from this image. Basically, I am given a DVD with an ISO to load on a machine. It then gets customized for our local unit use, then sysprep'd and deployed on a particular model machine. Then it is applied to a different model machine, and a new image is taken to make future use easier with the different drivers for each machine. This happens for 5-6 different machine models. I use the same syntax every time, so multiple /generalize have been used.

As for the setupact.log file, I tried to open it and I get an access denied message, and a blank notepad opens up. I am logged in as the local admin, so I don't know why I'm getting access denied. I can attach it if still needed..

I am running sysprep from the user mode I think.. I don't choose Audit mode when sysprep started previously..

thanks!

[Tripredacus]

If you are only redeploying the image multiple times to get drivers, you should use PEIMG to inject the drivers into the Master image instead.

[ricka182]

I'm going to have to read up on Vista unattended stuff. I've never used PEIMG before, so I have not much of a clue as to what you're referring to. I'm basically given a machine with an image already loaded. It's then my responsibility to make that a source for images, and deploy out new machines from it, after any local apps or drivers are loaded..if that makes any sense..

I may have to start from scratch, but that would require the updating of 20+ apps and a boatload of settings...I just don't understand why all of a sudden it failed again. It worked fine, with multiple syspreps on a few different machines over the past couple of months...

If I load all drivers for all machines, Vista always uses the wrong driver. It just picks any driver that "works", not necessarily the best one for each machine model....

[cluberti]

Generally you can only sysprep an image twice (the limit is 3, but you'll run into issues after the 3rd time so it's not worth pushing it), and if you're capturing an OEM image there may be issues with that image already. Unless you're not using volume media (and you need to keep the OEM install and activation), you'd be better off installing Vista Enterprise from your VL media and keeping that up-to-date rather than trying to use the OEM image. If you do have to keep the OEM image, you have to be very careful what you do with the system before you sysprep - and I would agree with Trip, that if you're really only adding drivers and apps, you might be better served adding the drivers offline and finding a better way to push the apps down, like a RunOnceEx. Sysprep really becomes less valuable if you aren't making the "gold" image itself.

[ricka182]

I'm using Vista Enterprise, and do not have access or ability to create anything other than what I already have : A machine pre-loaded with Vista and the local policies already set. I then have to join that machine to the domain to pick up group policies. Then I have to add Adobe reader and a few other little apps like that..then I make the image I use to deploy to other machines. I can't even create a new sysprep XML file, or I'm not supposed to try at least. Also to mention, I have to use Ghost to create and deploy images. Can't use the Windows imaging tools either. Sysprep is the only thing I'm given the okay to run.

I understand this all may sound odd, but I work for a US Gov't agency, which creates the insane limitations I have to work under. As of, the workaround we're using is always deploy the same image for all models, then manually update all the drivers and VPN stuff.. We carry no stock of pre-imaged machines either, so when a new user shows up we have to scamble to get something ready. Having to do all the drivers every time makes us put a user on the floor with no computer for their first couple of days until we get to their machine. I'm trying to get individual images for each model so we can just blast the image to a machine, get it on the network and send it out to the user..