Using SysPrep

When deploying Windows 2000, you can completely install the operating system and preconfigure the shell and applications to the degree required. You can then use SysPrep to enable user-specific customization when the computer is delivered or setup for the user. In this case, the first time the end user starts the computer, Mini-Setup runs to prompt the user for a minimal amount of information. The SysPrep folder is deleted from the hard drive after Mini-Setup completes.

The SysPrep tool can be used in three different contexts:

Disk duplication. Using SysPrep with disk duplication allows you to copy fully installed systems when the hardware is similar. It modifies the local computer security identifier (SID) so that it is unique to each computer.
Auditing. When you use SysPrep after auditing the computer (using the -nosidgen parameter), SysPrep will be ready for the end user to run Windows.
Automating Mini-Setup. SysPrep creates a shortened GUI-mode setup that takes five to six minutes instead of 45 to 60 minutes and prompts the end user only for required and user-specific information, such as the End User License Agreement, Product ID, and user name and company. To use SysPrep in this mode, pre-install Windows 2000 on the local computer and then run SysPrep with the -nosidgen parameter, as in the procedure below.

To manually restore the computer to an end-user ready state with SysPrep

On the Start menu, click Run, and then type:
cmd
At the command prompt, change to the root of the system drive (%SystemDrive%) and then type: md sysprep
From the directory where you installed the Resource Kit, copy Sysprep.exe and Setupcl.exe to the SysPrep folder you have created.
At the command prompt, change to the SysPrep folder, and then type: sysprep -nosidgen
with the parameters you choose. See SysPrep.exe Syntax for a list of command-line parameters.
The computer will shut down if it is ACPI-compatible. If it is not ACPI-compatible, a message will appear telling you to shut down the computer when the process has completed.

To automate the process of restoring the computer to an end-user ready state with SysPrep when using distribution folders and answer files

To the \$OEM$\$1 folder of your distribution folders create a subfolder called \Sysprep.
Add Sysprep.exe and Setupcl.exe to the \$OEM$\$1\Sysprep folder from the directory where you installed the Resource Kit. A Sysprep.inf answer file can also be created and placed in this folder if desired.
In your answer file, add the following line to the bottom of the [GuiRunOnce] section:
```
%SystemDrive%\sysprep\sysprep.exe -quiet additional parameters as required
```
See SysPrep.exe Syntax for a list of command-line parameters.
After Windows 2000 Setup completes, the computer will shut down if it is ACPI-compatible. If it is not ACPI-compatible, a message will appear that instructs you to shut down the computer when the process has completed.

Notes

In the current version of Windows 2000:

You can run SysPrep from any location, including a floppy disk.
SysPrep runs only if the computer is a member of a workgroup, not a domain. However, you can use SysPrep to add the computer to a domain when the Mini-Setup wizard runs.
You can run additional commands at the end of Mini-Setup by providing a Cmdlines.txt in your SysPrep folder. For more information about this option, see "Using Cmdlines.txt," in the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 Server Resource Kit Deployment Planning Guide.
You cannot run SysPrep on a computer that has been configured as a Cluster service server or a Certificate Services server. However, you can use SysPrep to duplicate a standalone server that will later be configured as a domain controller, a cluster services server, or a certificate services server.