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Clone Microsoft Windows XP using Sysprep and Norton Ghost, Part 2: Prepare Source for Disk Duplication

Clone Microsoft Windows XP using Sysprep and Norton Ghost, Part 2: Prepare Source for Disk Duplication

January 5, 2009 Administration 9 Comments
This entry is part 2 of 4 in the series Clone Microsoft Windows XP using Sysprep and Norton Ghost

Clone Microsoft Windows XP using Sysprep and Norton Ghost

In this post, I’ll show you how to create an Answer file for using when setup Windows after a computer is cloned. And run Sysprep tool to prepare a computer to be a sample computer (source disk) for cloning.The Answer file should contains only general configuration not unique value on each computer. For instance, if you’re going to deploy the image to all computers in the same time zone, it is good to configure time zone in the answer file so that you don’t have to set time zone on each computer after cloned them. But if you’re going to deploy the image in different time zone, you should not configure time zone in the answer file.

Step-by-step to prepare source for disk duplication

  1. Install Windows XP, update patches and setup the basic applications on the sample computer.
    Prepare Source - Prepare Sample Computer
  2. Extract Sysprep tool. Insert the Windows XP CD. Navigate to “CD-Rom DriveSUPPORTTOOLS” and extract deploy.cab to C:Sysprep. If you don’t have Windows XP CD, you can download the Sysprep tool from Microsoft.
    Note: You have to use the Sysprep tool version according to Windows version. For example, you should not use Sysprep for Windows XP on Windows Server 2003.
    Extract Sysprep
  3. Run Setup Manager to create an Answer file. Double-click on setupmgr.exe.
    Run Setup Manager
  4. On Welcome to Setup Manager,click Next.
    Welcome to Setup Manager
  5. On New or Existing Answer File, select Create new. Click Next.
    New Answer File
  6. On Type of Setup, select Sysprep setup. Click Next.
    Sysprep setup
  7. On Product, select Windows XP Professional. Click Next.
    Select Windows XP Professional
  8. On License Agreement, select No, do not fully automate the installation. Click Next.
    License Agreement
  9. Now you can configure the general configuration in your environment. I’ll show sample configuration.
    On Name and Organization, enter the Name and the Organization.
    Name and the Organization
  10. On Time Zone, select the time zone.
    Select Time Zone
  11. On Product Key, enter the Windows product key if you have Windows corporate key (one key can be installed on many computers). If you have an unique key on each computer, leave this empty.
    Enter Product Key
  12. On Computer Name, select Automatically generate computer name so that each computer after cloned and run sysprep, it’ll has unique computer name (Auto-generated name).
    Set Computer Name
  13. On Administrator Password, leave as default.
    Administrator Password
  14. On Workgroup or Domain, leave as default.
    Select Workgroup or Domain
  15. On Identification String, give some name to identify this sysprep image. It’ll keep this information in the registry so you’ll know that this computer was cloned from which Sysprep image. Click Finish.
    Set Identification String
  16. Save the .inf file. This is the Answer file that you’ve configured. Save it in the same folder and click OK.
    Save Answer File
  17. After the Answer File has been saved, click Cancel to exit Setup Manager
    Exit Setup Manager
  18. You noticed the Sysprep’s Answer file has been created in Windows Explorer.
    Sysprep's Answer File
  19. Next, let’s prepare this computer as a sample computer for cloning by run Sysprep.exe.
    Run Sysprep Preparation Tool 2.0
  20. It shows a warning message. Just click OK.
    Sysprep Preparation Tool 2.0
  21. To make Sysprep use Answer file after cloned, check on Mini-Setup. Select Shutdown mode to Shutdown. Click Reseal.
    Reseal
  22. It shows a warning message again that after reboot the security identifiers (SIDs) will be regenerate. This is what we want after clone the disk. Click OK.
    Warning regenerate SIDs
  23. Sysprep is working.
    Sysprep is working
  24. The sample computer is shutting down. After the system shutdown, its disk can now be cloned to other disk now. Next post, I’ll show how to clone a disk to disk using Norton Ghost.
    Exit Setup Manager
Series Navigation<< Clone Microsoft Windows XP using Sysprep and Norton Ghost, Part 1: IntroductionClone Microsoft Windows XP using Sysprep and Norton Ghost, Part 3: Duplicate Disk with Norton Ghost >>

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9 Comments

  1. Josette Adderly April 27, 2009

    Hi, I cant understand how to add your site in my rss reader. Can you Help me, please 🙂

  2. linglom April 30, 2009

    Hi, Josette Adderly
    See on the bottom of sidebar menu. The section “Subscribe through Feedburner”, select you feed reader and follow the instruction.

  3. s banee July 28, 2009

    Hi, was looking for some work on SYSPREP for my MCSE (exam 70-270), and i must say its a great work, and amazing effort, DOUBLE THUMBS UP!!
    THANK YOU.

  4. Cee September 27, 2009

    It didn’t work for me, can you give us some more information?

  5. linglom September 28, 2009

    Hi,
    What’s the problem?

  6. Jeric Basco January 20, 2010

    why my setup is incomplete! when i open sysprep.exe use mini setup is not highlited, so that the checkbox cannot be check!! pease help i need to create windows image to different pc

  7. linglom January 22, 2010

    Hi, Jeric Basco
    What edition of Windows are you using? Windows XP Home Edition always use Windows Welcome, you can’t use Mini-Setup on this edition. But you can still create image without using Mini-Setup feature.

  8. tech123 January 31, 2010

    many thanks

  9. Jay March 22, 2010

    Hi,
    That was of great help. Please show how to clone with norton ghost.

    Thanks a lot

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