I have recently had to look into deploying Windows XP using sysprep and disk imaging.
It's funny how microsoft have managed to overcomplicate a once straightforward and perfectly logical process under win2k. Not only do you have to contend with the Windows activation annoyance when imaging retail installs, but you also have this -factory function. I'm sorry but i just don't get the factory switch....
Am i right in thinking that if you try and 'reseal' an OEM installation after modifying your settings and apps using sysprep -reseal only (not factory) then you won't see those changes after you've imaged and then cloned onto another machine. i.e your image will be of the original OEM install, Or is perfectly possible to image changes using -reseal and the -factory switch is unnessary.
Plus am i right in thinking that if you use your own clean install of the OS rather than relying on modifiying the OEM shipped OS (which is preferablr for most admins that i speak to) you don't need to use the -factory switch but simply use the -reseal command.
Here's another scenario. You've got an OEM Windows XP machine, you upgrade to your Volume license version (i.e Select), and hence no activation required. Do you need to run sysprep in -factory mode, and after reboot install the upgrade and your apps etc. to successfully clone the new upgraded version. In what order do things need to be done for this particular scenario.
Help much appreciated on this.
It's funny how microsoft have managed to overcomplicate a once straightforward and perfectly logical process under win2k. Not only do you have to contend with the Windows activation annoyance when imaging retail installs, but you also have this -factory function. I'm sorry but i just don't get the factory switch....
Am i right in thinking that if you try and 'reseal' an OEM installation after modifying your settings and apps using sysprep -reseal only (not factory) then you won't see those changes after you've imaged and then cloned onto another machine. i.e your image will be of the original OEM install, Or is perfectly possible to image changes using -reseal and the -factory switch is unnessary.
Plus am i right in thinking that if you use your own clean install of the OS rather than relying on modifiying the OEM shipped OS (which is preferablr for most admins that i speak to) you don't need to use the -factory switch but simply use the -reseal command.
Here's another scenario. You've got an OEM Windows XP machine, you upgrade to your Volume license version (i.e Select), and hence no activation required. Do you need to run sysprep in -factory mode, and after reboot install the upgrade and your apps etc. to successfully clone the new upgraded version. In what order do things need to be done for this particular scenario.
Help much appreciated on this.