Jamie's Blog

CopyProfile does not process and causes Windows could not parse or process the Unattend answer file for the pass [Specialize]

The following error appears if CopyProfile setting is set to true configured in the unattend.xml file.

Windows could not parse or process the Unattend answer file for the pass [Specialize]. The settings in the answer file cannot be applied. The error was detected while processing settings for component [Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup]

Solutions was to delete any users from the following location in the registry that do not exist anymore
HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList

After doing that you should be able to sysprep the gold image correctly.

Windows 7 Sysprep could not initialize. There are one or more Windows updates that require a reboot.

The following error continued to appear when trying to run sysprep

I rebooted several times and the error would not go away. I resolved the issue by using “Program And Features” to install solitaire,  rebooting, and then removing solitaire using “program and feature” option.

After following those steps I was able to get around the issue, I think it was due to something getting hung up along the way and adding a new program reset the correct flags.

Windows 7 Image Deployment with SCCM SP2 R2

1. Create Windows 7 Gold Image to your liking, installing all applications

2. Create unattend.xml file for initial audit phase using WAIK. The only setting I like to apply here is the CopyProfile=TRUE. This will enable whatever user’s profile that runs sysprep.exe to be copied to the Default User profile.

3. After configuring initial unattend file copy it to c:\windows\system32\sysprep\ folder and load up a command prompt. After the file has been placed there boot sysprep into audit mode with the generalize command. Without the generalize command the current user’s profile will not be copied to the default profile.

4. After it boots up into audit mode install any additional software, clean up temporary files, customize any other settings needed.

5. Once additional customizations are complete put sysprep into oobe mode. delete the orginal unattend.xml file as the new one will be pushed down with SMS. then run sysprep with sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /shutdown. This will cause the system to shutdown after the sysprep is complete and then your ready to capture the image.

— WORK IN PROGRESS

VMware vSphere Client On Windows 7

vSphere client is now fully supported on Windows 7 using 4.0 Update 1 version.

No hacking required.

VMware-VIMSetup-all-4.0.0-208156