Windows XP Installation Using Sysprep.Exe
- 1). Set up a reference computer with Windows XP, all third-party device drivers, and any third-party software that needs to be deployed across all computers. The reference computer does not need to be completely identical to the computers the reference disk will be installed on. It does need to have the same hard drive interface, such as IDE.
- 2). Go to "Start," "My Computer," then double-click the CD drive the Windows XP disk is located in. Click the "Support" folder then the "Tools" folder. Double-click "Deploy.cab."
- 3). Click "Edit" then click "Select All." Choose the "Copy to Folder" option. Choose "Make New Folder" and name it "Setup Manager." Click the folder to enter it and then right-click and choose "Copy." Double-click "Setupmgr.exe" to use a wizard to create an answer file. Enter all the information needed in the wizard, such as the product key. Click "Next" until you reach the end of the wizard and then click "Finish." An answer file automates all of the user-entered information asked for during the Windows XP installation. Creating an answer file allows you to run installations completely hands-off.
- 4). Go to "Start" then "Run." Type in "sysprep.exe." This utility prepares the Windows XP installation for image creation. Once the utility has completed the system preparation, it restarts the computer. You can duplicate the hard drive and simply install the duplicates into other computers or create a disk image and use a CD or DVD to deploy all sysprep installations. When the computer is powered on for the first time, the Windows XP installation starts automatically. Once the installation is complete, the new computer is identical to the reference computer.
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