Using Customized Default Local User Profile

[bswaby]

In order to deploy customized profiles Microsoft requires (959753) the below setting to be in the sysprep.inf.

[uNATTENDED]

UpdateServerProfileDirectory=1

Is there a way to add this setting so that we can set a customized default local profile?

Thanks

Ben

[Erik]

Hi Ben, I assume the operating system you are referring to is Windows XP? If this is the case, you will need to run sysprep with the custom sysprep.inf on your master image before capturing. The process will go as follows.

1. Install Windows XP on a VM
   
2. Login to the Administrator account
   
3. Make all customizations
   
4. Download the Deployment Tools from MS
   
5. Unpack the Deploy.Cab to c:\sysprep
   
6. Open Setupmgr.exe from c:\sysprep
   
   • Click Next
     
   • Select Create New
     
   • Select Sysprep Setup
     
   • Select Version of XP that is being used
     
   • Select “No, do not fully automate the installation”
     
   • Next through all the sysprep options (or click the last option) then select finish (You will not need to set any of the options here as sysprep will be run again when deploying you master image.)
     
   • Save the sysprep.inf file to C:\sysprep
     

[*]Open the sysprep.inf file and add the UpdateServerProfileDirectory=1 under the [unattended] section

[*]Run sysprep.exe from c:\sysprep

• Check Use Mini-Setup
  
• Change Shutdown mode to Reboot
  
• Click Reseal
  

[*]Go through all the Windows Setup options, and log back into the machine.

[*]You can create a new user and login to make sure all of your customizations are applied.

[*]Now you can capture the image with Capture Wizard and redeploy.

Thanks,

Erik

[Guest stig]

Thanks guys, this worked great on our XP build, has anyone tried this on win7 yet?

I was gonna try <sysprep.exe /oobe /reboot /generalize /unattend:c:\answerfile\unattend.xml> using the unnattend.xml setting <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>.

[Erik]

Yes, We have tested the copy profile settings on Windows 7 as well. You are correct in the running of sysprep with /oobe /generalize /unattend:(path to unattend.xml with copy profile set to true). It is recommended to make changes that you wish to be part of the default profile in Audit Mode. To do this, install Windows 7 from the Microsoft media, then press Shift + CTRL + F3 at the Windows Welcome screen. Here are the steps to complete the copy profile process.

1. Enter audit mode: You can either start from a fresh Windows 7 install and at the screen where it asks for user information (the OOBE Windows Welcome screen) press Shift + CTRL + F3, alternately if you already have the OS installed run “sysprep /audit /reboot” to enter audit mode.
   
2. Once the machine reboots you should be auto logged into the Administrator account. Make any changes that you would like to become part of the default user profile.
   
3. Once you have completed your changes run the “sysprep /generalize /OOBE /reboot /unattend:[path to the unattend file]” the machine will reboot and you can now create new profiles that will use the same settings you edited while in audit mode.
   
4. To test, it may be a good idea to login to the VM and create a new user profile. Login to the new profile and make sure all settings are as copied as desired.
   
5. The next step would be to capture an image from your VHD. To do this run through the normal steps using Capture Wizard.
   
6. Once you have captured your image create your deployment media using Media Wizard as normal and boot your target machine to the SmartPE environment.
   
7. Deploy Your image as normal. On boot all of your settings should be maintained when creating new users.
   

Below are examples of answer files with copy profile setting. One is for Windows 7 x86 and the second for Windows 7 x64.

Windows 7 x86

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog:d:/os media/en_windows_7_enterprise_with_sp1_x86_dvd_620186/sources/install_windows 7 enterprise.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Windows 7 x64

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="amd64" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="catalog:d:/smartdeploy/tools/install_windows 7 ultimate.clg" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

[pphil01]

Hello Smart Deploy,

Is this still the standard for creating a default profile (for Windows 7 with the newest version of smart deploy) or have things changed at all?

[SmartDeploySupport]

This is still the supported way.

Thanks,

SmartDeploy Support