I work in an organization that is using sysprep and ghost to currently create and deploy images. I’m currently working on an image that operates correctly until I try and unpack the image. The image is XP SP3.
The steps of importance are as follows:
1. Create image
2. Use sysprep to set options including enumerating drivers, etc.
3. Run sysprep.exe and use Reseal with mini-setup
4. Take offline image with ghost
5. Deploy to new workstation
Here is where the problem occurs. The hardware this image was built for has only 1 hard drive with only 1 partition, respectively C:. After the machine has the image deployed it gives a non system disk error. I verified that the hard drive modes are correct (IDE, sadly) and that the reference machine is operational still, which it is.
After viewing the partition table during my troubleshooting I noticed that the partition on the imaged machine isn’t set as the active partition anymore, although it is the only partition listed. Once I changed the partition to active on the imaged machine, the sysprep file runs and everything works without issue. This can be repeated.
I have made numerous images and never run into an issue where the active partition is no longer set. Does anyone have a suggestion as to what might be the cause of this?
Here is the sysprep.inf that is being used for this image:
;SetupMgrTag
[Unattended]
InstallFilesPath=C:\sysprep\i386
OemSkipEula=Yes
TargetPath=\WINDOWS
ExtendOemPartition=1
OemPnPDriversPath=\drivers\8540p\aud;\drivers\8540 p\blue;\drivers\8540p\cardr\83×32;\drivers\8540p\d rgrd;\drivers\8540p\mod;\drivers\8540p\turbo;\driv ers\8540p\turbo\x32;\drivers\8540p\usb;\drivers\85 40p\vid;\drivers\8540p\wlan;\drivers\8540p\chip
UpdateUPHAL=YES
UpdateUPHAL=ACPIAPIC_UP,C:\Windows\Inf\Hal.inf
UpdateUPHAL=ACPIPIC_UP,C:\Windows\Inf\Hal.inf
DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore
[GuiUnattended]
AdminPassword=
EncryptedAdminPassword=
TimeZone=20
OemSkipWelcome=1
OEMSkipRegional=1
AutoLogon=Yes
AutoLogonCount=5
[UserData]
ProductKey=
FullName=
OrgName=
[TapiLocation]
AreaCode=
CountryCode=1
[Identification]
JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP
[Networking]
InstallDefaultComponents=Yes
[Branding]
BrandIEUsingUnattended=Yes
[Proxy]
Proxy_Enable=0
Use_Same_Proxy=0
[Display]
BitsPerPel=32
Xresolution=1280
YResolution=720
[GuiRunOnce]
Command0=
[Sysprep]