Microsoft KB Archive/288326

= Sysprep.inf File Is Not Read from Floppy Disk =

Article ID: 288326

Article Last Modified on 12/3/2007

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Datacenter Edition (32-bit x86)
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Web Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, 64-Bit Datacenter Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition
 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
 * Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 Standard Edition

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This article was previously published under Q288326



SYMPTOMS
When you use the System Preparation tool (Sysprep.exe) to deploy Windows to client computers, the Sysprep.inf file is not read if it is located on a floppy disk drive.



CAUSE
To maintain unique disks and controllers on the system bus, Plug and Play adds a value to the Plug and Play identifier (PnP ID). For example:

FDC\Generic_Floppy_Drive\5&22768F6A&0&0

If you are using a computer whose hardware is different from the master computer's hardware, the bus is different, and a new PnP ID number is assigned to the floppy drive. Plug and Play recognizes this hardware as a new drive. Therefore, it must install the drive before the drive can be used. However, the installation does not occur fast enough, and the drive is not accessible by the time that Setup checks the drive for the Sysprep.inf file.

Some documentation may incorrectly indicate that you can put the Sysprep.inf file on a floppy disk drive.



RESOLUTION
To resolve this issue, copy the Sysprep.inf file to the Sysprep folder (typically, C:\Sysprep).



STATUS
This issue is by design. Recent documentation correctly states that having the Sysprep.inf file on a floppy disk drive is not supported.



MORE INFORMATION
Floppy disk drive PnP IDs are location based. For location-based devices, the bus driver is responsible for making all the child devices unique and consistent from startup to startup, but it cannot guarantee global uniqueness. In some cases, it may appear that having a Sysprep.inf file on a floppy disk drive may work. In these cases, the algorithm that is used to randomly generate the PnP ID for the floppy disk drive may generate the same PnP ID for the floppy disk drive. This process is random, so you cannot reliably predict which PnP ID will be generated.

Additional query words: Disk duplication Gen_floppy_Disk floppy sysprep inf

Keywords: kbenv kbprb kbsetup KB288326

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