Microsoft KB Archive/282190

= Description of New Features in Sysprep for Windows XP =

Article ID: 282190

Article Last Modified on 1/15/2006

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APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows XP Professional
 * Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

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This article was previously published under Q282190





SUMMARY
Sysprep has new functionality in Microsoft Windows XP, and now has four basic modes of operation. This article provides an overview of Sysprep's functionality in Windows XP.



MORE INFORMATION
The four basic modes of operation for Sysprep in Windows XP are:
 * Audit: allows for the verification of hardware and software installation by a system builder while running in factory floor mode. Audit boots allow a system builder to reboot after factory floor mode has completed its automated pre-install customizations, in order to complete hardware and software installation and verification, if necessary.
 * Factory: allows for the automated customization of a pre-install on the factory floor by using a Bill of Materials file to automate software installations, software, and driver updates, updates to the file system, the registry, and INI files such as Sysprep.inf. This mode is invoked via the &quot;sysprep -factory&quot; command.
 * Reseal: is run after an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) has run Sysprep in factory mode and is ready to prepare the computer for delivery to a customer.

This mode is invoked via the &quot;sysprep -reseal&quot; command. When resealing the machine for delivery to an end user, the preinstaller can specify whether OOBE (the new wizard-based setup screens that an end user will see upon first boot) or mini-setup (the classic setup screens that were seen on first boot after running sysprep on Windows 2000) by adding the argument -msoobe or -mini, respectively.
 * Clean: Sysprep will clean the critical device database. The critical device database is a registry listing of devices and services that have to start in order for Windows XP to boot successfully. Upon setup completion, the devices not physically present in the system are cleaned out of the database, and the critical devices present are left in tact. This mode is invoked via the &quot;sysprep -clean&quot; command.

