Happened to stumble upon this earlier post of mine here ... a year later and I have figured out why I was getting the activation error. Some of the computers I had problems with had the wrong date and time on them.
Correcting the time and date caused XP to think that the thirty day grace period had expired keeping me from the desktop until I activated XP first.
1 2010-08-16 08:14:42
Re: Sysprep XP SP3 and Activation Problems (10 replies, posted in Other)
2 2010-08-14 02:19:29
Re: USB Install versus DVD (19 replies, posted in Other)
eethball wrote:
I've had extremely good success with deploying XP using WIM images along with OfflineSysprep so if you did decide to go down that road and ran into any snags I can probably assist you. That combined with DriverPacks allows me reload oem-specific or VLK XP machines in 10-15 minutes. Anyways, if you do give is a whirl and get stuck let me know and I'm sure I could help you.
Do you have any links to guides that show how to do that? I would love to see them!
I use this Linux based solution: Storing an image on a Bootable ISO
http://ping.windowsdream.com/ping/doc-2.01/bootiso.html
There is also a guide to making a hidden recovery partition to store your custom image.
You need to know a bit about Linux commands though.
3 2010-02-26 03:15:01
Topic: Installing Drivers From a USB HDD (1 replies, posted in Universal Imaging)
Are there any instructions around that tell how to get driverpacks as well as Microsoft drivers installed from a USB HDD when using a sysprepped XP image?
I can get a library of all MS certified XP drivers (more than a few Gigs) on a USB hard drive.
A SAD hard drive?
4 2009-07-23 16:19:32
Re: Sysprep XP SP3 and Activation Problems (10 replies, posted in Other)
I thought it was related to universal imaging and sysprep. A universal image is what I'm trying to achieve. The driver packs I get from here play a MAJOR part in the success of my job.
I work for a nonprofit org where I install XP PRO on refurbished computers that are sent to non profits or schools in other countries.
I use MAR Licenses (retail installation media) because we are a Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher. We pay 5 dollars for an XP license.
MS won't give me a VLK; or my boss won't buy one. The version of MS Office 2003 we use however doesn't need any activation after its been activated on the master sysprepped image. Last year I had to enter keys
Luckily I have "volunteers" who enter the key codes for XP.
5 2009-07-22 01:55:08
Topic: Sysprep XP SP3 and Activation Problems (10 replies, posted in Other)
I have a sysprepped image of the retail version of XP PRO with SP3 and IE8.
I made this image on June 21 2009.
The image has been deployed on over 160 computers since June 21 but just yesterday I started getting the "This copy of Windows did not pass genuine Windows Validation and you have not yet resolved the problem....
http://picasaweb.google.com/pwagner9999 … 4634474386
Up until yesterday no problem; today I had three out of 25 computers get that message.
I have to put in the key code and validate before I can get to the desktop.
The other computers all get to the desktop and have the expected 30 day grace period.
Does anyone know the cause of this and how to resolve?
Thanks
6 2009-06-26 15:41:22
Re: how do you test XP install once it has been deployed using an image? (7 replies, posted in Universal Imaging)
I also have been using VMs to make my master images. It is great to be able to take a snapshots as backups.
But recently I ran into a bunch of machines that did not like the vm image and when I went back to an image made on a real machine it worked again.
What guide did you follow for Offlinesysprep?
7 2009-06-23 02:37:50
Re: how do you test XP install once it has been deployed using an image? (7 replies, posted in Universal Imaging)
I'd like to try the method you use.
How much would you charge to help me get it figured out?
Sysprep is tedious. I spent ALL Sunday making a new master so I can start deploying it today.
I'm testing it now while I write this.
It seems that the simpler I try to make this deployment system the more complicated it gets; but I have gotten it to the point where I can go from image deployment to XP desktop in under 15 minutes. That is under ideal conditions here at home with sata drives and fast computers.
What makes this even more challenging is the fact that everything I do needs to be done in Spanish as well as English. Different versions and variations for retail and oem licenses.
Still on my really want to do but don't have time list:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsSJPkAERkI
8 2009-06-20 13:56:27
Re: how do you test XP install once it has been deployed using an image? (7 replies, posted in Universal Imaging)
Thank you for responding to my question. The tricky part is finding those with the eyeballs that know what to look for.
Since you hate sysprep what would you use to deploy 1500 computers of all types?
I tried RIS after spending months learning how to get it installed and configured in 2K3; but basically I think it SUCKS. I guess it would be great if I had all the same computers but that ain't gonna happen.
I've also attempted WDS but for some reason following those MS guides just doesn't do it for me. I never quite get there.
So now it's Acronis TI and sysprep. AND driverpacks.net.
and thanks to the vernalex.com sysprep guide too.
anyway thanks again
9 2009-06-20 03:08:09
Topic: how do you test XP install once it has been deployed using an image? (7 replies, posted in Universal Imaging)
How do you know that an installation of XP is good?
I am using sysprepped images to deploy XP Pro to over 1500 computers this summer.
How do you test the master computer before running sysprep and making the master image?
How do you test a computer that has then been deployed using that image?
I have a checklist (just shortcuts to remind me) on the desktop of the deployed computers that manually runs through some steps like defragmenting and opening Windows Media Player; creating a Word doc, running activation etc.
All the computers I'm imaging must be activated. They are using retail version of XP Pro and Office 2003 Standard.
I've used sysprepped images to deploy XP for more than a few hundred computers over the last two years yet I still have incidents where the deployed image looks good and activates but then someone will discover a quirk; the most recent one was that the icons in System Tools on the Start menu are all corrupt and don't work.
When this happens the image gets deleted and I'll rebuild the image from square one.
The other thing that makes me want to improve the way I test is I had an image recently that for some reason the activation timer was not reset.
Everything looked good and then I notice that the thirty day countdown to activate on the deployed systems were counting down from the time left on the Master image.
So basically I'd like to hear what others do to ensure they have correctly deployed their systems.
Oh yeah another thing I just remembered .... the SP3 version of sysprep.exe has anyone out there had any issues using it?
I did not realize until a few weeks ago that an SP3 version even existed...
Thanks!
10 2007-09-04 17:02:14
Topic: RIS and DriverPacks (1 replies, posted in Software)
Is there a guide somewhere that shows how to integrate all the DriverPacks into a RIS image?
I'm using W2K3. When I setup RIS at home it works on my older computers which are mostly P3's and an Athlon from 2001. When I do it at work and try to install on computers that are much newer P4's mostly with sata drives the only option that appears in the OSChooser is the base install.
This is how I'm doing the RIS image; I followed a tutorial from Trainsignal
I put the XP cd into the server and run the RIS setup wizard that creates the first image from which I install the first client. Then on the client I add Office XP and AVG and all the Windows updates. Then I run riprep which strips out all the identifiers and then uploads image files back up to the RIS. After that finishes another image then appears on the OSChooser menu. I've had about five images on the server and they all worked except for when I tried using them on the new computers. The only image that appears is the first one created by the wizard. What a mess I thought I'd have 140 computers done by now but now I'm back to using cds and have about 80 more to do.
I'm guessing it must be a driver issue.
I've also tried using an nlited disc to create the first image but when I try to install to a client it fails to copy files just as if I was using a bad cd installation.
Suggestions please.