http://vwiki.co.uk/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Deployment_Image_Creation_%28Windows_7%29Deployment Image Creation (Windows 7) - Revision history2026-05-29T17:40:21ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.6http://vwiki.co.uk/index.php?title=Deployment_Image_Creation_(Windows_7)&diff=2348&oldid=prevSstrutt: Created page with "== Create Image with Default Profile == Procedure to create a Windows 7 image with a customised default profile. The instructions here are based on document linked from this ..."2013-08-02T09:57:56Z<p>Created page with "== Create Image with Default Profile == Procedure to create a Windows 7 image with a customised default profile. The instructions here are based on document linked from this ..."</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>== Create Image with Default Profile ==<br />
Procedure to create a Windows 7 image with a customised default profile. The instructions here are based on document linked from this forum post - http://www.sevenforums.com/customization/26099-windows-7-default-profile-how-can-i-edit-10.html#post1044804.<br />
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# Perform a base install of Windows 7 on a machine<br />
# On completion of the install, follow the prompts to create a user (eg Default-User)<br />
# Log in and enable the Administrator account (and give it a password)<br />
# Log off, and log back in as Administrator<br />
# Install all required applications, for example...<br />
#* Anti-virus<br />
#* Office<br />
#* Windows Updates<br />
# Restart the machine and log back in as the user (eg Default-User)<br />
# Customise the profile, for example...<br />
#* Background<br />
#* Login screen<br />
#* Screensaver<br />
#* Internet Explorer home page and favourites<br />
# Save and apply the customised theme as the new default<br />
## Right-click over the desktop and select '''Personalization'''<br />
## Right-click over the ''Unsaved Theme'' and select '''Save theme for sharing'''<br />
## Save the file (eg as Default-Theme to C:\Temp)<br />
## Click on another theme, so you can then right-click over your customised theme and select '''Delete theme'''<br />
## Locate the saved theme and double-click to apply as default theme<br />
# Perform a final tidy up (prior to sysprepping), remove anything you don't want on the final image<br />
#* Delete any temporary files<br />
#* Delete unnecessary user accounts/profiles<br />
# Restart the PC and log back in as Administrator<br />
# Make user profile (eg Default-User) the default<br />
## Make all files viewable<br />
### In Explorer, go to '''Organize | Folder and search options''', and then the ''View'' tab<br />
###* Check '''Show hidden files, folders, and drives'''<br />
###* Untick '''Hide protected operating system files'''<br />
### Click on '''Apply'''<br />
## Rename <code>C:\Users\Default</code> to <code>Default.orig</code><br />
## Copy the new profile (eg <code>C:\Users\Default-User</code>) to <code>C:\Users\Default</code><br />
## Update NTUSER.DAT<br />
### Start regedit, select <code>HKEY_USERS</code>, then go to '''File | Load Hive'''<br />
### Open <code> C:\Users\Default\NTUSER.DAT</code>, and profile a (temporary) name (eg Default-Profile)<br />
### Navigate to <code>HKEY_USERS\Default-Profile\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Shell</code><br />
### Delete all values except...<br />
###* <code>(Default)</code><br />
###* <code>!Do not use this registry key</code><br />
### Select <code>Default-Profile</code> and go to '''File | Export...''' and save (eg <code>C:\Temp\Default-Profile</code>)<br />
### Edit the file in Notepad, and perform a Find and Replace, replacing the user (eg <code>Default-User</code>) with <code>Default</code><br />
### Save the file, and merge (double-click on file), then delete it<br />
### In regedit, ensure Default-Profile is selected and go to '''File | Unload Hive...'''<br />
# Delete any files in <code>C:\Users\Default\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Protect</code><br />
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The machine is now ready for Sysprep and cloning, to Sysprep open a command prompt and type...<br />
<pre>cd C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep<br />
sysprep /oobe /generalize /reboot</pre><br />
...when the machine reboots it needs to boot into the clone or image taking software.<br />
<br />
== Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) ==<br />
Allows you to tinker with install images and create unattend.xml answer files to customise deployments.<br />
<br />
# Download from http://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/download/details.aspx?id=5753<br />
# Extract the ISO (using WinRAR for example), and install<br />
<br />
=== Create Unattend Answer File ===<br />
# Run the ''Windows System Image Manager''<br />
# Open OS Catalog<br />
## Go to '''File | Select Windows Image...'''<br />
## Open the Catalog file from the OS install CD<br />
##* EG <code>\sources\install_Windows 7 ENTERPRISE.clg</code><br />
# Create answer file<br />
## Go to '''File | New Answer File...'''<br />
## Go to '''File | Save Answer File As...'''<br />
##* EG <code>unattend.xml</code></div>Sstrutt