Today I was working on testing some systems when some of the errors I had been getting eluded to the machines security information not being unique from other systems. It’s time for sysprep, but first we need to find it. Is it on the DVD media…? No! Perhaps we have to cross a broken Bridge, then open a locked Gate, and climb the big red hill and go to the top of the Tall Mountain.
We’ll let me jump out like the grumpy old troll and tell you that this is not a mystery, because by default on Server 2008 / Server 2008R2, the sysprep is located at: c:WindowsSystem32sysprepsysprep.exe
The process of using the system preparation tool is very streamlined and simple. Just run it.
Once it’s running make sure to set the system cleanup action to out of box experience (OOBE) and place a check in the Generalize box.
When done, reboot or shutdown. Here is a tip: if you shutdown you can then make as many clones as you wish, because each clone will generate a unique system SID.