How to SYSPREP Windows 7?

To be able to SYSPREP your Windows 7 machine is fairly easy. Just follow the below steps.

1. Clean up your Windows 7 machine and remove any unwanted files and applications. You can go into the “Programs and Features” option under Control Panel and uninstall the programs that you do not want to be on the image.

2. Install any software that you want to be on the image.
Note: Make sure to use volume licenses for all you applications. e.g. Microsoft Office Otherwise, you might run into license issues.

3. Once you have removed and installed all the software, it is time to SYSPREP your Windows 7 machine.

      • Browse to the SYSPREP folder (c:\windows\system32\sysprep)
      • Click on the “SYSPREP.EXE” file to run itChoose the “Enter System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)
      • Check the “Generalize” option <— this is very important
      • Select the “Shutdown” option
      • Hit the “Ok” button and you are done.

4. Once the machine finished SYSPREPing, it will automatically shutdown. Now you can use any of your imaging software to create an image of the box. I used the Ghost application and it works pretty well.