Windows 11 24H2 Triggering Recovery Mode after Sysprep

Question

Windows 11 24H2 Triggering Recovery Mode after Sysprep

jaybird283 621

I am trying to create our Windows 11 24H2 image but after running sysprep. the device is unable to boot and goes into recovery mode.

I have a lot of experience with creating images. and have been doing it for almost 20 years. and this is the first time i have run into this.

we noticed the following errors in setuperr.log

pGetUninstallInterfaceCommon: Failed loading the setupplatform, hr = 0x80070490[gle=0x00000003]

SYSPRP BCD: BiUpdateEfiEntry failed c000000d

SYSPRP BCD: BiExportBcdObjects failed c000000d

SYSPRP BCD: BiExportStoreAlterationsToEfi failed c000000d

SYSPRP BCD: Failed to export alterations to firmware. Status: c000000d

Kevin Kroplewski 0 Reputation points

2024-12-18T15:36:10.9166667+00:00

Did you ever fix this issue? I have the exact same 5 error lines with 24H2. bootrec and bcdedit fixes did not help.
MattP 0 Reputation points

2024-12-20T13:21:59.9133333+00:00

What part of the process did you apply the script? It won't work after the bluescreen hits it seems. It needs to be done when they first come back up on a new computer.

I honestly haven't tried past that, it's just been easier to go back to 23h2 for now and see what Microsoft does to address it. But it's holiday season so it seems a lot of people are out.

3 answers

Your answer

Kevin Kroplewski 0 Reputation points

2024-12-18T15:36:10.9166667+00:00

Did you ever fix this issue? I have the exact same 5 error lines with 24H2. bootrec and bcdedit fixes did not help.
MattP 0 Reputation points

2024-12-20T13:21:59.9133333+00:00

What part of the process did you apply the script? It won't work after the bluescreen hits it seems. It needs to be done when they first come back up on a new computer.

I honestly haven't tried past that, it's just been easier to go back to 23h2 for now and see what Microsoft does to address it. But it's holiday season so it seems a lot of people are out.

Answer 1

Jacob N. Miller 15

It seems 24H2 has some issues with the /generalize stage of sysprep breaking the BCD. Check out this thread: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1843393/windows-11-24h2-26100-1150-sysprep-generalize-brea

In My case this fixed the BCD. After I Sysprep a computer, I've added these 3 lines to a script that runs on the newly imaged computers first boot:

bcdedit -set {current} osdevice partition=C:
bcdedit -set {current} device partition=C:
bcdedit -set {memdiag} device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume2

The Hard disk volume (\Device\HarddiskVolume2) maybe different on your setup.

MattP 0 Reputation points

2024-12-05T14:32:01.11+00:00

Hey I haven't had to use a runonce script on my images so where does that come in? Like once I run Sysprep the machine shuts down and I capture the image. Does it happen after you've imaged a new PC and it comes back up that first time? Or is it something I need to do before that first shutdown? I thought runonce scripts ran post image on a new machine but this is such a weird error it seems like maybe it should happen before the shutdown for capture? Thanks.
Jacob N. Miller 15 Reputation points

2024-12-09T20:13:53.14+00:00
It seems like the BCD is breaking after sysprep is run. So yes, once you have imaged another computer and logged in run these commands from CMD . I have a few CMD scripts that run post sysprep on computers first boot already so I just added it to them.

You can trigger a script from within the unattend XMLs oobesystem pass with:

<FirstLogonCommands> <SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add"> <CommandLine>c:\scriptname.bat</CommandLine> <RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput> <Order>1</Order> <Description>First Boot Script</Description> </SynchronousCommand> </FirstLogonCommands>

Alternatively, on the new computer, you can manually run the commands in a CMD window or manually run a .bat script after the list login. The link I posted mentions adding the commands directly to a RunSynchronous section in your unattend XML which is also an option.
MattP 0 Reputation points

2024-12-10T14:26:03.98+00:00

I'll test that and see if it fixes this weird issue.

The wild thing is we have two units in our lab. I built the image on the newer computer and used /generalize so it would work on both. Imaged the new ones, no problem, all works. Old ones came up once, let me run my scripts, rebooted to unable to boot..the problem we're here for. The ones I built the image on worked fine the whole day. Multiple restarts. Went back the next day? Those wouldn't boot anymore either. Wouldn't even get to the Windows logo. So I'm going to have to test all this for a couple days before deploying again with your tips and hopefully that fixes it. I appreciate the help!

Answer 2

Hello,

If you have installed any update to the image before sysprep, try to do not apply windows updates to Windows 11 24H2 before preparing the system for sysprep.

The errors you’re seeing in the setuperr.log file suggest issues with the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) during the System Preparation (Sysprep) process. These errors could indicate that Sysprep was unable to properly configure the boot settings required for the first boot after imaging.

BCD Repair:

Make sure the BCD is correctly configured. You can repair it using the command prompt from Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE):

Boot from a Windows installation media.

Choose your language and regional settings, then click “Next”.

Click on “Repair your computer”.

Go to “Troubleshoot” > “Advanced Options” > “Command Prompt”.

Use the following commands to repair the BCD:

bootrec /fixmbr

bootrec /fixboot

bootrec /scanos

bootrec /rebuildbcd

After running these commands, restart the machine and check if the issue persists.

Best Regards,

Hania Lian

============================================

If the Answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and upvote it.

MattP 0 Reputation points

2024-12-11T14:01:35.6633333+00:00

Is Microsoft aware of this issue? I haven't been able to find a post where they acknowledge or are tracking it. Because as much as this works, it's not really a solution to the problem. Sysprep is broken in 24H2. Updating the image is part of the purpose of imaging, really. It would be nice to have a post to track to see when it's safe to try implementing 24H2 again in the future, but right now we're stepping back to 23H2. It's not worth the risk to put it in production.
Joshua Bohlmann 1 Reputation point

2025-04-24T13:30:53.76+00:00

@Anonymous ? This is fatal on Azure. When does Microsoft fix it?

Answer 3

玉伟胡 5

Hello, I also encountered the same problem. Have you solved it?

Gary Mansell 25 Reputation points

2025-03-14T08:20:59.7133333+00:00
I ran into this issue last month and don't believe it has been fixed by Microsoft (it really needs to be, as it's a serious issue).

Basically, it is caused by the new Bitlocker Automatic Drive encryption being enabled at 24/H2 and the BCD boot store entries been set to "locate=" (ie search) for the windows partitions at boot by the sysprep process (as it can't find them - you will see an error in your sysprep log that it can't export the values). But when the deployed VM from the image boots it can't search for the partitions as the disk is encrypted by the auto-bitlocker. Microsoft need to fix the issue that causes the boot store entries to be prefixed by "locate=" at Syprep time, then you can leave the auto-bitlocker enabled.

So, to work-around the issue, disable Auto Bitlocker Drive Encryption in your master image before you capture it:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BitLocker" /v PreventDeviceEncryption /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

If you are doing this on-premises with MDT etc - you can then create a sysprep unattend.xml or boot script / run-one file that will on first boot, first fix the messed up boot store entries and then re-enable the auto-bitlocker encryption with these commands:

REM Added to fix the BCD issue seen with Sysprep since Win11 24H2 - the partition needs setting to C: from locate= bcdedit -set {current} osdevice partition=C: bcdedit -set {current} device partition=C: REM Added to address the Win11 24H2 Sysprep/Deployment issue with auto Bitlocker enablement which prevents Azure VMs booting after image deployment REM Had to disable Bitlocker in the Master image, so re-enabling it here after OOBE completes reg delete "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BitLocker" /v PreventDeviceEncryption /f

Note: you must fix the boot store before re-enabling any form of Bitlocker or removing the reg key.

Unfortunately, if you are capturing VMs in Azure (I was) - then you can't run the script on boot of the newly imaged VM as you can't run custom unattend.xml files for sysprep in Azure and the start scripts get cleaned out by the sysprep process.

So, what I have had to do for now (until MS fix the actual issue), is to leave the Bitlocker Auto-drive encryption disabled, and after the VMs are deployed fix the boot store entries either manually or via cloud-init etc. and then enable Azure Drive encryption (Bitlocker) as part of my deployment process (ADE seems to work fine with the reg key still set).

Hope that helps someone as I spent ages trying to fix this...
玉伟胡 5 Reputation points

2025-03-14T09:59:51.75+00:00

Hello,

Thank you for your help. I appreciate it. However, I noticed some differences from what I experienced. Before running Sysprep, I checked and found that BitLocker was not encrypted. I was wondering if BitLocker is automatically encrypted during the Sysprep process in your case?

Thank you!
Gary Mansell 25 Reputation points

2025-03-14T10:15:15.84+00:00

BitLocker must already be disabled/de-crypted on your source VM before capture or else Sysprep will fail. The registry key needs to be added to prevent the deployed machine/VM immediately encrypting your drive after OOBE completes. If the BitLocker auto-drive encryption is enabled before the BootStore is fixed - then your machine/VM will boot into recovery mode.
Joshua Bohlmann 1 Reputation point

2025-04-24T12:35:10.0066667+00:00

Has somebody fixed it? 3 VMs created from the latest Azure Image 24h2 having this issue. Microsoft please do your job.

I applied the reg key on my master machine: reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\BitLocker" /v PreventDeviceEncryption /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f

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Windows 11 24H2 Triggering Recovery Mode after Sysprep

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