How Configuration Passes Work (Standard 8)

7/8/2014

Review how configuration passes work and what order they occur in Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8).

Configuration passes are part of the Windows operating system that Image Builder uses to determine when to apply settings in an unattended installation answer file.

During an unattended installation, Image Builder starts and restarts the computer, collects information, copies files, and creates or adjusts configuration settings. Image Builder goes through the following major phases:

• Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) 4.0 prepares a device for installation of Windows Embedded 8 Standard (Standard 8) and lets you start one of the Standard 8 DVDs or a custom Windows PE 4.0 image).
• Windows Setup configures the Windows PE 4.0 operating system.

You use the Sysprep tool to prepare the Standard 8 image for mass-deployment. It removes system-specific settings that are incompatible from one computer to the next, such as the computer security identifier (SID). Sysprep also cleans up user-specific and computer-specific settings and data that must not be copied to a destination computer. For more information about Sysprep, see Sysprep Technical Reference.

The following image shows when the configuration passes run. Note that not all configuration passes run in a given installation of Standard 8. Some passes, such as auditSystem and auditUser, run only if you start in audit mode.

The following table describes the different configuration passes.

Configuration pass	Description
windowsPE	Configures Windows PE 4.0 options and basic Image Builder options. These options can include setting the product key and configuring a disk.
offlineServicing	Applies updates to a Standard 8 image. Also applies packages, such as software fixes, language packs, and other security updates.
generalize	Configures sysprep /generalize and configures other Standard 8 settings that must persist on your reference image. The sysprep /generalize command removes system-specific information. For example, it removes the unique security ID (SID) and other hardware-specific settings from the image. The generalize pass runs only if you run sysprep /generalize.
specialize	Creates and applies system-specific information. For example, you can configure network settings, international settings, and domain information.
auditSystem	Processes unattended settings while Standard 8 is running in system context, which occurs before a user logs on to the computer in audit mode. The auditSystem pass runs only if you start in audit mode.
auditUser	Processes unattended settings after a user logs on to the computer in audit mode. The auditUser pass runs only if you start in audit mode.
oobeSystem	Applies settings to Standard 8 before Windows Welcome starts.

For more information about Image Builder processes, see Run a Custom Script.

Build, Modify, and Deploy a Reference Image

The following procedures describe how to work with configuration passes to complete typical tasks like building a reference image or modifying and deploying a reference image on devices.

To build a reference image, you need the appropriate Standard 8 product DVD for the architecture of your device and an answer file. This reference image can then be reused, modified, and deployed on devices throughout your environment.

To build a reference image

1. Start the Standard 8 product DVD.

2. Image Builder runs the following configuration passes:

   1. windowsPE configures Windows PE 4.0 options and basic Image Builder options.
   2. offlineServicing applies updates and packages to the Standard 8 image.

3. The Standard 8 image is copied to the hard disk.

4. Image Builder restarts the computer and then runs the following configuration passes:

   1. specialize creates and applies system-specific information such as network settings, international settings, and domain information.
   2. oobeSystem applies settings to Standard 8, and then Windows Welcome starts.

5. If needed, install applications, device drivers, or other configurations.

6. To remove system-specific data and configure Standard 8 to run audit mode the next time that the system starts, at a command prompt, type the following: sysprep /generalize /audit /reboot.

To modify and deploy a reference image

1. Install the Standard 8 image that you created. Audit mode starts and the following configuration passes run:

   1. Before a user logs on to the computer, auditSystem processes unattended settings while Standard 8 is running in system context.
   2. After a user logs on to the computer, auditUser processes unattended settings after a user logs on to the computer.

2. While in audit mode, install applications and other updates needed to customize the OS. You can also test the computer and verify that all components are working correctly.

3. Do one of the following:

   • If you are deploying only to one specific customer and device, at a command prompt, type the following: sysprep /oobe /shutdown.
     This runs the oobeSystem configuration pass and then Windows Welcome the next time that the system starts.
   • If you are mass deploying to devices with the same hardware configuration, at a command prompt, type the following: sysprep /oobe /generalize.
     generalize removes system-specific data from the Standard 8 installation, and then the computer shuts down.
     /oobe instructs Standard 8 to run the oobeSystem configuration pass and then Windows Welcome the next time that the computer starts.

See Also

Concepts

Image Builder Configuration Passes
Standard 8 Media
Windows PE Servicing Command-Line Options