Sysprep in Audit Mode with Windows 8.1

[Spork Schivago]

Hello,

I'm trying to fully update a Windows 8.1 machine (from a fresh install) in Audit Mode. During setup, when it asked for the PC network name, I hit SHIFT-CTRL-F3 to boot into Audit Mode. Sysprep popped up so I knew I was on the right track. However, when I try to run Windows Update, I receive an error message. Checking into the error, I see:

Internet Explorer can't be opened using the Built-in Administrator account.  Sign in with a different account and try again.

Any suggestions on how I'm supposed to do this? Should I fully install the machine as normal, update, then run sysprep instead of doing the SHIFT-CTRL-F3 thing? I wish there was away to continue without having to do that though. Any help is appreciated. Thank you.

[stj]

Re: Sysprep in Audit Mode with Windows 8.1

use the NSA account?

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Sysprep in Audit Mode with Windows 8.1

I thought about trying to use a different account, but how? Because no user accounts have been created yet and I'm in audit mode, it's not like I can just switch users.

I was thinking I should just fully install, create the user, then run sysprep. If that's the only way though, what the heck is the sense of the SHIFT-CTRL-F3 thing at the OOBE screen?

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Sysprep in Audit Mode with Windows 8.1

I might have it figured out. I found a module for PowerShell ISE called PSWindowsUpdate and after running one of the functions that's provided by the module, it found 223 updates and is installing them. This is just a pain. I just want to create a master image like I did with 7. Why does 8.1 have to be so much different? Stupid 8.1.

[stj]

Re: Sysprep in Audit Mode with Windows 8.1

it's only 1.1 different

[Spork Schivago]

Re: Sysprep in Audit Mode with Windows 8.1

I'm having trouble with my Windows 8.1 master image. I'm hoping someone here has some experience with this. I use my Windows 8.1 OEM disc that I downloaded and burned. It's an untouched copy. It successfully pulls the product key from the BIOS. It has an install.esd file in the sources directory.

After I create my fully updated master image, I make a FAT32 bootable USB thumb drive and copy the contents of the DVD over to it. Because it's a UEFI system, I have to use FAT32. I've tried NTFS, it won't boot. Secure boot is enabled and for this machine, it needs to remain enabled. Because my install.wim is over 4GB, I split it using dism. Dism creates an install.wim and an install2.wim. I delete install.esd from the drive and put my install.wim and install2.wim on the disk. When I boot off the thumb drive, for some reason, it now asks for the product key. If I copy the original install.esd over, it doesn't.

Does anyone know why? I've tried converting install.wim to an esd file and then using dism to split the esd file, but when I boot off the thumb drive, it starts Setup and complains about missing files. With install.wim and install2.wim, I don't get any error messages, it just prompts for a key.

I know how to extract the key from the BIOS but I'm not looking at doing that. I need a bootable thumb drive that pulls the key automatically. Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong and how to fix this?

Thank you.