6.0.1

Table Of Contents
Installing the Microsoft Sysprep Tool 5
Install the Microsoft Sysprep tool so that you can customize Windows guest operating systems when you
clone virtual machines.
The guest operating system customization feature in vCenter Server uses the functions of the Sysprep tool.
Verify that your vCenter Server meets the following requirements before you customize your virtual
machine’s Windows guest operating systems:
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Install the Microsoft Sysprep tool. Microsoft includes the system tool set on the installation CD-ROM
discs for Windows 2000, Windows XP, and Windows 2003. The Sysprep tool is built into the Windows
Vista and Windows 2008 operating systems.
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The correct versions of the Sysprep tool is installed for each guest operating system that you want to
customize.
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The password for the local administrator account on the virtual machines is set to blank ("").
NOTE Customization operations will fail if the correct version of the Sysprep tool is not found.
This chapter includes the following topics:
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“Install the Microsoft Sysprep Tool from a Microsoft Web Site,” on page 87
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“Install the Microsoft Sysprep Tool from the Windows Operating System CD,” on page 88
Install the Microsoft Sysprep Tool from a Microsoft Web Site
You can download and install the Microsoft Sysprep tool from the Microsoft Web site.
Prerequisites
Verify that you download the correct version for the guest operating system to customize. Microsoft has a
different version of Sysprep for each release and service pack of Windows. You must use the version of
Sysprep specific to the operating system that you are deploying.
The vCenter Server installer creates a Sysprep directory in ALLUSERSPROFILE. The ALLUSERSPROFILE location is
usually \Documents And Settings\All Users\. The vpxd.cfg file is also in this location. On Windows 2008,
the file location is C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\.
Procedure
1 Download the Sysprep files from the Microsoft Download Center and save them to your local system.
2 Open and expand the .cab file.
The contents of the .cab file vary, depending on the operating system.
VMware, Inc.
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