I'm trying to create a Windows 2012 sysprepped image that I can boot from script, for creating automated test environments, and finding myself a little confused.
My understanding was that I could sysprep the box using this syntax:
C:\>sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:A:\unattend.xml
Then, by modifying the appropriate unattend.xml and storing it in a FAT12 image mounted as drive A:, the server would use those modified settings during first boot to set the Administrator password, etc.
Thing is, it doesn't seem to work... and I suspect I may have got it completely backwards.
Does the /unattend parameter to sysprep tell sysprep 'hey, this is where you should read your settings when you first boot', or does it say 'hey, here are some settings you should bake into your sysprepped state and then use them next time you boot' ?
In other words, can I modify unattend.xml AFTER running sysprep but BEFORE I first boot the system? And if so, can I read the modified unattend.xml from a separate device (virtual floppy drive), or do I need to find and modify something stored within the sysprepped virtual machine image?