Windows 7 Pro sysprep not working

Question

I'm trying to sysprep a Windows 7 Professional machine, prior to grabbing an image for mass deployment on identical hardware, and am having a hard time getting sysprep to work (at all).

I've created an XML answer file with WSIM, and have a basic setupcomplete.cmd file, but none of the configurations in the answer file seem to be applied.

I've read technet articles and googled, and I still have no idea why this is happening. Is someone able to have a look at the answer file I've attached and let me know where I'm going wrong?

thanks, Callum

AutoUnattend.XML

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Password>
                    <Value>**********************************</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </Password>
                <Username>administrator</Username>
                <LogonCount>1</LogonCount>
                <Enabled>true</Enabled>
            </AutoLogon>
            <WindowsFeatures>
                <ShowMediaCenter>false</ShowMediaCenter>
                <ShowWindowsMediaPlayer>false</ShowWindowsMediaPlayer>
            </WindowsFeatures>
            <CopyProfile>true</CopyProfile>
            <DoNotCleanTaskBar>true</DoNotCleanTaskBar>
            <RegisteredOrganization>SomeCompany (UK) Ltd.</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>SomeCompany User</RegisteredOwner>
            <ShowWindowsLive>false</ShowWindowsLive>
            <TimeZone>GMT Standard Time</TimeZone>
        </component>
        <component name="Security-Malware-Windows-Defender" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <DisableAntiSpyware>true</DisableAntiSpyware>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-International-Core" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SystemLocale>en-UK</SystemLocale>
            <UserLocale>en-UK</UserLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            <InputLocale>0809:00000809</InputLocale>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <ProtectYourPC>1</ProtectYourPC>
            </OOBE>
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>*************************************************=</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Reseal>
                <Mode>OOBE</Mode>
            </Reseal>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <SkipRearm>0</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <UseConfigurationSet>true</UseConfigurationSet>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:c:/wim/install.wim#Windows 7 PROFESSIONAL" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>

Answer 1

And the answer is to not use the default HP provided install of Windows 7 - HP's previous sysprep attempts aren't cleaned / cleared out properly and adversely effect your sysprep attempts.

c.d.

Answer 2

I have been trying to get past this problem for hours now and have finally found the solution.

My specific problem was that the Components in the OOBE settings of Windows Shell Setup were not applying correctly.

These are the settings that involve the unattended installation of the Windows Welcome and include settings such as "Hide EULA page" "Network location setup" and "Protect your PC".

My unattend.xml file was created using WSIM using a 32 bit windows image when I was applying the sysprep on a 64 bit machine, thus causing the components to be ignored.