Thinkpads Forum

I had to reinstall Windows XP from the thinkpad system restore.
It finished but every time I start Windows XP a sysprep Window always appears. How do I get rid of this sysprep window that appears all the time when I start up Windows.

It is an error in the restore. A T60 should still be under warranty. I would try another restore to check, and then call IBM and request (demand) new recovery CD's. ... JD Hurst

Click the "Seal" machine option and on the next boot, it will have to re-activate with M$ and then permanently disappear.


An easier way is to delete the c:\sysprep folder. The run entry in the registy will still exist but that it not a big deal: the other method is cleaner though.


You will have to re-enter some stuff though (machine name, owner name etc).

I won't lose all my windows setting or any of my files that I saved on the Hard drive. What about my Outlook contacts will I lose them also if I hit the reseal button.

etherburn wrote:I won't lose all my windows setting or any of my files that I saved on the Hard drive. What about my Outlook contacts will I lose them also if I hit the reseal button.

Not sure about that.


Reseal basically puts the machine in the state in which it would be delivered to the user for the first time - ie when they would go throught the Welcome to Windows process setting up users etc etc. I am not sure how it would affect profiles that already exists.

The safest, cleanest way is to close the application using the close button at the top right and then delete the folder c:\sysprep

Running sysprep will not remove profile related informaiton in Office or your Windows Profile. Sysprep "changes" all your machine SIDs (security identifiers) related to your machine. This allows imaging of machines and mutiple machines in a single Domain will not have identical SIDs which can cause duplicate computer account and broked secure channels in Windows Domains. Very simply a Domain Controller sees your machine as a string of numbers not the friendly name you asign to it. Running Sysprerp on a machine changes that number only. You used profile is linked to your user SID and that is not changed.

So do I just click on the reseal button. Will I still be able to connect to domain name which is already setup on the laptop. Clicking the reseal button won't erase that information.

Clicking reseal will strip your Local Machines SID and regenerate you a new machine SID. You will not be able to contect to the Domain as the association with your computer SID within the Domain and the your machines SID will no longer match.

Delete the c:\sysprep directory and reboot. Does it still run the SYSprep setup?

I had the same issues....IBM sent me new (newer version too) recovery cd;s.

I have the same problem with sysrep, I just renamed it instead of deleting it , and it has stopped popping out after a recovery session.

Thanks
Ennma