Question about Audit Mode

[Tim.Trageser]

Okay so I have a base image that I use for all of the systems at my work place. I have been using an older version of VMWare Workstation, but recently moved everything to Workstation 11.

This requires that I install a new version of VMWare tools, which requires a reboot. After the reboot I now get the “You are not running a genuine Windows” message in the bottom right corner of the Windows Desktop. It doesn’t appear to be causing me any issues yet.

My question is when installing programs that require a reboot does the reboot use up my rearms if I am not running sysprep and just rebooting back into Audit Mode. I do not make any selections in the sysprep screen, just reboot from the Start menu.

[Trevelyan]

It won’t use any rearms at all unless you actually run sysprep. If you do run sysprep and you don’t want it to rearm, just include Skiprearm set to 1 in your unattend file.

Here’s a bit of my unattend file so you can see where the SkipRearm bit should be:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:sc....
    <settings pass="generalize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP" .....
            <SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
        </component>
    </settings>

As for not being activated - I found it annoying and activated in the end, since you have something like 3 rearms you can use. But I think it at least affects Windows updates so if you wanted to include those on your image, then activate once if you can.