Single-Image Deployment Supplemental Guide

Article
09/11/2009

Published: August 01, 2004 | Updated: January 21, 2009

Abstract

This article discusses single-image deployment and how to use this process to deploy Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 in your organization while using your existing Windows XP Professional image. The information in this article supplements the processes that are described in the previously released article, Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, which is available on Microsoft TechNet.

Important

If you are installing SP2 from the CD, the service pack installer file is called Xpsp2.exe. If you are downloading SP2 from the Microsoft Web site, the installer file is called WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-xxx.exe (xxx stands for a specific language code, such as ENU for English). Both installer files are identical, they just have different names.
If you are downloading SP2 from the Web, for the purposes of this document, use WindowsXP-KB835935-SP2-xxx.exe wherever you see Xpsp2.exe.

This process is no longer supported with Windows XP Service Pack 3. Microsoft is not releasing an SP3 integrated CD2 and nor is it supported to manually slipstream SP3 into a SP2 CD2. There are 2 options available for deploying a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition with Service Pack 3 included:

Option #1:

This option maintains your current SP2 Tablet PC Edition image and just incorporates the installation of SP3 into the deployment.

Deploy a Windows XP Professional SP2 Image(converting to Tablet PC Edition as needed)
As part of the deployment update the image to SP3

Option #2:

Deploy separate Windows XP and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition SP3 images.

Notes:

Windows XP Professional and Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 are completely separate operating systems. This article is intended to help minimize the effort that is required to maintain two separate operating system images. By using the information presented in this article, you acknowledge that licenses for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 must be acquired with the purchase of a new Tablet PC through an original equipment manufacturer (OEM). Neither access to this support resource nor the availability of volume licensing media for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, alone, conveys any right to install or otherwise use the software. The media and online support are provided solely for purposes of re-imaging licensed OEM copies of the software in lieu of the recovery solution provided by OEMs. You may not access the online support or use the media for any other purpose.
Volume license media for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 will be provided in the CD kit for Select License, Enterprise Agreement, and Enterprise Subscription Agreement customers to use as “wipe and load” media in lieu of the recovery solution provided by OEMs. The media alone do not convey the right to install or otherwise use the product. Licenses for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 must be acquired with the purchase of a new Tablet PC through an OEM. To obtain a volume license key (VLK) for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, contact Microsoft directly and request the VLK. In the United States, the telephone number is: 1-888-352-7140. For international locations, see Microsoft Activation Centers Worldwide Telephone Numbers Customers need to make sure to have their Select or Enterprise enrollment number available when they call.

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Introduction

When Windows XP Tablet PC Edition was first released in November 2002, enterprise administrators and IT professionals were required to deploy Windows XP Tablet PC Edition on Tablet PCs by using a different image than the one made from Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 1 images. This limitation increased the total cost of ownership (TCO) for deploying Tablet PCs in enterprise environments.

This article discusses how to use the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) to deploy Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 by using an existing Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 or later image. Sysprep eliminates the need to maintain separate images for Tablet PCs and non-Tablet PCs.

***Note *** This article assumes you are already familiar with the deployment methods used for Windows XP Professional. For more information about the System Preparation Tool, see the Microsoft Windows XP Professional Resource Kit or Microsoft TechNet. Also, see the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this article for more information about deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 or Windows XP Professional, and for general information about Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

Caveats

The process of deploying a single image across both Desktop and Tablet PCs requires that the correct product key is used during installation or placed in the Sysprep.inf file prior to installation. Microsoft does not support any method of automating this process.

Installing Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

The steps outlined in this article supplement the steps outlined in the article, Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. It is important that you understand the Sysprep steps outlined in that article before you implement the steps in this article.

There are three methods for updating computers running Windows XP Professional to Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later. These methods include the updated installation method, the integrated installation method, and the installation from media method.

Installation Methods

Updated Installation Method

During the updated installation, the service pack is installed on a computer that is already running Windows XP. When you run xpsp2.exe, it installs the updated system files and makes the necessary registry changes. After the computer is restarted, the installation is complete, and the operating system runs with an updated file set. The following bullets describe different scenarios for installing the service pack using xpsp2.exe.

Scenario 1: Installing the service pack so that computers use local service pack source files (recommended)
Scenario 2: Installing the service pack so that computers use shared, remote service pack source files
Scenario 3: Using Microsoft Systems Management Server (SMS) to install the service pack
Scenario 4: Using Windows Installer and Group Policy to install the service pack

Integrated Installation Method

If you already have the version of Windows XP that does not include a service pack, you can apply the service pack directly to the Windows XP installation files. Sample scenarios for this method include:

Scenario 1: Creating a shared distribution folder to install Windows XP integrated with the service pack.
Scenario 2: Using Remote Installation Services (RIS) to install Windows XP integrated with the service pack.

Installation from Media Method

This type of installation is identical to the integrated installation method except that the Windows XP files are already integrated with the service pack on the released media. You can use this method when Windows XP CD media are re-released with the service pack files already integrated. Typically, the updated CD media are available as part of an Enterprise Agreement, Select Licensing Agreement, and MSDN subscriptions. For more information, see the Microsoft Volume Licensing Program and MSDN subscription Web sites.

Supported Single-Image Deployment Paths for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 supports multiple methods for maintaining a single Windows XP Professional SP2 or later base image. You can use this single image to deploy Windows XP on desktop computers and portable computers in addition to Tablet PCs. To create a base Windows XP Professional SP2 or later image, you can use the following supported installation paths. In the following descriptions, the term “update” refers to the updated installation method and the term “integrate” refers to the integrated installation method.

Note Not all Windows XP Professional installation paths are supported by the single-image deployment process, so ensure that your installation path is in one of the following supported paths.

Supported Windows XP SP2 Installation Paths

Microsoft Windows XP RTM Media
- Update to Windows XP SP1, then update to Windows XP SP2
- Update to Windows XP SP2
- Integrate Windows XP SP1, then integrate SP2
- Integrate Windows XP SP2
Microsoft Windows XP SP1 or SP1a Media
- Integrate Windows XP SP2
Microsoft Windows XP SP2 Media
- No additional steps

Unsupported Windows XP SP2 Installation Paths

Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition from the following installation paths is not supported and will not function properly.

Microsoft Windows XP RTM Media
- Integrate Windows XP SP1, then update to Windows XP SP2
Microsoft Windows XP SP1 or SP1a Media
- Update to Windows XP SP2
Selecting Upgrade on the Installation Type menu during any Windows XP setup

Before You Begin

We recommend that you complete the following tasks before you begin implementing the steps in this document:

Obtain the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 media. The Windows XP Professional media do not include the necessary files for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.
Obtain a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 volume licensing key. For more information about volume licensing, see the Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site.
Understand the Sysprep process that is described in the article, Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005. For more information, see the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this document.
If you are not using an existing deployment image, or you would like more information about deployments, visit the Windows XP Professional Deployment Web site. This site contains detailed information about how to plan and build your base image for the systems in your enterprise.

Preparing Your Image

After you complete the tasks in the “Before You Begin” section, you are ready to begin the single-image deployment process.

Create a directory structure that is similar to the following diagram by using the Sysprep strategy outlined in Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 or by using an existing Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 or later image.

\sysprep

**    sysprep.exe**

**    factory.exe**

**    setupcl.exe**

**    setupmgr.exe**

**    sysprep.inf**

**    tablet.txt**

**      \i386**

**                \$OEM$**

**                              cmdlines.txt**

**                \CMPNENTS\TABLETPC\I386**

**                              tabletpc.cab**

**                              and all additional files in the TabletPC\I386 directory on CD2**

**                \CMPNENTS\NETFX\I386**

**                              netfx.cab**

**                \Digitizer**

**                              hiddigi.inf**

**                              serial.sys**

**                              wacompen.sys**
**                              mutohpen.sys**
To add the drivers for the Human Interface Device (HID) Digitizer Display to the \Digitizer directory, you must first extract the files from the i386 directory on CD1 of the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 media set. To extract the files, type the following commands at a command prompt:

expand d:\i386\hiddigi.in_ c:\sysprep\i386\digitizer\hiddigi.inf

expand d:\i386\mutohpen.sy_ c:\sysprep\i386\digitizer\mutohpen.sys

expand d:\i386\serial.sy_ c:\sysprep\i386\digitizer\serial.sys

expand d:\i386\wacompen.sy_ c:\sysprep\i386\digitizer\wacompen.sys
- Note Replace “d:\” with the applicable CD-ROM drive letter or network path where CD1 or the installation source files are located.
Ensure that the following values are included in the Sysprep.inf file:

[Unattended]

    InstallFilesPath=C:\sysprep\i386

    OEMPreinstall=Yes

    OEMPnPDriversPath=Digitizer

    UpdateInstalledDrivers=Yes

[UserData]

    ProductKey= xxxxx -xxxxx -xxxxx -xxxxx -xxxxx
- **Note **If a Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 product key is not entered properly in the Sysprep.inf file, the Tablet PC components will not be installed correctly. If a Windows XP Professional product key is used, Windows XP Professional will be installed instead of Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.
Create a file named “Cmdlines.txt” and save it in the \$OEM$ directory. This file will launch a command that installs the Tablet PC components during the mini-setup phase of the Sysprep deployed image. Add the following command to the file:

[Commands]

"sysocmgr /i:%windir%\inf\sysoc.inf /u:c:\sysprep\tablet.txt /c /x"
Create a file named “Tablet.txt” and save it in the \sysprep directory. This file will contain specific installation parameters that are necessary to install the Tablet PC components during the mini-setup phase of the Sysprep deployed image. For the Tablet PC components to install correctly, you must set each component to the following values:

[Components]

TabletOC=On

TPG=On

System=On

OOBE=On

Notebook=On

Stickynotes=On
- **Note *Changing any of the values from what is shown above will have unexpected and adverse effects on the Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 installation. Due to the implementation of the Tablet PC component installation during setup, you cannot install any missing Tablet PC components at a later time. Therefore, setting any component to a value other than “On” is not supported by Microsoft.
  For information about how to prevent the “Welcome to Tablet PC” splash screen from launching when a new user logs on to a Tablet PC, see the section titled “Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Customizations” in the *article, Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.
After you have saved the files in steps 4 and 5 to the required directories, open a command prompt and type the following command from the \sysprep directory:

Sysprep.exe –mini –reseal

Parameter definitions:

*** -mini*** This parameter indicates that the mini-setup wizard will run when the Tablet PC is restarted.

*** -reseal*** This parameter prepares the system for the end user.

When the computer shuts down, use your third-party disk imaging software to create the image file, which you will copy to your target Tablet PCs. The operating system will then be automatically migrated to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005.

For more information about additional commands that you can use with Sysprep.exe, see the Windows XP Professional deployment information referred to in the “Additional Resources” section at the end of this document.

Restrictions When Using Sysprep to Deploy Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

When you use Sysprep to deploy Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, you can deploy the images to other Tablet PCs regardless of whether there are different drivers between the master image and the Tablet PCs, such as video or network card drivers.

You are restricted, however, by the HAL (Hardware Abstraction Layer) type of the Tablet PCs. If the master image was created on a computer that uses an ACPI PIC (Advanced Configuration and Power Interface PC) HAL, it cannot be deployed to a Tablet PC that is not running on the same HAL. If you discover during your deployment that you have two target Tablet PCs that are using different HALs, you must maintain a separate image for each HAL type.

Additional Resources

For more information, see the following additional resources.

Windows XP Professional Deployment

Detailed information about how to plan and deploy Windows XP Professional is available at the Windows XP Professional Deployment Web site.

Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Deployment

Deploying Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 describes unattended installations, Remote Installation Services, and the System Preparation Tool.

Other Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 Resources

Information about volume licensing for Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005 is available at the Microsoft Volume Licensing Web site.

For the latest information about Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005, see: