UIU Blog

If you're deploying Windows 8 in your environment, you may want to be aware of a little undocumented feature that is certain to cause you some time-consuming headaches.

In preparing to capture a Windows 8 (or 8.1) OS image, several of our customers have experienced the following Sysprep error:

System Preparation Tool 3.14

A fatal error occurred while trying to Sysprep the machine

Essentially, the error occurs when applications associated with user accounts are out-of-synch with the provisioning information for the master machine. A detailed explanation with three use cases can be found in the following Microsoft Support article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2769827

Also, in certain cases, if Windows Updates have not been checked in a set period of time, Sysprep may present errors as well. In our experience, simply allowing the machine to check (knowing it will fail as it has no Internet access) will subsequently allow Sysprep to execute without error.

Lessons learned?

1.  When possible, create no additional users on the master 
    machine.  Only login as the user account from which you intend 
    to execute Sysprep.

2.  When possible, do not install any Windows Store applications
    (Appx)

3.  When possible, remove (Uninstall and Un-provision) all
    unnecessary Windows Store applications (Appx) – This will need
    to be done for every user account created on the machine…

4.  Disconnect the master machine from the Internet

5.  Turn off Windows Updates on the Master Machine

6.  Optional & universally recommended- Lock down the ability for
    users to install applications

Additionally, if you're implementing Windows 8.1, also consider that a known issue exists when Sysprep is executed on the master machine more than 1 hour after the first user has logged in. There is a disk cleanup service that is executed via Scheduled Tasks which causes interference with Sysprep and a resultant error. The following command will disable the task:

Schtasks.exe /change /disable /tn "\Microsoft\Windows\AppxDeploymentClient\Pre-staged app cleanup"

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn303413.aspx