Is the audit mode of SYSPREP practically useful in Windows deployment?

Solution 1:

My take on disk images has always been to maintain as few as necessary to support the hardware, and to do all post-imaging customization through scripts (invoked via Group Policy or some other means) or the built-in software installation functionality in Group Policy. I haven't seen audit mode used anywhere in corporate Windwos and find little utility in it myself. I did see it used when I used to work for a "system builder" imaging machines that were going to be sold at retail, but since I wasn't really actively involved in that work I can't say if it was being used for its usefulness or because somebody just thought that it was a good idea.