📎 AI Summary:
The thread discusses issues with using sysprep to prepare over 100 Windows 8.1 tablets for imaging, as the process fails due to the system recognizing the OS as an upgrade. The original poster seeks solutions to resolve this without reinstalling from scratch. A suggested fix involves editing the registry to remove the 'upgrade' key, but a responder notes that Windows 8.1 generally requires a clean install of Windows 8 before upgrading to 8.1 for sysprep to work properly, implying that modifying the registry alone may not be sufficient. Overall, the discussion centers on troubleshooting sysprep issues related to Windows 8.1 upgrades, with the consensus indicating that a clean install may be necessary.
Kev Blake

Kev Blake

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Joined
Oct 23, 2013
Messages
1
Thread Author #1
Our organization has recently received a number of Tablet devices (over 100) which we require a standardized image to be deployed to them all, the obvious thing to this was to create a standard image using sysprep however when i run sysprep I get the message 'Sysprep was not able to validate your windows installation' and to check the logs when i check the logs i find a message saying 'sysprep will not run on an upgrade OS' I have recently updated to windows 8.1.

I have found an article relating to windows 7 which suggested deleting the 'upgrade' key from the registry however this solution has not worked for windows 8.1

Can someone help? I do not have the time nor patience to have to start the image from scratch.

Thanks

Kev.
 

Josephur

Josephur

Windows Forum Admin
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Aug 3, 2010
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1,283
#2
I know this is an old thread but try this, (back the keys up first of course!)

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\system\setup
Delete the "upgrade" key.

Set HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Status\SysprepStatus to 7
 

rubiks

rubiks

New Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2014
Messages
7
#3
Windows 8.1 does not accept the win 8 key unless fresh install win 8 and then upgrade to 8.1. There is no way modifying this (in my knowledge). You could only run the sysprep while win 8 is installed and then create the upgrade to devices. Hope I made sense.

Sent from my C6603 using Tapatalk
 

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