14 DAY TRIAL // As of May 14, 2008, end users are able to kick the deployment process of Windows XP Service Pack 3 up a notch with a new tool made available as a free download. The System Preparation tool (Sysprep.exe) contained in the deploy.cab file is nothing more than a deployment solution tailored for XP SP3, and designed to prepare the service pack for duplication from one machine to another. The System Preparation tool released earlier this week is an update to the previous version of Sysprep.exe, this time set up to deal with deployments of the third and last service pack for Windows XP.
"This is an updated version of the System Preparation tool (Sysprep.exe) for Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3, as contained within the file deploy.cab. The Windows XP System Preparation tool enables administrators to prepare Windows XP system images as part of an automated deployment," reads an excerpt of the tool's description.
Microsoft wrapped up with XP SP3 as of April 21, 2008, when it released the service pack to manufacturing. As of May 6, the service pack became accessible to end users via Windows Update and the Download Center. Now, the updated sysprep.exe and deploy.cab tools come to complement the last stage in the evolution of XP.
In addition to setting up a copy of XP SP3 to be duplicated from one computer to another, Sysprep.exe also enables users to: "change security identifiers (SIDs) and other system and configuration settings to make them unique; configure user-specific information to be customized by the end-user when Windows starts the first time; create images of operating systems; duplicate disks; automate the Windows mini-Setup program and even perform auditing tasks."
Essentially, the updated Sysprep tool will enable the deployment process of Windows XP Service Pack 3 RTM Build 5512 to become fully automated. And this is precisely why Microsoft addresses system admins, OEMs and all IT professionals that need to automatically deploy XP SP3 on multiple computers with the utility.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Deployment Tool (System Preparation tool - Sysprep.exe) is available for download here.
Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Final is available for download here.