The Sysprep tool is used to prepare a reference Windows image and its depersonalization, remove all unique identifiers (SID, GUID) from the system, which is necessary for its correct deployment on the corporate network (see our Sysprep Windows 10 Guide). In some cases, when you run the sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown command while creating a reference Windows 10 image, Sysprep.exe can return the following Sysprep Was Not Able to Validate Your Windows Installation error:
System Preparation Tool 3.14
Sysprep was not able to validate your Windows installation. Review the log file at %windir%\system32\Sysprep\panther\setupact.log for details. After resolving the issue use Sysprep to validate your installation again.
How to Fix Sysprep Was Not Able to Validate Your Windows Installation Error?
To fix the error go to the C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\Panther directory and open the sysprep log file (setupact.log) using any text editor (for example, Notepad).
Start viewing the contents of the setupact.log file from the bottom to the top and look for the errors. Depending on the error found, you will need to perform certain actions to fix it. Below we will consider the possible Sysprep errors.
Turn BitLocker Off to Run Sysprep
Error SYSPRP BitLocker-Sysprep: BitLocker is on for the OS volume. Turn BitLocker off to run Sysprep. (0x80310039)
Error [0x0f0082] SYSPRP ActionPlatform::LaunchModule: Failure occurred while executing ‘ValidateBitLockerState’ from C:\Windows\System32\BdeSysprep.dll
Open the command prompt as administrator and run the command:
manage-bde -status
It should return the following info:
Disk volumes that can be protected with
BitLocker Drive Encryption:
Volume C: [OSDisk]Conversion Status: Encryption in Progress
This error mostly occurs on tablets and laptops with Windows 10 that support InstantGo encryption (based on BitLocker.) To fix this error, you must disable encryption for the Windows system volume using the following PowerShell command:
Disable-Bitlocker –MountPoint ‘C:’
SYSPREP Failed to Remove Apps for the Current User
Check if there are such errors in the setupact.log:
Error SYSPRP Package SomeAppName_1.2.3.500_x64__8we4y23f8b4ws was installed for a user, but not provisioned for all users. This package will not function properly in the sysprep image.
Error SYSPRP Failed to remove apps for the current user: 0x80073cf2.Exit code of RemoveAllApps thread was 0x3cf2
This means that you manually installed modern UWP (APPS) Apps from the Windows Store, or incorrectly uninstalled a certain app.
Try to remove this app package using the PowerShell commands (run the command in the PowerShell console as Administrator)
Get-AppxPackage –Name *SomeAppName* | Remove-AppxPackage Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName SomeAppName_1.2.3.500_x64__8we4y23f8b4ws
If the UWP app is installed for a different user account, you need to remove it from the other users’ profiles. Run the PowerShell command:
Get-AppxPackage -AllUsers | ? {$_.PackageFullName -eq 'SomeAppName_1.2.3.500_x64__8we4y23f8b4ws'}Check the PackageUserInformation value. If any of local user have this package Installed, remove that user if not needed. Or remove the APPX for all users:
Remove-AppxPackage -Package 'SomeAppName_1.2.3.500_x64__8we4y23f8b4ws' -AllUsers
Reboot the computer and try to run Sysprep again.
If Sysprep still refuses to proceed, you need to remove this provision package from your Windows image:
Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -Online -PackageName 'SomeAppName_1.2.3.500_x64__8we4y23f8b4ws'
The next time Sysprep might fail in another UWP package. Delete it as described above. You should remove all non-standard UWP Microsoft Store applications.
In addition, unplug the Internet connection or disable Automatic Updates in Audit mode before you create the image. This prevent Microsoft Store from automatic updating apps. Also delete all local user profiles, only the local administrator profile should remain.
Sysprep Will not Run on an Upgraded OS
If your Windows 10 image is upgraded from a previous version (Windows 8.1 or Windows 7 SP1), you should receive an error in the setupact.log file when trying to run Sysprep:
Error [0x0f0036] SYSPRP spopk.dll:: Sysprep will not run on an upgraded OS. You can only run Sysprep on a custom (clean) install version of Windows.
[0x0f0082] SYSPRP ActionPlatform::LaunchModule: Failure occurred while executing ‘Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk’ from C:\Windows\System32\spopk.dll; dwRet = 0x139f
Microsoft doesn’t recommend to run a Sysprep on Windows image that has been upgraded from a previous version of Windows. It is recommended to use an image with clean installation of Windows 10. However, there is a way to bypass this requirement:
- Open the Registry Editor (regedit.exe) and go to the following registry key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup;
- Find the registry parameter named Upgrade and delete it;
- Then go to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\Setup\Status\SysprepStatus and change the parameter of the CleanupState key to 7.
This will cause Sysprep to assume that this copy of Windows is installed in a clean install mode. Restart the computer and run Sysprep again.
Sysprep Audit Mode Can’t be Turned on if There is an Active Scenario
Another Sysprep error occurs in new Windows 10 builds (1909, 20H2, 21H1). Sysprep fails with the following error in the setupact.log:
Error SYSPRP Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk: Audit mode can’t be turned on if there is an active scenario.; hr = 0x800F0975 Error SYSPRP ActionPlatform::LaunchModule: Failure occurred while executing ‘Sysprep_Clean_Validate_Opk’ from C:\Windows\System32\spopk.dll; dwRet = 0x975 Error SYSPRP SysprepSession::Validate: Error in validating actions from C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep\ActionFiles\Cleanup.xml; dwRet = 0x975 Error SYSPRP RunPlatformActions:Failed while validating Sysprep session actions; Error [0x0f0070] SYSPRP RunDlls:An error occurred while running registry sysprep DLLs, halting sysprep execution. dwRet = 0x975
To resolve this Sysprep error, you need to pause Windows update via modern Settings control panel (Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update > Pause updates for 7 days).
Reboot your device and try to run Sysprep.
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