Windows 10: How to Sysprep Windows without losing wallpapers, taskbar icons etc?

I'm a computer reseller and I've been fixing and selling computers in my area for the last couple years. I've been doing really well and normally the way I would sell them is I would install Windows, go through setup and create an account, then install the drivers, software, updates, etc. then sell it ready to go as it is. It would just have an account (usually called "user").

Now I wanted to do things more professionally, where my customers actually go through the setup part and set up their own account, agree to the EULA, and set up their passwords. I learned about audit mode (Pressing SHIFT+CTRL+F3 at setup) and found I can set up the PCs how I want them. I tried it on a laptop and set it up all real nice, put a nice 4k wallpaper theme with everything it needed. Problem is when I go back to OOBE and create a new user, all those wonderful wallpapers are gone! It's back to the default theme and that nice theme I carefully set up is gone as well as the taskbar icons and settings. I really don't want that at all.

So after doing research I learned about "copyprofile" but I don't know how to use it and apparently in the newest Windows 10 builds it breaks the taskbar. With Windows 7/8 I found I can copy the Administrator account directly to the default account but I can't in Windows 10. Is this even possible?

Also two more questions:

1. How do I sysprep Windows 7 without losing activation? I have some Windows 7 laptops with their Win 7 COA labels on the bottom and I activate them just fine in audit mode but when it's in OOBE it asks the user for the product key. Is there a way to keep it activated or is it not possible? I know about creating an answer file with the ADK tool but I don't know how to properly do that.

2. Is it really illegal to install Windows 10 on computers with Windows 7 COA labels? They activate just fine every-time and I did it like that for a while until recently. I went to the spice works forum and was told that the free upgrade expired and it would fail an audit, unless it was upgraded during the free period. Windows 8 ones automatically activate Windows 10 without having to put in a product key. Are those illegal too?
This brings me to another question: If it really is illegal to do the free upgrade, how would I figure out that a laptop had been upgraded to Windows 10 during the free period if it didn't have the original hard drive? Like say I receive a laptop with a Windows 7 COA label (or Windows 8/8.1) and it had it's original HDD removed. How would I know if was upgraded in the free period? I've had some Windows 7 laptops activate Windows 10 as soon as they connected to the internet. I'm so confused sometimes by this and really want to keep things legal. I sell from home and I'm doing pretty well and want to open up a proper shop next year. Yes I heard about the whole reseller program Microsoft does but it has way too many rules (can't even upgrade a CPU) and it's ending this year anyways.

For now I just install the OS they came with to stay on the safe side (hell people still buy laptops with Windows 7 here lol). I mean is it still fairly safe to use? If a laptop doesn't have a COA label or it's not readable (or it's Vista or older depending on model) I put Linux Ubuntu or Mint. I will often run the recovery partition if they still have that too. Most people just want a cheap laptop for web browsing/zoom or YouTube and those distros are perfect for those.
Sorry I know it's a lot of questions but I need help lol.

:)

 

System Icons on taskbar

Hi,

Thank you for posting on Microsoft Communities.

Are you referring to the clock system icon on the taskbar?

If so, I suggest you to follow the steps mentioned below:

• 
  Click on the search bar on the taskbar.
  
• 
  Type system icons.
  
• 
  Under Turn System Icons ON or OFF, turn On the Clock and check with the issue.
  

Hope it helps.

 

NIGHTMARE icon in windows taskbar

Ok ... this is really an annoying thingy in Windows Vista that till today. My top wish list is to solve this !!! *Bang Head :banghead:*Bang Head :banghead:*Bang Head :banghead:*Bang Head :banghead:*Bang Head :banghead:

See attached pic ... for eg. open My Computer ... icon is of course as shown - the My Computer default Vista icon ... after you browse? *swoosh* kind of black magic ... it changes to that icon with the green arrow ... browsing back to My Computer it remains like that ... with the green arrow!!!

This happens to any and all folders ! ... When you load it ... it comes up with the default folder ... after exporing through folder it changes ... and remains like that.

For info : have tried a fresh installation of Vista to make sure that no bug got in. So must be some DAMN Vista settings

Thanks mates ... hope you enjoy this puzzle !

 

SysPrep Advice

Hi Joseph,

The topic that you raised is beyond the scope of support for this site which focuses more on home and personal end users. Here's what I found about SysPrep:

• What Is Sysprep?
• How To Sysprep – Sysprep is a Great And powerful tool And Easy
  Too If You Know How (Step-By-Step).

However these are old articles and the process may have been changed already. You may re-post this question in

TechNet Forums for further assistance.

All the best.