Are you looking for an easy way to change the SID of a cloned machine or have you encountered an error while trying to join the domain to a recently cloned machine?
Windows Sysprep can help you with this task. Sysprep is a Windows utility that allows you to quickly and easily change the SID of a cloned machine.
This helps to ensure that each machine has a unique SID and prevents conflicts when machines are deployed on a network. In this article, I will discuss the basics of Sysprep and how to use Sysprep to change the SID of a cloned machine.
Table of Contents
What is Sysprep and what is its purpose?
Sysprep is a system preparation tool in Windows that allows users to duplicate, capture and deploy a Windows system image. It is used to prepare a Windows installation for duplication, audit, and system recovery. Sysprep can also be used to create a customized Windows installation image.
The primary purpose of Sysprep is to allow system administrators to prepare a Windows installation for duplication, audit, or system recovery. It removes system-specific information from a Windows installation, including the computer name, product key, security identifiers, and user accounts. This allows administrators to deploy the same system image to multiple computers without having to reconfigure or reinstall the software.
It also allows for the customization of Windows installations. System administrators can create a customized Windows image with specific settings, such as language, regional settings, and installed applications. This customized image can then be deployed to multiple computers on a network.
Sysprep is a valuable & essential tool for system administrators as it allows them to easily deploy a Windows image to multiple computers, customize Windows installations, and clone systems.
What will happen if you did not do Sysprep of the cloned machine?
If you did not do Sysprep of a cloned machine, the cloned computer would have the same computer name, security identifier (SID), and other settings as the original computer. This can lead to a number of issues, such as instability, software conflicts, and network connectivity problems.
For these reasons, it is essential to use Sysprep when cloning a machine. Sysprep will reset the computer name and SID, as well as other settings so that the cloned machine will have different settings than the original machine. This will help ensure that the cloned machine is stable, secure, and performs optimally.
The Domain Join Cannot Be Completed Error
You will also encounter this commonly seen error while trying to join the domain “The domain join cannot be completed because of the SID of the domain you attempted to join was identical to the SID of this machine“
To fix this, the most straightforward way is to a Sysprep for this cloned machine which I will cover in the next section.
One way to verify whether the SID is the same between the cloned and the original machine is by using the PsGetsid from the PSTools.
How to Fix Using SysPrep?
To fix this domain join cannot be completed error due to SID, you have to use SysPrep.
1. First, simply to Run from the start menu and type Sysprep
2. You will direct to the Sysprep folder. This is the actual path for the Sysprep in your Windows machine – C:\Windows\System32\Sysprep
3. Next, double-click on the sysprep.exe file.
4. Select Enter System Out-of-Experience (OOBE) under System Cleanup Action. And checked on the Generalize. Reboot for the Shutdown Options
5. Click Ok. The machine will starts the Sysprep process & reboots automatically once completed
6. You will see this setup screen to configure the settings below (refer screenshot below, license agreement, and default administrator password
7. After all these configuration setups are done, you may proceed to join the domain again and you should not encounter any error.
Wrapping Up
Changing SIDs after deploying cloned machines is important to prevent conflicts when deploying a domain controller. Sysprep is an excellent tool for managing the SID and computers affected by a deployment.
Thanks for reading & let me know in the comment too about your experience!