Sasha Carpentier

Caroline Andersen

@crazywolf555613 · Jan 12, 2026 7:25 am

Sysprep on Server 2025

I just built a new VM template (VMWare) for Server 2025 Datacenter. Once I was done, I ran sysprep, chose OOBE from the drop down, checked generalize, and chose shutdown.
Today I went to deploy the template to a VM and discovered that there was a local admin password in place. I ran sysprep again and used the reboot option this time. Upon coming up, the local admin password is still present.
Did Microsoft change the way sysprep works in 2025?
I've reviewed the setupact.log file from c:\\windows\\system32\\sysprep\\panther and can't find anything obvious that said it failed. I do wonder what the return codes under the shsetup setup mean. Is a 2 a failure? Is a 0 a success?
Under SYSPRP ActionPlatform I am see that WINRE\_Generalize was successful. Does that mean anything? I see several other generalize actions under that section were successful too.
I'm seeing 4 error lines in the setuperr.log file.
2026-01-09 07:47:23, Error SYSPRP BCD: BiUpdateEfiEntry failed c000000d
2026-01-09 07:47:23, Error SYSPRP BCD: BiExportBcdObjects failed c000000d
2026-01-09 07:47:23, Error SYSPRP BCD: BiExportStoreAlterationsToEfi failed c000000d
2