Administrator settings are wiped out when called for Sysprep

Question

Hi All,
I follow the below steps to imply sysprep on a clean PC with Windows 7 installed,
1. Install windows 7 Ultimate,
2. Install driver softwares as required
3. Configure static IP
4. Configure user settings including administrator.  Like Administrator will have the "Show hidden files" and some shortcuts available only for Administrator, and "Open each folder in its own window" option enabled.
5. My Answer file is as below
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<unattend xmlns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:unattend">
    <settings pass="specialize">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <AutoLogon>
                <Enabled>false</Enabled>
                <LogonCount>5</LogonCount>
                <Username>Administrator</Username>
            </AutoLogon>
            <ComputerName>CAPTURE01</ComputerName>
            <CopyProfile>false</CopyProfile>
            <RegisteredOrganization>CarlZeiss</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>CarlZeiss</RegisteredOwner>
        </component>
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RunSynchronous>
                <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>1</Order>
                    <Path>net user Administrator /active:yes</Path>
                </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="oobeSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RegisteredOrganization>CarlZeiss</RegisteredOrganization>
            <RegisteredOwner>CarlZeiss</RegisteredOwner>
            <OOBE>
                <HideEULAPage>true</HideEULAPage>
                <HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>true</HideWirelessSetupInOOBE>
                <NetworkLocation>Work</NetworkLocation>
                <SkipUserOOBE>true</SkipUserOOBE>
                <SkipMachineOOBE>true</SkipMachineOOBE>
            </OOBE>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="auditSystem">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <UserAccounts>
                <AdministratorPassword>
                    <Value>YgBlAGwAdQBnAGEAQQBkAG0AaQBuAGkAcwB0AHIAYQB0AG8AcgBQAGEAcwBzAHcAbwByAGQA</Value>
                    <PlainText>false</PlainText>
                </AdministratorPassword>
            </UserAccounts>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="auditUser">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Deployment" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <RunSynchronous>
                <RunSynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">
                    <Order>1</Order>
                    <Path>net user Administrator /active:yes</Path>
                </RunSynchronousCommand>
            </RunSynchronous>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <settings pass="windowsPE">
        <component name="Microsoft-Windows-Setup" processorArchitecture="x86" publicKeyToken="31bf3856ad364e35" language="neutral" versionScope="nonSxS" xmlns:wcm="http://schemas.microsoft.com/WMIConfig/2002/State"
xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
            <Display>
                <HorizontalResolution>1280</HorizontalResolution>
                <VerticalResolution>720</VerticalResolution>
            </Display>
        </component>
    </settings>
    <cpi:offlineImage cpi:source="wim:e:/sources/install.wim#Windows 7 ULTIMATE" xmlns:cpi="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:cpi" />
</unattend>
6. In audit mode, I pass the unattend.xml so called the Answerfile to sysprep as follows
sysprep /oobe /generalize /unattend:unattend.xml
7. The system shutsdown after applying the sysprep.
8. When the system is started, all things are fine, the administrator account is also enabled but, when logged into administrator account, the system shows "Preparing your desktop" and resets all the shortcuts and user settings like "show
hidden files" and "Open folder in its own window" are reset backup to windows default.
Can any one guide me to retain these user settings for administrator profile.
Regards,
Arun
programmer vc++

Answer 1

Hello,
You can only have one default profile. We use network share profile that is trimmed only to hold basic setup that all clients must have.
If you are in a domain you can put the admins in their own OU:s (with "Active Directory - Users & Computers") and link the right Group Policy settings to the right OU-container. This is also a good way to do this because if the users computer changes
the policy settings will apply automatically based on user account. Also if the admin needs to access users computer the correct group policy will make every fresh login set the folder settings etc. to right position.
Folder Options - control panel config via Group Policy
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771379.aspx
If you want to you can also link the Group Policy based on the security group of the user. That way for example when a user is added the the administrators group he will automatically get the right group policy containing the right settings.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc752992.aspx