Sysprep - "Failure occurred while executing drmv2clt.dll" - Fix

Question

I don't usually have problems running sysprep, but the first time I ran it on a Windows 7 (BETA Ultimate 32bit) PC I received an error that Sysprep could not continue and was halted.  I went to c:\windows\system32\sysprep\panther and opened the setuperr.log file.  (Actually, Windows won't let you open this file (!) so copy it out of this directory, then open it.)  There was not much in the file, just a few lines referencing drmv2clt.dll. 
2009-04-20 13:37:55, Error      [0x0f0082] SYSPRP LaunchDll:Failure occurred while executing 'drmv2clt.dll,Sysprep', returned error code -2147024864[gle=0x00000020]
2009-04-20 13:37:55, Error      [0x0f0070] SYSPRP RunExternalDlls:An error occurred while running registry sysprep DLLs, halting sysprep execution. dwRet = -2147024864[gle=0x00000020]
2009-04-20 13:37:55, Error      [0x0f00a8] SYSPRP WinMain:Hit failure while processing sysprep cleanup providers; hr = 0x80070020[gle=0x00000020]
I searched the MS KB, and sadly, could find nothing.  Then I Googled some of the above and found a couple of references to this.  They mentioned that drmv2clt.dll is associated with Digital Rights Management and this error in Sysprep could be fixed by disabling Media Sharing in Windows Media Player.  That seemed odd.  This Windows 7 PC was setup just to test Sysprep and imaging.  We didn't even start or configure Windows Media Player.  I also had no idea how to disable Media Sharing in Media Player??  This time I went to Windows Help and searched it, but sadly, it too had no information.  I once again Googled this and found out how to disable Media Sharing in Media Player.  It is a service that is configured to automatically start at boot up.
Click Start > Run, type Services.msc to open the Services applet.
Scroll down to Windows Media Player Network Sharing Service, double click it, change the Startup type to Disabled.  Click OK.
Reboot the PC
Once I did this, I re-ran Sysprep (sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:sysprepdomainWin7.xml) and it ran without error.
Seems like a sysprep bug.  I don't think this is a Win7 thing since the fix for this I read was from a BDD 2007 document.  Oh, and if you want to know how to fix problems in Windows, use Google.
 

Answer 1

Yes, for a company that has a long and challenged history of omnipotence I have come to expect these information black holes as a technician. I have been working with MS and also with Windows since DOS 2.2 and I recall the DOS 4.0 debacle. It was the beginning
of the use of "Hi-memory" area. They had created the ability to use hi-memory (introduced by Compaq) but they didn't bother to reserve or map what was in memory. So when DOS went to retrieve information loaded in memory it either was overwritten, or could
not be located. Thus, all machines locked! I worked with a couple engineers from UC Irvine who identified and resolved the problem Windows. I recall working at WB and I introduced Windows ADS, well ultimately we had to migrate from one machine to another.
There was an information store containing the data of active directories configuration and security called the "DIT" in restoring ADS I ran into a wall. There was no documentation on how to move the DIT, the core of ADS's information. Well I finally got to
a high level technician that could work with me to relocate and document the procedure. If you are familiar with UNIX then you understand that the user community documents and tests new code. Just inherent part of computing. So I am not surprised that they
have left us to resolve this issue ourselves.
Of course they are now pushing AZURE and online storage which could be why they aren't assisting us with this issue.
the only time is now!