Windows 7 and Sysprep

I needed to build some Windows 7 images and as I've used sysprep previously on XP and Vista, it seems like the way to go.  Turns out Win 7 sysprep is pretty close to Vista's, although some of the components have changes.  In short, I used the same options/configuration from my Vista unattend.xml file to build a Win 7 one, and it works fine (you do need to install the newer Win 7 AIK though).  More details here (I didn't do everything that Brian did, but its a good starting point).

Edit:  Mark Minasi has several posts about Sysprep in his Windows Networking Tech Page newsletter.  Specifically "Hands-Off Vista Installs with Answer Files and Windows System Image Manager" in Issue #60, "Using and Automating Vista's Sysprep" in Issue #62 and "You Can Sysprep More Than Three Times... Here's How" in Issue #7.  Lastly, this thread from Minasi's forums may be helpful.

Edit:  You may well be downloading the OS from your MSDN subscription as your starting point, as I did.  In my case, that raised a few questions.

1) There are different types/editions of many product in MSDN's subscriber downloads ('N', 'K', 'KN', etc).  This page explains the differences for Windows 7:

Is there any special SKU version of Windows 7 that exists? (Windows 7 N, Windows 7 K, Windows 7 KN, Windows 7 E)
Yes, there is Windows 7 N, Windows 7 K, Windows 7 KN and Windows 7 E, where each editions of Windows 7 will also have in these flavors other than standard version.
Windows 7 N: Windows 7 N is meant for European market, and includes the same functionality as Windows 7, except that it does not include Windows Media Player and related technologies such as Windows Movie Maker.
Windows 7 K: Windows 7 K is meant for Korean market, and includes the same functionality as ordinary Windows 7, except that it includes links to a Media Player Center Web site and a Messenger Center Web site.
Windows 7 KN: Windows 7 KN is meant for Korean market, and includes the same functionality as Windows 7 K, except that it does not include Windows Media Player and related technologies such as Windows Movie Maker, links to download Windows Live Messenger, or links to a Media Player Center Web Site and a Messenger Center Web site.
Windows 7 E: Windows 7 E is meant for European Commission countries, including UK, and includes the same functionality as ordinary standard flavor of Windows 7, except that it does not include Internet Explorer 8 (IE8).

 2) There are different types of keys as well, as explained by this page:

Key Type	Description
Not Applicable	No key is needed to install this product.
Retail	This key allows multiple activations and is used for retail builds of the product.  In many cases, 10 activations are allowed per key, though often more are allowed on the same machine.
Multiple Activation	You can use the same key to activate multiple copies of the software. MAKs are generally used with Volume Licensing builds of a product.  Typically you will only be provided one MAK for a given edition of a product.
Static Activation Key	A key is required for installation of the product, but the key does not require activation, so it can be used for any number of installations.
Custom Key	This custom key provides special actions to activate or install.
VA 1.0	This is a multiple activation key.
OEM Key	This is an Original Equipment Manufacturer key that allows multiple activations.
AA Retail Key	This retail key is for Academic Alliance programs and allows one activation. These keys are issued in batches.
AA Lab Key	This lab use key is for Academic Alliance programs and allows multiple activations.
AA MAK Key	This is a multiple activation key for Academic Alliance program customers.
AA VA 1.0	This volume license key (VA 1.0) is for Academic Alliance programs and allows multiple installations.