changes that i intend to make: 1. order of shortcut links 2. registry settings 3. a initial-startup batch script that basically mklink /j $userprofile\documents elsewhere 4. overall desktop feel 5. is it possible to disable system notifications too such as firewall, smartscreen? i do not want to be installing any hardware onto the image itself
I would use an $OEM$ folder to do stuff like that. 1 - Not sure what you mean "order of shortcut links" - I do know how to make new shortcuts, I use a nice simple .vbs to make new shortcuts on my desktop at a fresh install. 2 - Quite simple to add reg edits 3 - ? Never thought about that, I just keep my Docs where Windows like to. 4 - It is possible to load a new Theme at a fresh install. I have done this in the past. You have to make the Theme, save it then again using $OEM" file structure to have this implemented. 5 - Possibly. never tried. I will have a quick scan round and see if there are any threads on OEM ... Hope this helps.
That's not what I wanna accomplish, I have a much better setup than $OEM$ for initial user setups. What I wish to tweak is the default user so that every new user added at anytime will have the same setup.
Go on then, tell me what's your much better setup than $oem$. on all the PC's I have worked on they have all been single user machines. Sorry, don't know how to tweak new user setups ? Be interesting to see if you can.