Fix: a fatal error occurred while trying to systematize the machine

The ‘A serious error occurred while trying to sysprep the computerAn error often occurs if you have used Sysprep more than three times. Sysprep, also known as System Setup Tool, was developed by Microsoft, which allows you to install Windows on other hardware. This tool was mainly designed for system administrators, OEM manufacturers, etc. designed to allow you to install Windows on multiple computers.

A fatal error occurred while trying to systematize the machine

After you have completed the first steps of the installation, you can run the Sysprep tool to clone the computer and install Windows on the remaining systems. Not many people know about this, but there is a limit to how many times you can run it on a single Windows image. Nevertheless, the update is quite straightforward and you can use it again once you have implemented the update. Read the article to learn more about the causes and the solution.

What causes the error "A fatal error while trying to sysrep the computer" on Windows 10?

There is only one reason that can cause the error:

• Limit exceeded: As mentioned above, there is a limit to how many times you can use the tool. Once you have exceeded the limit, the next time you run the tool you will be prompted with the above error. The limit is three.

To fix your problem, you can now use the following solutions. There are a few solutions to this error, including registry changes, etc. Therefore, follow the instructions carefully to avoid errors that can potentially lead to critical results.

Solution 1: Edit the SkipRearm key

To fix the problem, you can try editing the SkipRearm key in the Windows registry and then run sysprep again. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows key + R. open Run.
2. Typing ‘regedit‘and then press the Enter key.
3. Navigate to the following location in the Windows registry:
4. Search in the right pane SkipRearm Key and double-click on it.
5. Change the value to 1 and click in order.

   Change the SkipRearm value to 1

Solution 2: Edit the GeneralizationState and CleanupState keys

Another way to fix the problem is to edit a specific entry in the Windows registry. The error occurs when the sysrep GeneralizationState key is set to 9 in the Windows registry. Therefore, you need to change the value. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows key + R. open Run.
2. Type ‘regedit‘and press Enter.
3. Navigate to the following location:
4. Double click GeneralizationState Key.
5. Change the value in 7 and click on all right.
6. Then double click on CleanupState key and set the value to 2.
7. Click all right.

   GeneralizationState and CleanupState keys

8. If there are none CleanupState key, don’t worry, just edit the GeneralizationState Key.
9. Run sysprep again.

Solution 3: Uninstall MSDTC

If the problem cannot be fixed even after changing the GeneralizationState key value, you need to uninstall MSDTC and then reinstall it. Here’s how:

1. Press Windows key + X. and select Command Prompt (Admin) from the list to open a command prompt with elevated privileges.
2. Type the following and press Enter:
3. This will uninstall the service. Now type the following to reinstall it:
   

   Reinstall MSDTC

4. This will reinstall the service. Run sysprep again.