|  | Preparing a Reference Computer Configuring a Reference Computer
A reference computer contains the hard disk configuration that will be replicated to the target computers. This configuration can include not only the operating system, but also retail and in-house applications, and network and computer settings. When you configure the reference computer, be sure that you have logged on by using the built-in Administrator account. Configure a reference computer by performing the following steps: Install Windows XP Professional. Install Windows XP Professional on a clean computer. A "clean" installation means that Windows XP Professional is installed on a newly formatted hard disk. Configure components and settings. These are the settings that will represent the new computer configuration. The configuration can include everything from the appearance of the desktop to the installation of printers.
| Note: Always verify that all configuration settings are appropriate for all users who will install the image. If only a portion of users need a particular setting or application, use two images created by using Sysprep.exe, or use an answer file and a UDF.