Following the release of this month"s optional non-security updates, Microsoft published a notification about Windows 10 version 22H2 having a hard time completing preparations using Sysprep.exe (System Preparation Tool). Affected systems receive a 0x80073cf2 error due to issues with the status of a Microsoft Edge package.
If you have no idea what Sysprep.exe is, do not worry. The problem only affects IT Admins using Sysprep.exe in Audit mode to create a generalized image of a Windows installation, which can later be used on multiple computers. In a nutshell, Sysprep.exe is a tool that allows for deploying Windows on numerous PCs while ensuring consistency across systems.
While Microsoft is working on a resolution, it offered a temporary fix for the affected systems with the following error:
Sysprep was not able to validate your Windows installation. Review the log file at %WINDIR%\system32\Sysprep\Panther\setupact.log for details. After resolving the issue, use Sysprep to validate your installation again.”
IT Admins can verify if their computers are affected by checking the setupact.log file for the following message:
SYSPRP Package Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge was installed for a user, but not provisioned for all users. This package will not function properly in the sysprep SYSPRP Failed to remove apps for the current user: 0x80073cf2
The suggested workaround involves executing a few commands in elevated PowerShell. You can check out the complete guide in a document published on the Microsoft Support website. A future Windows update will offer a permanent fix that will not require extra actions. Again, regular users should not worry about this problem since the Sysprep.exe tool is not something people use on their home systems.
