diff --git a/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix b/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix
index b9456ea..b883d89 100644
--- a/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix
+++ b/lib/images/windows/templates/generalize.nix
@@ -225,19 +225,47 @@ in
     # Fires at the real account's first logon (HKLM RunOnce = next user to log
     # on), i.e. after the reboot below, once the bootstrap is no longer in use.
     Set-ItemProperty 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce' `
-      -Name vmixUserCleanup -Value 'cmd /c C:\vmix-user-cleanup.cmd' -Type String
+      -Name vmixFinalize -Value 'cmd /c C:\vmix-finalize.cmd' -Type String
   '';
 
-  # Runs once as the real account (RunOnce, after the hand-over reboot): retire
-  # the bootstrap account and its profile, and apply the per-user desktop tint
-  # (which the bootstrap ran against on the first boot, before this account
-  # existed). Bootstrap is idle here, so its profile is safe to remove.
-  userCleanupScript = pkgs.writeText "vmix-user-cleanup.cmd" ''
+  # Runs once as the real account (RunOnce, after the hand-over reboot), so the
+  # fresh machine SID and the real profile already exist. This is where activation
+  # belongs -- on that fresh SID, not the throwaway bootstrap's. It then finishes
+  # per-user setup, retires the bootstrap, unmounts the config CD for good, and
+  # wipes every vmix artifact off C:\ so the running machine carries no leftover
+  # setup files. Self-deletes last.
+  finalizeScript = pkgs.writeText "vmix-finalize.cmd" ''
     @echo off
+    :: 1) Activate Windows on the real account's fresh SID (TSforge, offline).
+    cscript //nologo C:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /ipk M7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D
+    cscript //nologo C:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /rilc
+    net stop sppsvc /y 2>nul
+    net start sppsvc
+    ping -n 8 127.0.0.1 >nul
+    if exist C:\MAS_AIO.cmd ( echo. | call C:\MAS_AIO.cmd /Z-Windows )
+    if exist "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\root\Office16\WINWORD.EXE" (
+      if exist C:\MAS_AIO.cmd ( echo. | call C:\MAS_AIO.cmd /Ohook )
+    )
+    :: 2) Per-user desktop tint, now that the real account is logged in.
+    powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\vmix-apply-config.ps1 >nul 2>&1
+    :: 3) Retire the bootstrap account and its profile (idle now).
     powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Get-CimInstance Win32_UserProfile | Where-Object { $_.LocalPath -like '*\${username}' } | Remove-CimInstance -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue"
     net user ${username} /delete >nul 2>&1
-    powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\vmix-apply-config.ps1 >nul 2>&1
-    del /q C:\vmix-user-cleanup.cmd 2>nul
+    :: 4) Unmount the config CD and keep it unmounted -- drop its letter and stop
+    ::    the mount manager auto-lettering it (D: keeps its explicit assignment).
+    powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Command "Get-CimInstance Win32_Volume -Filter 'DriveType=5 AND DriveLetter IS NOT NULL' | ForEach-Object { $_.DriveLetter=$null; [void]($_ | Set-CimInstance) }"
+    > C:\Windows\Temp\vmix-am.txt echo automount disable
+    >> C:\Windows\Temp\vmix-am.txt echo automount scrub
+    diskpart /s C:\Windows\Temp\vmix-am.txt >nul 2>&1
+    del /q C:\Windows\Temp\vmix-am.txt 2>nul
+    :: 5) Wipe every vmix setup artifact from C:\.
+    del /q C:\MAS_AIO.cmd C:\vmix-config.ps1 C:\vmix-data-initialized 2>nul
+    del /q C:\vmix-load-config.cmd C:\vmix-apply-config.ps1 C:\vmix-create-user.ps1 2>nul
+    del /q C:\vmix-init-data-disk.cmd C:\vmix-data-profile.cmd C:\vmix-heal-profile.ps1 2>nul
+    del /q C:\vmix-static-ip.cmd C:\vmix-static-ip.ps1 2>nul
+    del /q C:\oobe-unattend.xml C:\post-oobe.cmd 2>nul
+    :: 6) Self-delete.
+    (goto) 2>nul & del "%~f0"
   '';
 
   # Thin launcher, so the scheduled task has a cmd to point at.
@@ -513,6 +541,7 @@ in
     powershell -Command "Get-AppxPackage *MicrosoftEdgeDevToolsClient* | Remove-AppxPackage -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue"
 
 
+    ${lib.optionalString (!configMedium) ''
     :: Re-install product key and licenses to restore activation IDs after sysprep
     cscript //nologo C:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /ipk M7XTQ-FN8P6-TTKYV-9D4CC-J462D
     cscript //nologo C:\Windows\System32\slmgr.vbs /rilc
@@ -531,6 +560,9 @@ in
       )
     )
     del /q C:\MAS_AIO.cmd 2>nul
+    ''}
+    :: configMedium: activation is deferred to the boot-2 finalize, so it runs
+    :: on the real account's fresh SID. MAS_AIO.cmd is kept for it until then.
 
     ${lib.optionalString enableRDP ''
     :: Enable RDP
@@ -556,7 +588,7 @@ in
     powercfg /hibernate off
     ''}
 
-    ${lib.optionalString (staticIP != null || configMedium) ''
+    ${lib.optionalString (staticIP != null && !configMedium) ''
     :: This VM's only NIC sits on a macvtap bridged to the host's LAN, so its
     :: address is a LAN address that nothing hands out -- the guest asserts it.
     :: Registered to run at every boot rather than applied here. OOBE runs in
@@ -568,10 +600,20 @@ in
     schtasks /create /tn "vmix-static-ip" /tr "C:\vmix-static-ip.cmd" /sc onstart /ru SYSTEM /rl HIGHEST /f > nul 2>&1
     ''}
 
-    ${lib.optionalString (dataDisk != null) ''
+    ${lib.optionalString configMedium ''
+    :: configMedium (sealed images) run OOBE on the real target NIC, so the
+    :: address is set here once and left in the persistent store -- it survives
+    :: reboots on its own, no per-boot task and no script left on disk. Runs on
+    :: this bootstrap boot so the real account is already reachable on boot 2.
+    powershell -NoProfile -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File C:\vmix-static-ip.ps1 > C:\Windows\Temp\vmix-static-ip.log 2>&1
+    ''}
+
+    ${lib.optionalString (dataDisk != null && !configMedium) ''
     :: Ensures D: is assigned on every boot -- the image ships without a
     :: persisted letter for the data disk -- and heals a profile that went
     :: temporary before D: was ready. Onstart / SYSTEM, like the address task.
+    :: configMedium does not need this: the letter persists via MountedDevices
+    :: in the overlay after the first boot, so there is nothing to re-assert.
     schtasks /create /tn "vmix-data-profile" /tr "C:\vmix-data-profile.cmd" /sc onstart /ru SYSTEM /rl HIGHEST /f > nul 2>&1
     ''}
 
@@ -727,7 +769,7 @@ in {
       { source = loadConfigScript; dest = "/vmix-load-config.cmd"; }
       { source = applyConfigScript; dest = "/vmix-apply-config.ps1"; }
       { source = createUserScript; dest = "/vmix-create-user.ps1"; }
-      { source = userCleanupScript; dest = "/vmix-user-cleanup.cmd"; }
+      { source = finalizeScript; dest = "/vmix-finalize.cmd"; }
     ]
     ++ lib.optionals (staticIP != null || configMedium) [
       { source = staticIPScript; dest = "/vmix-static-ip.cmd"; }