Re: Imaging Operating Systems

[Sam Sharpe <sam () fireburst co uk>]

On 26 May 2004, at 19:55, Michael Schaefer wrote:
> I keep hearing suggestions about having a "clean image" to transfer 
> onto the computer.
> Is there an official Microsoft way to do this?

two methods:

1) Unattended Install (link is for a CD based version, we do it from a 
network install server)
http://www.pureperformance.com/js/showtip.asp?id=136

2) Install the machine, ghost it with Symantec Ghost, install spyware 
trojans etc and then when you've finished, write over it with a clean 
Ghost image again.
http://www.symantec.com/ghost/

> Is some sort of over the network OS installation script in order here?

We have a complete unattended installation setup for Windows 2000/XP 
that will install every piece of standard software, based on some info 
in our central db about the machine. Walk up to the machine, PXE boot 
it, hit yes a couple of times and then walk away for an hour. Come back 
and you have a complete system. We have something like 17000 machines. 
You probably don't.

> Are there other vendors that do a better job?

For a single machine, Ghost is easier (or for multiple identical 
machines you can use ghost multicast) for a wide variety of hardware 
and installs, the network installation method is better.

--
Sam
sam () fireburst co uk

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