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Every fortnight or so we get around 10-20 computers back from clients and we have to wipe them, restore to factory default, and then install a few select pieces of software. It's arduous and time-consuming to sit there with each computer individually and go through this process again and again and it can sometimes take up most of the day.

In my head the idea I have for a better system is that we have a server with a bunch of system images on, so we can stack up a load of computers and connect them to a switch. Then without having to plug in every peripheral into every computer, we can just turn them all on, go to the server and push a selected image to all the systems at the same time.

Sound like a simple, feasible idea? Well after looking for how to do this it turns out either it isn't or it's a well kept secret. Does anyone know (preferably from experience) the best way to do this? The computers (bar the server) will not be continuously connected to our network as we ship them off again once they're ready, so any solution that requires the machines to have any form of client software on is not what we're looking for.

Is it even doable without client software?

Further info:

  • Client comps use Windows XP
MadHatter
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Adam
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1 Answers1

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I use a combination of PXE, WDS and Clonezilla.

If you want to deploy XP from an image over a network then look at this link http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj648426.aspx +Pro

  • Drivers can be added to WDS server and applied only to the correct system
  • Images will deploy quickly over gigabit (our 60GB dev image takes sub 30 minutes from reboot to fully working system)
  • Taking images is semi automated
  • Once setup the user interface to deploy is nearly idiot proof
  • Answer files allow almost complete automation (Think language, key, location, disk partitions )

-Con

  • Takes a lot of work to get going, you need DHCP, and WDS service as a bare minimum to work on the server and the Windows Deployment Kit to make the deployment and master images
  • Answer files have cryptic manuals especially about locale settings

However you may find it quicker (to get setup) taking images with Clonezilla to a USB disk http://clonezilla.org

+Pro

  • A Clonezilla CD and a USB disk are all you need

-Con

  • Driver issues with windows where the master and the image are not the same hardware :(
  • Not the nicest of interfaces

Very important that you remember to sysprep the master computer just before you take the image or neither will do what you expect. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

Sam
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