Need Help with Package Manager & Driver Updates

[jrs2008]

Hello everyone, first time poster on this forum! I work for an OEM that does large number of systems (notebook and desktop) per month, however we only recently decided to switch from Ghost server to windows deployment services. I have setup a Windows deployment server (2003) and been testing using imagex and the WAIK 1.1 tools. Creating WIM images is not a problem.

What we want to do now is update drivers on offline images. Package Manager is what we are supposed to use but I am a little confused on how to do it or the best procedure, and if it only works with Vista. Instead of explaining what little I know, I thought I would describe out ideal scenaro.

1- We create multiple custom images on our image server (we have a lot of different images and usually create one for each PC model and for each edition of XP and Vista. We could easily have 50+ current images)

2- Every couple weeks we check for driver updates. Let say we discover several of our notebok models use same video and audio driver and these need updating.

3- Use package manager to add these drivers to the WIM images so whent he image is applied to new system it will automaticlly be updated when we boot the new PC for testing (before running sysprep /generalize /oobe)

This is where we need help. I think we need to create answer file using offline servicing pass, but not certain which components to add on this pass or if we need to create a different answer file for every edition of the OS and every time we need an update. I don't want to spend more time trying to service all these images offline if I can update them faster online and then recapture the image. Also worried becasue Technet says if it is done wrong it can corrupt the image.

Also many of these drivers are packaged (.exe) drivers. Since the drivers need to be raw OEM drivers, I heard there is a way to "strip" these out to get them in the right format. Any recommendations on how to do this?

Thanks for any feedback, I feel like such a noob with this stuff.

[jrs2008]

So no one here has used package manager or has experience adding driver updates to Vista / XP wim files? I would apreciate hearing from someone who is doing it and what method they use. Thanks.

[MAVERICKS CHOICE]

So no one here has used package manager or has experience adding driver updates to Vista / XP wim files? I would apreciate hearing from someone who is doing it and what method they use. Thanks.

Probably stating the obvious but have you looked Here