Sysprep And A Common Image

[un4given1]

Here's a link to a post I did some time ago that will tell you exactly how to do it...

http://bink.nu/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=1684

Hope it's OK that I posted a link from another forum. If need be I will post the whole thing here... Good luck.

[Incroyable HULK]

Looks like a fine tutorial to me but there is one important step missing:

How do you launch the installation on the client???

[un4given1]

To launch the client you would enable PXE boot (Boot to Network) on the client. During boot you will be prompted to "Press F12" or maybe something else, depending on your BIOS maker. And there you go... You should get the Client Installation Wizard screens.

[Incroyable HULK]

that's it? Cool! I wanna try this

So there is a broadcast on the network from the RIS server...

[un4given1]

When you press F12, it requests an IP address from the DHCP server (RIS). Once they communicate it launches the Client Installation Wizard screens on the PC. After you log in and make your selections it just as you put in a Windows XP disk. It can be compeltely customized just as a Windows XP disk can.

[Incroyable HULK]

You should get the Client Installation Wizard screens.

Do you have a screenshot of this? Can we customize this screen?

EDIT: OK! Thanks! We have posted at the same time...

[un4given1]

Yes, you can customize the CIW screens. They are written in a special HTML and have an .OSC extension. Off the top of my head I can't remember where exactly they are held, but I will let you know in a few.

[Incroyable HULK]

There is a lot of informations on the Microsoft Website... just type RIS in the search engine.

I have found this screenshot:

[un4given1]

The screens are completely customizable... That's just the standard screen. I'll see if I can fish up some of my old screens.

[BeenThereB4]

Rather than looking at methods that have become outdated and are not really what the original question was about, look into this:

Universal Imaging Utility

Check out the "Universal Imaging Utility" for current solutions to this problem. Had this product been available before, most of us would have saved a lifetime's worth of effort refining our unattended installs. I wasted many an hour with sysprep before I learned that it alone was not up to the job. As for RIS, it reminds me of (booting) WinPE, in this sense: If I had that much time to kill waiting, it would be a great product. As always YMMV.

[un4given1]

I'm done argueing with you all about RIS. Beleive what you would like. Honestly, unless you have worked in a corporate environment with thousands of computers I don't believe you are in a position to make a suggestion on this. (not saying you don't, but if you don't then...) Good luck.

[BeenThereB4]

Honestly, unless you have worked in a corporate environment with thousands of computers I don't believe you are in a position to make a suggestion on this.

I have worked in this exact situation. The solution that we settled on (after years trying and retrying everything) was imaging combined with multicasting. But I would still be more than willing to look into any suggestion. I value creativity, efficiency, new approaches and present ability over past glories.

[Radimus]

I have about 2000 clients (laptop and desktop) in 12 main offices and 5 or 6 satellite offices.

An image spanned on CDs that is bootable can be mailed even to teleworkers or remote offices without IT staff, and a phonecall to the central helpdesk can then remote to the newly imaged PC for naming and joining.

5 or 10 minutes of the client's time, and 5 minutes of a tech's time for remote control, and the user can work again... (the logon script handles the details of desktop icons, AV updates, outlook configuration, custom apps that only specific users get, as well as any updates that haven't been rolled up on the latest image

In any case, we seem to have lost the original poster with his question regarding imaging and sysprep...

[un4given1]

If you are looking for speed then certainly RIS may not be the best option... but if you are looking for stability, image size, and easy updatability then it's a viable option. Just to give you an idea of how I set it up before...

When you would start a PC and log in you would choose either "By Position" or "Manual Selection" If you choose "By Position" it would give you a list of positions within the company and when you selected it the image would begin. It would install all of the programs that position required and configure them. If you choose "Manual Selection" you could go through every software package available and choose the version you wanted to install, or if you wanted to install it at all. There was also an option to run a Recovery Console from the RIS server. Since the RIS Client is already authenticated to the server there is no need to worry about your passwords being burnt onto a disk, it's all secure with RIS.

I know there are other options out there, but for me this is one of the most secure. Also, there is no need to give out passwords to your builders so that they can add it to the domain, RIS does that for you. There are many ways to run RIS, including the ability to pre-prep machines using MAC address.... but you can also choose not to require pre-prep instead allowing user choice. (obviously I went with the last) Of course, RIS alone (as any other UA option) isn't enough... you have to know how to create packages, unattend other programs, use batch script... RIS is just another media for your Unattended Windows XP cds (works with server editions too)

[BeenThereB4]

Just a little further information on the Universal Imaging Utility:

Dear XXXX,

In the past, you have dealt with Binary Research because of your interest in Ghost, the software cloning utility. Regardless of whether you use Ghost, PowerQuest, RapiDeploy or some other cloning solution, you should look at a new product being offered by BRI, called the Universal Imaging Utility.

The biggest frustration for many users of cloning software is the inability to create a Master Image that is usable on all the computers in their environment. A Windows image created on one hardware platform cannot be ghosted to a different hardware platform. Blue screens pop up, HALs are not compatible, IDE Controllers don't work, Plug-and-Play IDs for components are missing, etc. Now, that has all changed. Welcome to the next evolution in disk imaging - easy Universal Imaging.

BRI is pleased to present our new Universal Imaging Utility - a software application that will allow you to create a single Master Image for Windows 2000 or Window XP that will work cleanly on all your hardware platforms - both desktops and laptops.

We understand your doubt. For years we thought it couldn't be done either. This unique utility works in less than five minutes on your model machine. The result is an image that is usable on any computer.

To learn more about the UIU and to download a full functional evaluation copy, visit our web site at www.binaryresearch.net.

Binary Research developed the very first imaging program (ghost) (which delighted me no end at the time) and apparently retains a right to sell the dos version. I have no connection with the company.