sysprep with different chipsets?

[Rob325]

I'm trying to determine the best route for our corporate desktop build. It's win2k and has an absoloute load of little registry tweaks, apps etc. which would make a full unattended install too slow (probably) and fairly complex (but i don't mind creating it if necessary)

Sysprepped ghost would be the fastest install, but we have about 6 desktops and 4 laptops mostly by different manufacturers.

Concentrating on the desktops, the main models are intel 845/865/915 , single processor, variable disks from 20gb to 60gb or so.

I have read that sysprep doesn't work with different HALs - and the main question is: is the HAL dependant on the motherboard chipset?

Ultimately what I'm asking is can i use an unattended sysprepped build (with all the drivers added into $oem$ / oempnpdriverspath etc on those 3 models of motherboard?

My goals are:

1) speed and simplicity of reimaging desktop for field engineers

2) ease of build maintenance for me (one big build with all drivers)

3) compliant with M$ policy (at the moment we use cloned images not sysprepped - not the ideal soln. (don't laugh!))

HDD config isn't a problem - we don't use a lot of local space, so i can configure the setup for the smallest drive and just waste space on the bigger ones no worries there.

Thanks and sorry if this has been answered before repeatedly, I've done some searching and there appear to be conflicting answers.

Rob

[Bilou_Gateux]

Sysprep

follow dclive recommandations:

1. Image PCs with the same HAL. Every time you get a new PC type, build it manually and figure out what the HAL is.

machines that show the same thing under Device Manager's COMPUTER icon will work fine with the same image.

and more infos about:

Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) detection

and MSFT KB article:

HAL options after Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 Setup

Edited September 1, 2005 by Bilou_Gateux

[Rob325]

thanks

I've also found out that sysprep requires the same storage controller types - so presumably wouldn't work between an IDE and SATA......

[InTheWayBoy]

I think I have a RIPrep image, which is similar, that works on either an IDE or SATA drive...support for both is built-in no matter what, so that might be a problem if it isn't on yours.

Another tip...Hyperthreading. Any chip that has Hyperthreading, or Dual Cores, will fall under the MultiCPU HAL, where as a Non-Hyperthreading CPU with still be a SingleCPU HAL. That was an issue with my RIS images...might be giving you grief as well.

[Nepali]

the main thing is whether ur PC

is standard or ACPI, uniprocessor , or multi

so if differs

imaging process fails

[Takeshi]

thanks

I've also found out that sysprep requires the same storage controller types - so presumably wouldn't work between an IDE and SATA......

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It's possible to go from IDE to SCSI so perhaps also SATA, by manually adding the drivers in the

[sysprepMassStorage]

section in sysprep.inf.

[Rob325]

thanks for that guys - I'm going to go the full unattended install route for the field engineers to use, and create a per-machine sysprep image to mail off to the pc supplier who preimage at factory