Help with imaging machines with XP

[dusthazard]

Hello all!

I work for a school division and we are interested in created images of XP + software already installed.

The problem is that we use OEM copies of XP and EACH MACHINE has a different Product Key.

My idea was to use a keyfinder, copy all the keys of the machines, and somehow change the key after a machine had been imaged with it's unique key. These tools would be on the desktop of the freshly imaged machine and we would delete them when finished. Then, we would activate Windows XP through the internet. (We're talking about REIMAGING machines that ALREADY have XP. The machines in our Labs are a mess.)

Then, my questions:

1) I was going to try MIDS. What do you all think?

http://g4u-mids.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/main.html

http://www.feyrer.de/g4u/

2) Are there other free imaging softwares? Acronis costs money, and I'm not sure if Remote Installation Services will work for us... I think, because of the amount of software we install and everything that needs to be done to each lab machine, imaging is the way to go.

3) Also, my idea above, is it legal?

4) Also, I have found the magical jellybean key finder, but what would I use to CHANGE the key to it's unique key on a freshly imaged system?

Thank you so much for your help. This would help me and the team out greatly!

-Dustin

[InTheWayBoy]

Never heard of MIDS, but it sounds interesting. Good for a small network, or maybe a mixed environment.

Personally, I like RIS. It's pretty sweet if you're in an all WinXP setting. Combine RIS with Group Policy software deployment, and you have a new machine from scratch (Not imaged) in about an hour. That's with Office, and all your other applications as well. That, and if your machines are PXE capable, then you don't need to bother with a boot CD, it's all over the network!

Granted, it involves a lot of time to test, but I think it's the best solution in the end. Especially if you already have a domain setup running 2003.

In regards to your CDKey question, I don't think there is an easy fix for this yet. I use a program called RockXP that will both view and edit the CDKey. I had this neat idea about customizing the RIS Menu's to insert the CDKey based on the GUID (PXE). The idea was to have the script check the GUID, then find that in a listing and apply the corresponding CDKey to the install. Never got around to it, but I think it'll work just fine.

[Takeshi]

Are all the machines similar/identical?

What sort of numbers are involved?

Simply restoring an image en mass won't do as all the SIDs will be identical.

With the OEM, the key has to match the one on the COA sticker.

Edited October 19, 2005 by Takeshi

[dhdan]

1. I haven't used g4u so I can't comment on it. As long as it's the same as ghost you should have no problem.

2. If you are going to use imaging you'll need to use sysprep to strip SID's and have the image run a mini-setup to detect if there is differences in hardware on each computer.

3. I don't think microsoft would provide instructions on doing this if it wasn't legal according to them...

4. See the following page for further info on changing your key and activating...

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechn...oy/wpadepl.mspx

If you have any other questions, let us know...

[InTheWayBoy]

If you are worried about SID's and don't wanna fumble with SysPrep, you should check out this:

NewSID

Made by the wonderful sysinternals crew, NewSID is a free GUI tool to help reset the SID in cloned machines.

[dusthazard]

All of you are awesome!

Thank you for the helpful information. I'll try to let you know how things go.

Also, here are the conditions:

1) The machines are identical.

2) Each have a unique copy of XP OEM installed already.

3) We want to image them because they are a mess (viruses, spyware, SP1, inconsistent software.)

4) Needs to be a network based image/RIS.

Again, with all of your clues, hopefully I can piece something together very soon.

Thank you!

-Dustin

[cluberti]

Assuming you have a Windows 2000 or 2003 AD, you can use RIS and RIPREP to make images of your machines. If they can PXE boot (or have a NIC on the rbfg), you can do everything over the network. Visit the Unattended Windows portion of this board for LOTS more info.