Single Image Hardware Independent Operating System Independent Deploym

[Metzen]

Forget hardware independent imaging, this is hardware / OS independent imaging. Want to image XP Pro to a dual, dual-core AND a single core from a single image? What about the same with Tablet and Media Center? From a single image?!

It's possible!

HOW TO:

1) Make a OPK share (usually OPKTOOLS)

2) Make a CFGSET and set it to be able to do Media Center / Tablet (use a Media Center 2005 CD's and combine the two CD's) IF possible. (optionalsources=YES under [WINPE] in Winbom.ini)

3) Boot a VM into WinPE and use the Winbom.ini created by the CFGSET to copy all the necessary files over. Once that's done the system should reboot, go back into WinPE immediantely.

4) Kill FACTORY.EXE upon entering WinPE *IF* it's going to "Install Configuration Set"

5) Make an IMAGE of the hard disk and call this "VIRGIN" (or clean or blank or whatever).

6) Copy out winnt.sif located in the $WIN_NT.~BT$ folder to a network share. Within this one single file is the product key that determines what version of Windows you are going to have (Pro, Tablet or Media Center --> as far as I know [but haven't tried] this will not work for HOME).

7) You can now image a machine with the VIRGIN image and then copy over a WINNT.SIF to $WIN_NT$.~BT that has the proper product key using WinPE and FIRM. Since this is before the blue text-mode setup it is hardware independent and Windows will automatically configure itself for the number of processors it can support automatically. As well, because it's before the GUI mode configures itself via the product key, changing the WINNT.SIF file will change the type of Windows it will install itself as!

Single Image Hardware Independent Operating System Independent Deployment (SIHIOSID)

Boom baby!

One Image to Rule them All!

[brainstane]

I do this to deploy windows occasionally as well..mainly for windows 2000. Only difference being is that I kick off unattended installs from within BartPe and then ghost them from within the same session. I mainly do 2000 as hotfixes aren't really being released as frequently and are quickly picked up with windows update. Also, most drivers are already as new as they're going to get for 2K.

The only disadvantage of this method (toe me) is the above. The builds become"dated" when new service packs and drivers arrive . No way to update svcpack.inf or slipsteam new fixes\drivers when they arrive without creating a new image. If the builds could somehow be "peeled apart" and new hotfixes\drivers applied it would be THE way of deploying windows...much the way that WIM files work.

[Metzen]

I do this to deploy windows occasionally as well..mainly for windows 2000. Only difference being is that I kick off unattended installs from within BartPe and then ghost them from within the same session. I mainly do 2000 as hotfixes aren't really being released as frequently and are quickly picked up with windows update. Also, most drivers are already as new as they're going to get for 2K.

The only disadvantage of this method (toe me) is the above. The builds become"dated" when new service packs and drivers arrive . No way to update svcpack.inf or slipsteam new fixes\drivers when they arrive without creating a new image. If the builds could somehow be "peeled apart" and new hotfixes\drivers applied it would be THE way of deploying windows...much the way that WIM files work.

You could continue to use WinPE to "winbom.ini" the configuration set over, thus you wouldn't need to remake the image for each Windows or driver update. The advantage to the above is the speed of imaging is faster than using winbom.ini from within WinPE to copy the image over (about 5mins for the image vs. 15mins for copying the configuration set).

[JuMz]

(optionalsources=YES under [WINPE] in Winbom.ini)

I have been using the OPK for a while to do normal network installs for months. For the life of me, I could not get it to install MCE / TPC correctly. You are my hero for telling me the above! Thanks!

Edited August 3, 2006 by JuMz

[imaster]

I use a product from multixpimage that works on numerous PC's. I have used it in a 1000+ PC environment that has 15 different PC models.