Diskcop / Imaging? 1

[bristolxyz]

I have about 40 XP workstations (New, in the box), I want to configure one of them the way I want for my network and then make exact copies for the rest of the machines. All machines are identical..

 

[wolluf]

Something like Ghost or Drive Image? Set up one - sysprep (or otherwise) set up for new SID & prepare for different machine, copy partition to image (on network or CD/DVD), use image to clone other 39. The enterprise version of ghost will let you multi-cast this process I believe, but I've only used the one at a time (if you copy the image before doing cloning, you can obviously do several at a time) - used Ghost2003 - method. Worked fine for 17 machines.

 

[bizzyb]

I use sysprep and Ghost to make an image and it works great. My only problem is that when I wanted to make copies of the image disk to send to remote sites, I could not get the disc copy to work. Does anyone know if it is possible to make a disc copy of a cloned image disc?

 

[wolluf]

bizzyb - how did you try copying the disk? (I would have thought using for example Nero's disk copy feature should do it - though I do know its very difficult (ie, impossible whan I tried) to copy an image created on disk to CD & then use that to restore (despite following all the faq about it on symantec's site) - so disk copy might have similar problems, though I've not tried it (but as am now intrigued, may just give it a go - I'll post back if I find anything interesting).

 

[antsoup]

I recommend Ghost, but not over the network...takes to long. create an actusl working image (hooked up to the domain and everything) then after all the patches and whatnot have been installed and you consider this drive "GOLD" remove it from the domain and into a workgroup, ghost it to either a network file or a file on another drive, then burn / span cd images of the file. after completing the ghosting add those systems to the domain and tweak.

I had about 60 to do in Oct. 2003 and could only do 3-4 at a time effictivly over the Lan.

Paulies

 

[bizzyb]

Wolluf : I used the Roxio Easy Cd Creator 5/CD Copier to make a disc copy. It has worked fine for all of my other disc copy needs, but not for copying an image disc. I will try Nero and see if I have any better luck. Otherwise, I guess I have to rerun the sysprep/Ghost procedure as many times as disc copies I will need.