Imaging Multiple Computers to disks

[kkullot]

I am having a problem that I can seem to figure out by going to the web.

I have multiple computers(laptops and desktops) that I would like to have an image of. I would like to have all hardware configurations, hotfixes, software, etc installed. That way when I need to rebuild a PC I only have to put in the cd and it will reinstall all of the basic items I want.
I created an Unattended file and the hotfixes appear to be installing, but I would like to go further.
Does someone have a step by step way to set this all up?

My biggest problem is what program to use to put all the information on a cd or dvd to run off of.

Thanks for any help. I have been trying to figure this out for sometime now.

 

[bcastner]

I really like Acronis True Image:

http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/ATICW/

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Users Helping Users

 

[linney]

It sounds like you are describing Imaging software which allows you to make a backup (exact image) of each hard drive partition on a machine, and then restore that Image in case of a failure or crash?

Image for Windows

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/imagew.html

There is a lot of similar software around on the Web for you to check out. The above serves me well, but a lot of people here like software from Acronis.

Imaging problem
thread779-1100209

 

[kkullot]

Yes. I have multiple computers of the same brand but not the same model. I would like to create one image for all models. Will Acronis tell me how to do this?

 

[bcastner]

Acronis Universal and Snap Deploy

http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/snapdeploy/

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Users Helping Users

 

[kkullot]

I found out that with Acronis you have to buy one for each pc that I image. So if I have 10 different pcs I have to get one for each one. Really adds up the cost.

 

[bcastner]

I do not know of an imaging program with the capabilities of Ghost, or Acronis, .etc that does not have similar licensing terms.



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Users Helping Users

 

[kkullot]

Do I need to buy a license for each machine or what?

 

[linney]

Maybe they have options similar to these?

Additional Licenses Available:

http://www.terabyteunlimited.com/purchimgw.html

Of course if you settle for Microsoft's "Automated System Restore" then the your Licenses are already purchased via the fact that it is part of XP. As was mentioned in one of the links in my previous post, ASR will require a separate partition to work, that does not mean that the backup image file cannot be then copied from that extra partition to another source such as a USB drive or DVD, or even CD (with zipping and spanning etc.).

 

[cindylee]

Symantec's Livestate Recovery ( formerly PowerQuest's V2i Protector) is pretty slick