Recommendations for boot image software

[tookawhile]

We have several 'test and build PCs' for software development which need booting. Currently I use a boot floppy which has the NIC card drivers on it and then it goes and grabs the saved image from our server.This was created using an old version of PowerQuest Drive Image 2002 - works great.

I now have the problem that the new PCs we have do not have a floppy so I need to something that can create simple boot environment from CDROM/DVD, load the NIC drivers (and have the ability to add others)and then prompt for a path to grab and image from - can anybody recommend any software for this?

I tried Barts's boot tools (

http://www.nu2.nu/bootcd/aboutdd/)

and it didn't quite do what I want, great if you want to boot from CDROM and installing XP with SPs and the such like - but I'm looking for more of a shrink wrap solution.

 

[rvnguy]

I would just upload your floppy image to a CD as this has been reliable in the past, why change. Unless you require other capabilities which you did not specify.

rvnguy
"I know everything..I just can't remember it all

 

[tookawhile]

Copying the floppy image to CD doesn't work as it will not know how to boot from CD, only from floppy.

We create images via booting from the floppy (currently) so we have a perfect copy of the drive contents - another option I cannot use is to laod the 'Image Software' ont the PC as this technically alters the base image.

I might tried fiddling around with DOS and then try and make a boot CD.

 

[G0AOZ]

If these new machines no longer have a floppy drive, maybe they'll boot from a USB device? Flash drive or small external HDD?

ROGER - G0AOZ.

 

[bhartnett]

We've used rtt drive image with some success and it's only $50. It has an ISO you can burn to cd for boot use. It works with most server software, but like all these tools, if you want something that's going to have RAID support you'll need something in the $800 range.