Universal Ghost Image with XP

[dreddnet]

I work at a dental school where we have over 400 computers to manage. We currently have ghost images for each type of computer for example Dell GX270's and Gateway E-4100's. Is it possible to create a working universal ghost image for any PC without too many issues. I know you can use SysPrep to remove the hardware configuration, but what if they have different Mass Storage devices? The PCs will all be running Windows XP Pro if that will make things easier. I have seen these Universal Image Utilities out there, but the cost is more than we are willing to pay at this time. Do I have any other options?

Thanks!

 

[Jump1ng]

Whats wrong with ghosting new machines? As long as you keep buying the same models ghosting is a good way of doing things.

If you keep to the same brand like Dell for instance even if they change to GX280 most of the internal stuff is the same so in theory your ghost image should work. With the help of sysprep it should work fine.

If you buy loads of diffrent brands with diffrent hard ware in them you might want to look at the unattend setup option which basically automate the windows install for you with software as well if you would like to.

http://unattended.msfn.org/

Look on url for more information on creating your windows install cd


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Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

 

[mwiner]

The problem that you are going to run into when trying to 1 ghost image on differenet types of machine is an invalid HAL. In this situation Ghost is not the way to go. Like Jump1ng said check out that site. Create an unattended installation of Windows. I use one CD here and I can install windows XP on 3 different types of desktops and 3 different types of laptops. You just have to incorporate the drivers, etc. That site will show you how to create an unattended CD. But From there the best thing would be setup a RIS server. Which you could have your machine connect to a server and install Windows over the network.

Creating an unattended installation is not something you are going to complete overnight. It takes some time to figure out how you want the CD to run, all the drivers, service packs, and other software.

My unatteneded CD installs Windows XP with SP1 slipstreamed, all the hotfixes up to yesterday, WMP9, Adobe Acrobat, virus scanner, MS Office, and a bunch of other stuff.

And this can all be done with RIS as well.

Good luck!

 

[dreddnet]

Right when we purchase new PCs we try to get similar to what we already have. But do have some odd ball older ones that we would like to use the same Ghost image for rather than having to manually install Windows and the apps. But if the hardware is much older than what we created the image with, will it work? I've always heard the mass storage controller is the main culprit to issues.

 

[Jump1ng]

Well you really need to have an image for each diffrent hard ware just to be on the safe side.

Sometimes if you just set the pc to use the bog down standard MS hard drive controller drive you can get round this problem and manage to boot up an image created on a diffrent type of hard ware then to what you are using now.

The good thing with ghosting is that your apps will be there as well.

Before you restore a ghost image to a machine with an image of a machine already on the network you need to change the SID or you will have problems.



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Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.

 

[mwiner]

mass storage controller and the HAL is what is going to give you the issues.

I would highly recommend unattened installation. As it is not a image of the machine, but rather a full install and would get rid of any driver and HAL issues and you can support more machines then you know what to do with FULLY unattended. I currently do not use RIS, I use a CD. I put the CD in the machine I walk away, when I come back everything is done.

If you decided to go with Ghost then you need to include the mass storage drivers for all the different types in the mini-install portion.

YOU MUST USE SYSPREP!!!! Sysprep will allow for multiple mass storage drivers and will make sure the SID is changed.

check out:

http://students.fct.unl.pt/~cer09566/files/cloning/cloning.html

 

[dreddnet]

I'll take a look at that unattended install cd, but from glancing over parts of it, it will take me a while to get set up. Looks complicated...

Thanks for the help!

 

[deamar4]

i am trying to create one image for optiplex pc's from 150-280. Is there a way to create one image? I have ghost, I plan to use sysprep, and have already bundled my apps and created my images for every different optiplex platform. Before I started sending images out i had hoped to get past the HAL problem and go with one image for laptops and one image for desktops. Is this possible?