XP -> win7 upgrade deployment/gpo woes 2

[Leozack]

Hi all - I'm still struggling to get my head round how to do what we currently do with XP but in win7.

Deployments :
Install XP volume with volume key -> setup drivesr/software -> sysprep minisetup reseal -> ghostcast to pcs -> run through minisetup no need for activation autojoined to domain

Policies :
All pcs get offline files off gpo -commputer/admin/network/offlinefiles (and clear cached roaming profiles)
OU with laptops has offline files on gpo (and not clear cached roaming profiles)

However under win7 I don't have volume media or keys that don't require activation, the machines that come from supplies say I can't sysprep them becaseu they're used max syspreps up (or I can only do it once), I don't know if ghostcasting can handle big win7 images (I know they want you to use DRS or whatever it is in 2008, the new RIS), and offline files are enabled on win7 clients even tuogh rsop reveals offline files off gpo is received and set. Offline files management sceren on win7 has the 'disable offline files' button greyed out even as domain admin!

Some of these problems may be worse because of 2003 servers, others may still exist with 2008 servers.

Any thoughts? :/

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

You will need to use WDS to remotely deploy Win 7

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771670(WS.10).aspx

Your AD schema on Win2K3 will need updating from a windows 2008 install disc.



ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[Leozack]

WDS requires server2008 which as stated isn't present in some sites :/

Also WDS is the replacement for RIS really - not for an imaging based solution which is what I'm used to and fits the scenarios better. The challenge then is to find how to sysprep & image win7, rather than WDS which just deploys WIMs (though both require some way to not have to activate all the machines vis volume media/keys or whatever)

Upgrading the AD scheme to 2008 seems a little harsh but if it can be done on 2003 without issues then that's plausible.

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I beleive WDS can be installed on Win2K3

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766320(WS.10).aspx

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[Leozack]

Hmmm I'm sure I tried that actually when I first attempted a win7 deployment with 2003 server. Tried to get a sysprep'd image going and stuff. I don't remember why it went horribly wrong but I do remembering finding sysprep telling me I couldn't sysprep anymore because I'd already done it 3 times or something (I'd done it once) so I had to start on a different machine as master working from factory defaults again. I think I might've avoided WDS in order to stick to imaging where I can deploy lots at the same time. I mean if you have a ghost image ready it's only 5-20m usually to have a machine abck to the image state. Deploying installation images with WDS feels like trying to deploy with RIS again which isn't what I'd be after :/ Though if win7 really doesn't like imaging then maybe I'm stuck with it. That still leaves me with which media to use, keys/avoidance-of-activation, and then when deployed the need (apaprently) of a 2008 server regardless in order to get proper control of win7 via GPOs, since it seems things lik eoffline files don't control win7 anymore without the new GPOs Why they couldn't make fully functioning XP GPOs migrate to being win7 supporting too I dunno ><

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[linney]

automate setup of software on 20 new win 7 pc's
thread1726-1643725

 

[Leozack]

Hm thanks for the link but unfortunately the first link on that thread is dead.
The second one (

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349348(WS.10).aspx)

may be useful though. Say it applies to win7 and server 2008 though it may work with 2003 if you just need WDS and if WDS goes on 2003 ok. I'm just not sure "installing" accross the network is going to work as well as imaging, or be as small to store as a fast-compressed ghost image. Or as quick to deploy (ok almost certain it won't as it has to deal with loads of little files not just extracting one big one). Maybe i'm just paranoid of changing how I do it, but to me those would seem legitimate problems.
As does what I'm supposed to do with win7 clients ignoring 2003 GPO settings. Tried installing RAS on a win7 client today but still didn't get given win7 policies (or at least the offline files one I think I need "disable the use of the offline files feature" wasn't there, though the old xp "disable the use of the offline files folder" was but none of those effect win7 it seems?)

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);

 

[flyboytim]

You can check the Remaining Windows rearm count using the following command.

slmgr /dlv

However, you can prevent sysprep/generalize using up the rearms with the following method:

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/w7itproinstall/thread/f8c7833b-58f0-43b4-a93a-b1a1689ecaf5)[/URL]]After you exhaust your rearm count (three rearms) you can no longer perform further rearms.

Sysprep /generalize will also show error.

The best approach is to start with a new image.

If you plan to perform sysprep /generalize for more than three times, you should run sysprep with unattend.xml answer file, for example:

sysprep /generalize /oobe /unattend:F:\unattend.xml

unattend.xml should contain:

<settings pass="generalize">
<component name="Microsoft-Windows-Security-SPP">
<SkipRearm>1</SkipRearm>
</component>

http://www.fxxxingcomputers.co.uk

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

try this sysprep guide for win7

http://theitbros.com/sysprep-a-windows-7-machine-–-start-to-finish

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[Leozack]

That's a great article there, unfortunately I'm just starting another rollout of win7 netbooks by installing vanilla 7 and updating sp1 and adding some software. But I can try and do the sysprep stuff the way it recommends. What I'd like to know is how to get it to automatically join a domain? This was what I did with the XP syspre file - the only thing it asked for while running minisetup was the pcname - everything else was unattended including joining the domain.

_________________________________
Leozack

MakeUniverse($infinity,1,42);