Create an image from one win 7 computer.

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hen770

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Hi,

I have seven HP workstation Computers (win 7), i have put all the needed programs on one of them, and now i have two problems to solve.

1: i have some network shared drive on my network, but it seems that every time i am restart the computer i need to map them again, it's look like it disconnected.
Is there any Group Policy settings?

2: how to create the image, do i need to run sysprep, or just create an image file?
Also, if you know about a good software to create and put the image on the computers, don't be shay let me know about it.

Thanks.
Hanan.
 
Re:

1. "Disconnected" as in they are they gone? If they are part of a domain, you can have the network folders get remapped to the workstations through the logon script.

2. You can create a system image by going to Start - Run and in the Search Program and Files space type Backup. After the windows pops up, look on the right hand side for Create System Image. You will have the option to backup to a hard drive, DVD or network location.
 
onetech4all said:
1. "Disconnected" as in they are they gone? If they are part of a domain, you can have the network folders get remapped to the workstations through the logon script.

2. You can create a system image by going to Start - Run and in the Search Program and Files space type Backup. After the windows pops up, look on the right hand side for Create System Image. You will have the option to backup to a hard drive, DVD or network location.
Click to expand...

1: nope they aren't gone, but with a red X logo on them, which mean that i have to connect to every network share manually and type the Username @ password again.
Thse computers aren't part of a domain, just PTP network.
Is there a way to automate that proccess?

2: How can i put that image file on the other computers, is that create a bootable DVD?
And as far as i know the builtin software of windows is a backup software and such i isn't suppose to have a clean way to put that image on the other computers.
If those computers are gonna be on the same ptp network, they uave to have a different SID, and that backup software isn't gonna change it.

Thanks.
Hanan.
 
If you configured one computer and need to copy that to other computers you MUST sysprep.

Like mentioned previously....read up on stripping the SID's

Pretty easy though.
 
bytes said:
If you configured one computer and need to copy that to other computers you MUST sysprep.

Like mentioned previously....read up on stripping the SID's

Pretty easy though.
Click to expand...

Actually, the post was indicating that, unless in one case, you don't need to change sids and, in fact, if software is installed then sysprep doesn't change sids. Sysprepping should be used for other reasons though.
 
Definitely Sysprep... I usually also "Generalize" and have a custom Sysprep.xml file.

Really, why not setup a Domain?
 
Using Sysprep and Image X to image / deploy can be tedious and takes a lot of time to perfect.

And even if you sysprep you need a server to capture / deploy, unless you have another imaging software.

& If you have another imaging software + all the computers are the same hardware why not just use that?.. Get your reference computer you made with all the updates and programs, put it in a workgroup and image that computer.
Then just push that image to the other computers and rename / add to the domain again.

Sysprep is the best way to do it for large deployment with WDS but with windows 7 it takes a lot of effort.
Acronis is a good tool for imaging computers but its not free.
CloneZilla is free but not as user friendly.

If you need anymore help or advice PM me,

Az
 
MeDammit said:
I strongly suggest reading about SIDs first and then decide.

http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2009/11/03/3291024.aspx
Click to expand...

Thank for that article, very helpful and interesting to know.

i have actually imaged the system with an old Ghost that i have (without any sysprep as the article suggests).

but i need more robust solution, so i am still need an advice about a good software to create the image from the reference machine and to deploy that on systems.
there is an option at Win 7 that let me create an image backup of the system, is there a way to deploy that image on a clean HD of other system ?

Thanks.
 
I personally use a custom WinPE 3.0 that I made with imagex in it. I have a server that I take the HDD to, run ImageX to capture the image, copy the WIM to my PE folder and build the ISO. Then I have a bootable dvd that I can automatically deploy my images with (created a script to clean the HDD and apply the image). The image deployment can also be done via deployment services but that is a mess unto itself. I'll see if I can find the article for building the PE.

This is a pretty good walkthrough from technet for building a PE:
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc709665(WS.10).aspx

Capturing a WIM (Network, can be adapted to use on a local machine with WOPK):
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744320(WS.10).aspx

A good walkthrough for deploying a WIM (with system recovery partition)
http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/cd4756e3-a44b-4e59-a7d4-fdd71af21c7f

And if you have issues with booting after deploying (if you choose to leave out SR partition):
http://theitbros.com/capture-and-deploy-image-without-sysprep

Good luck!
 
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