FAST way to install a fresh copy of Windows XP or Vista!

[tauzin23]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to mention my procedure for installing a fresh copy windows xp or vista. I use Acronis True Image Workstation Echo with Universal Restore for this.

1) I backup all important data from the PC first.

2) Then I Install any flavor of Windows XP or Vista on my test machine which happens to be a desktop computer that I have custom built.

3) Then I install all drivers and any other software I would like my customers to have such as: Firefox, XP SP3, Vista SP1, thunderbird, ccleaner, etc. I also perform all of my tweaks and settings at this time.

4) Next I connect my enternal USB (500GB) hard drive to my test machine. Then I boot it from my bootable Acronis disk that I created.

5) From the Acronis boot disk screen I then choose to "Backup". Then browse to a folder I created on the USB drive for that flavor of windows and back it up there.

6) I repeat this for each flavor of windows that I have. Done.

When I have a client's machine that I need to install a fresh copy of windows on I connect my USB backup drive to it and boot from my Acronis "boot disk" and choose to "Restore" and choose to use "Universal Restore" option. This is the important step because this will load generic drivers so windows can boot up.

My client's machine will also ask me to re-activate windows. To do this legally I choose to activate by telephone and choose "Change Product key" and then enter that particular machine's product key from the sticker on it. Then I choose to activate by internet and if that doesn't go through I'll call Microsoft's toll free number.

This method does take a bit of a setup to get all images done. But after that it makes it a lot faster for me than from the Windows CD's.

Every few months I'll reload my images into my "test machine" and update the software and then re-backup my images to my USB drive.

Hope this helps someone... I works very well for me both on-site and at my office.

 

[tauzin23]

It is a bit of a setup, but I can install the fresh copy of XP in about 15 min. with USB 2.0 vs. about 1hr. from CD. This is a big plus when on-site!

 

[Pc Fixed Right]

I was going to say that seems excessive but if you can do it in 15 minutes than I too will have to try it. I will let you know how it goes. =)

 

[jcconsulting]

Acronis

I actually use Acronis Trueimage for some repairs. I have problems restore image using specific drivers though. It really depends on the system that you are restoring. Some of the Dell units are finicky.

 

[WareDat]

I've been kicking this idea around for a few days myself, just haven't had the time to try it on a customers machine yet. The only thing I was going to do differently was install in VMWare. A few problem I've noticed is if you install without a key you can only get the critical updates from automatic update so you still need to spend time updating after installed and activated on a clients pc. Or you need to buy a key for each flavor of windows you plan on doing this with, but if you did have a key for each version you could just update in VMWare once a month, boot your virtual machine off the Acronis boot cd and burn a new cd.

 

[stevenamills]

Tauzin,

I'm a little confused and it is probably my lackj of understanding of Universal Restore.

You mention that it installs generic drivers - that I understand.

When and how do you install the drivers for the restored machine?

Thanks.......
Steve

 

[joe3k]

I use Acronis and it's great, however I have never used the Universal restore feature. I tried the Acronis Universal restore from a laptop (fresh install, with no drivers added) to a pc (Win XP Pro OEM) and it didn't work - blue screen reboot. Do you ever experience problems with it? Should I have stuck with just pc to pc?

Hey guys,

Just wanted to mention my procedure for installing a fresh copy windows xp or vista. I use Acronis True Image Workstation Echo with Universal Restore for this.

1) I backup all important data from the PC first.

2) Then I Install any flavor of Windows XP or Vista on my test machine which happens to be a desktop computer that I have custom built.

3) Then I install all drivers and any other software I would like my customers to have such as: Firefox, XP SP3, Vista SP1, thunderbird, ccleaner, etc. I also perform all of my tweaks and settings at this time.

4) Next I connect my enternal USB (500GB) hard drive to my test machine. Then I boot it from my bootable Acronis disk that I created.

5) From the Acronis boot disk screen I then choose to "Backup". Then browse to a folder I created on the USB drive for that flavor of windows and back it up there.

6) I repeat this for each flavor of windows that I have. Done.

When I have a client's machine that I need to install a fresh copy of windows on I connect my USB backup drive to it and boot from my Acronis "boot disk" and choose to "Restore" and choose to use "Universal Restore" option. This is the important step because this will load generic drivers so windows can boot up.

My client's machine will also ask me to re-activate windows. To do this legally I choose to activate by telephone and choose "Change Product key" and then enter that particular machine's product key from the sticker on it. Then I choose to activate by internet and if that doesn't go through I'll call Microsoft's toll free number.

This method does take a bit of a setup to get all images done. But after that it makes it a lot faster for me than from the Windows CD's.

Every few months I'll reload my images into my "test machine" and update the software and then re-backup my images to my USB drive.

Hope this helps someone... I works very well for me both on-site and at my office.

 

[arrow_runner]

I went from PC to Laptop last week no problem.

 

[joe3k]

Ok. I'll try the restore on another pc and see what happens. It was an old pc I'd lying about. I'll try it on a known good one.

 

[joe3k]

Well holy smokes it worked. Now that's impressive. What about sid's etc. I guess I could include NewSID sid changer in the image, say on the desktop and then simply delete it once the job has been done. Any views on this?

 

[AtYourService]

how much space do the images take? it'd be nice to use my 16gb drive to hold all the installs instead of carrying around cds

i had to reformat my usb drive because i was a dummy and plugged into a corporate machine the other day to run some tests and low and behold it had virut virus which injects itself into anything executable thus hosing my drive
good thing ive got ketarin setup to download everything fresh

 

[joe3k]

Well depends what you include (programs, windows updates etc and could grow massive). Basic install can easily be fitted under 1GB though, so even with a few programs and windows updates you'd be able to get a few on your drive... enough to do most of the time. Takes a fair whack of setting up and a good bit of maintaining but on-site it's a timesaver, even though unattended cd can do same job... just not quite as fast.

 

[Jory]

I've thought about doing this in the past, but I've always been skeptical that it would be reliable.

I ended up not trying it before because I mistakenly found the wrong version including this and it was ridiculously expensive. I just looked again though and the workstation version is only $80~. If a few people here tell me it's awesome after using it for a while I wouldn't mind dropping $80.

 

[WareDat]

I've been doing it this way for about 5 months now. It is a really efficient way to install. I update my VM Ware images once a month after patch Tuesday, and create a new Acronis image on my network share. I don't install drivers when I run the Universal Install because I have ran into problems with doing it that way. I will install the network driver off a flash drive after windows starts up, and go from there.

The only problem I've found is when I first started using it I didn't set the Acronis settings right, and sent a customer home with a 7Gb hard drive(The size of my virtual drive) but I took care of it for them the next day when they called and told me that Windows was telling them they are out of space on their C:\ drive.

All in all I'd say this way probably saves about 40 minutes worth of updating windows, and shaves 5-30 minutes off the install time.(Depending on system speed)

 

[AtYourService]

So what is the process you use to make the images? do i boot into a vmware image then patch it and make an iso from that vmware image?
i tried looking online for a tutorial but i couldnt find anything related

 

[joe3k]

I didn't mean to install drivers on test pc (or vm) then image, I meant install windows with the RyanVM driverpacks included, then image. This would ensure whatever drivers are required on the host pc will most likely then already be included in the image. I haven't tested this theory out... just my thinking on it.

@AtYourService (keeping explanation overly simplified):
1. Install windows and whatever else you want on test pc. Boot from cd and create image to usb drive/network share, or wherever.
2. Goto new pc/customers pc... boot from cd and restore from image... job done.

Only issue is the identical sid problem, which Newsid should sort. Although if you're simply re-installing a single pc this won't matter. I use Echo Server... costly but I make use of it in other ways also, which makes up for it.

 

[AtYourService]

it looks like they have a trial version , not sure if it includes the iso ,ill dl it and check it out
i wasnt aware that i could make an install of XP per say , and use that image to put on different types of machines without it bluescreening


NewSID can be found here for others
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897418.aspx

 

[Bullfighter]

I went from PC to Laptop last week no problem.

This will work for newer laptops, older laptops have a different hal driver and will blue screen on you.

 

[Bullfighter]

Sysprep

Sysprep is your friend...

For XP, capture one image for each hal (PIC and APIC). Sysprep will also load generic drivers and reset your SID. Not to mention if you use a sysprep.inf file you can totally automate your installation AND change your license key.

1. Build your ideal image
2. including software, but not drivers
3. Run sysprep
4. Capture image on reboot

The sysprep.inf also has a "driverspath" value that you can inject your drivers (like the ones captured by double driver).

For Vista, since it is HAL independent just build your ideal system and capture after running sysprep, again you can change your license key and set various options. Vista uses a sysprep.xml but it take a little more work to automate everything.

Sysprep is a Microsoft utility meant to do most of the items mentioned above.

I also recommend capturing a "pre-sysprep" image that you can lay down to add updates, then run sysprep again and capature.

EP

Edit: Sysprep will load "generic mass storage drivers". If you have to load any drivers for any reason (ie NIC drivers for internet) just uninstall them from Device manager before running sysprep.
Sysprep download

 

[basibasgfx]

Hey guys,

Just wanted to mention my procedure for installing a fresh copy windows xp or vista. I use Acronis True Image Workstation Echo with Universal Restore for this.

1) I backup all important data from the PC first.

2) Then I Install any flavor of Windows XP or Vista on my test machine which happens to be a desktop computer that I have custom built.

3) Then I install all drivers and any other software I would like my customers to have such as: Firefox, XP SP3, Vista SP1, thunderbird, ccleaner, etc. I also perform all of my tweaks and settings at this time.

4) Next I connect my enternal USB (500GB) hard drive to my test machine. Then I boot it from my bootable Acronis disk that I created.

5) From the Acronis boot disk screen I then choose to "Backup". Then browse to a folder I created on the USB drive for that flavor of windows and back it up there.

6) I repeat this for each flavor of windows that I have. Done.

When I have a client's machine that I need to install a fresh copy of windows on I connect my USB backup drive to it and boot from my Acronis "boot disk" and choose to "Restore" and choose to use "Universal Restore" option. This is the important step because this will load generic drivers so windows can boot up.

My client's machine will also ask me to re-activate windows. To do this legally I choose to activate by telephone and choose "Change Product key" and then enter that particular machine's product key from the sticker on it. Then I choose to activate by internet and if that doesn't go through I'll call Microsoft's toll free number.

This method does take a bit of a setup to get all images done. But after that it makes it a lot faster for me than from the Windows CD's.

Every few months I'll reload my images into my "test machine" and update the software and then re-backup my images to my USB drive.

Hope this helps someone... I works very well for me both on-site and at my office.

this is awesome, im going to try this. thank you, and if someone please help me with the version of acronis? thank you in advance, im not familiar with that software. thank you