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

[joe3k]

@Bullfighter
Acronis provides a solution for restoration of a hardware-independent system by replacing the crucial HAL and hard disk controller drivers. Thus I do not see the need for sysprep other than the sid issue. However after further reading I believe Acronis has a setting where you can also change SID after the restoration is finished, thus no neeed for Newsid either. So now the only issue I see is needing to change the computer name and product key after the image. I don't see what benefit sysprep will be? Yes it provides the mini setup, but its not hard to change a computer name after imaging a pc and if take image before activation, should allow for change of product key (and you could write a script to prompt for name (and product key change if you like) and set it on desktop, if a few mouseclicks really bothers you).

The Acronis site states "Acronis does not conflict with sysprep. If you got accustomed to using Sysprep, you can use both tools on the same system". This suggests to me Acronis does what sysprep does, but if you got used to using sysprep you can continue to use it with Acronis, instead of the Acronis method. This needs a bit of further testing which I'll do when I get more time, but to me it looks like Acronis doesn't need sysprep or newsid.

 

[fixitdaz]

Is there any other good imaging tools that work best with sysprep, i used acronis 4 times now and it failed me so i am not to inprest with it and i am going to test some outhers any recamendations

 

[ATTech]

Is there any other good imaging tools that work best with sysprep, i used acronis 4 times now and it failed me so i am not to inprest with it and i am going to test some outhers any recamendations

A custom WinPE Disk/WIM image using ImageX to capture/restore images and modify the UpdateHAL properties to allow installs any hardware.

 

[MobileTechie]

I've been messing with it and for XP it a real time saver. I've been using the Paragon version of it and it works fine. You can point it at a folder of drivers on the network too and it will inject the relevant drivers whilst it's dealing with the HAL and HDC drivers etc.

However for Vista the time/effort difference is minimal. Once you've slipstreamed a Vista DVD with the SPs and drivers the process is probably slightly easier just using the install disk. No need to change keys etc. Vista is pretty good with drivers for machines anyway and tends to install with everything sorted nicely.

 

[Fixedathome.com]

Is there any other good imaging tools that work best with sysprep, i used acronis 4 times now and it failed me so i am not to inprest with it and i am going to test some outhers any recamendations

Could you explain how it failed you?
I have used the Acronis/Universal Restore method for the last couple of years and must have restored well over a hundred PCs without one failure that I can think of.

 

[fixitdaz]

Could you explain how it failed you?
I have used the Acronis/Universal Restore method for the last couple of years and must have restored well over a hundred PCs without one failure that I can think of.

after restoring the image and re booting I get operating system not found I made another boot CD just in case still no joy I have gone down the PE road now with imagex and this has worked a treat with the same test computer and deployed fine.

 

[keeperofthecode]

I've been using slipstreamed disks in my shop for years but lately i'm considering switching to this method. I'd like more info for using driver packs with the universal images from acronis. I figured for sure someone had documented this procedure somewhere along the way but a quick google yielded nothing.

 

[Fixedathome.com]

after restoring the image and re booting I get operating system not found I made another boot CD just in case still no joy I have gone down the PE road now with imagex and this has worked a treat with the same test computer and deployed fine.

Did you restore the MBR?

 

[fixitdaz]

Give this a go for driver packs with acronis

http://bora.bilg.in/blog/06/deploying-windows-image-universally-to-different-hardware-different-hal-ide-or-sata-or-scsi

 

[fixitdaz]

I've been using slipstreamed disks in my shop for years but lately i'm considering switching to this method. I'd like more info for using driver packs with the universal images from acronis. I figured for sure someone had documented this procedure somewhere along the way but a quick google yielded nothing.

Did you restore the MBR?

no I thought you could just copy the image and then deploy it I will however give this a go out of Curiosity and let you no but i need some thing reliant in the field.

 

[Fixedathome.com]

I've been using slipstreamed disks in my shop for years but lately i'm considering switching to this method. I'd like more info for using driver packs with the universal images from acronis. I figured for sure someone had documented this procedure somewhere along the way but a quick google yielded nothing.

I haven't documented it but when you choose to restore an image with Universal Restore it gives you an option to enter a location to search for additional drivers. It can be local/Optical Drive/USB or Network.

 

[MobileTechie]

its not hard to change a computer name after imaging a pc and if take image before activation, should allow for change of product key (and you could write a script to prompt for name (and product key change if you like) and set it on desktop, if a few mouseclicks really bothers you).

A nice trick for changing things like computer name etc after installation is to include a script and add a RunOnce entry to the registry on the system you image, so the Windows runs the script the first time it's booted up.

 

[keeperofthecode]

Give this a go for driver packs with acronis

http://bora.bilg.in/blog/06/deploying-windows-image-universally-to-different-hardware-different-hal-ide-or-sata-or-scsi

Thanks for the link. That is almost perfect but they are not using universal restore, so they have some extra steps there. But I think I can work with that.

 

[fixitdaz]

OK I have had a nouther play with acronis still with no look re installed mbr no that did't help i have noticed that on the boot disc it dos't say universal restore it says standalone recovery so I think this could be the prob has any body got a iso of the correct boot file so I can see I will have to send this back and get a replacement if that is the problem.

 

[Fixedathome.com]

OK I have had a nouther play with acronis still with no look re installed mbr no that did't help i have noticed that on the boot disc it dos't say universal restore it says standalone recovery so I think this could be the prob has any body got a iso of the correct boot file so I can see I will have to send this back and get a replacement if that is the problem.

Ok where did the boot disk come from? The boot disk should be personal to you as it uses your product key so people aren't likely to send you a copy of theirs! You make the bootdisk by installing the Acronis software on a PC and then it gives you some options in the Start menu under Acronis>>True Image>>Tools and Utilities>>Bootable Rescue Media Builder. You need to also make sure you have Universal Restore installed on the PC (Via the Plus Pack for True Image).

When it comes to actually using Universal Restore it works like this:

1./ Boot PC from Boot Disk
2./ Choose to restore from an image
3./Once you have chosen your image and the location it will be restored to it will ask you if you want to use Universal Restore via a tick box. At the same point you can give a location to search for additional drivers.

That is all there is to it!

Hope this helps.

 

[fixitdaz]

It's Acronis Snap Deploy 3.0 With Acronis True Image Home 2010 v13 From the local pc shop theirs no check box for universal deploy this makes me think it is the incorrect package I will Take it back and get the lad in the shop to show me where universal deploy is as I had asked for this could be interesting lol

 

[ATTech]

You have to pay extra for the universal restore; it's like an add-on or something.

 

[fixitdaz]

The Lad in the shop sed it's part of Snap Deploy.
Although Thinking back I did try deploying the image back on to the computer it originated from and that failed that's why I made a another boot disk but that never worked I will get the lad at pc world to demo it to me so he can see there is a problem with this wish me look.

 

[Fixedathome.com]

Not familiar with Snap Deploy but according to the Acronis website you need an additional licence for Universal Deploy which I'm assuming is the same as Universal Restore.

 

[fixitdaz]

Well after an 2hrs with one of pc worlds Tech Guy He installed it made a boot cd copied an image deployed the image and guess what it would not boot up with the new image so he went and had a chat with his colleagues 5 mins later he sed this software will not restore an image on other computers only the computer where the image was taken from so any way to cut a long story short, they do not sell a universal deploy, after getting my point across I got a full refund.