Install Windows XP in less than 6 minutes, with all updates, to any hardware... tips

[zaoka]

Last year I purchased EASEUS Todo Backup Technician and I would like to share some great tips.

For example I can install Windows XP with all updates, third party software to different hardware in about 6 minutes. (over the network) (may take up to 16min on older hardware with 100mb/s cards)

If I would use additional SATA hard drive for my images I could do it even faster.

Here are the prep steps:

1. Install fresh Windows XP installation
2. Windows updates
3. Third party software installation
4. Tweaking
5. Security tweaking (OpenDNS, hosts, AdFender, Unchecky...)
6. SysPrep
7. Extra drivers

Once this is all done I use EASEUS Todo Image to create image of that machine and I store it to my local FreeBSD server that is running SAMBA.

Installing on customer machines:

1. I can either boot to EASEUS directly from network, USB or CD/DVD media (I mostly use USB)
2. I select "Restore to different hardware" and browse my image on the server
3. Once restore process is done machine restarts and starts installing drivers
4. At the end you change Licence Key for Windows, enlarge partition and remove EASEUS software (if you use SysPrep these can be automated as well)
5. Specific pieces of hardware must be installed manually (driver)
6. Your machine is ready to go, with latest updates, software and tweaks

Restoration of Windows Vista, and 7-8 takes about 16-20 minutes. I did not try Windows 8.1 yet, it should work as well.

You have to have 1000mb/s network/server/infrastructure as well as end computer must have 1000mb/s network card in order to achive this speed. If not you can use separate SATA hard drive to store your images, this is even faster, however, you wont be able to do laptops because they have only 1 hard drive spot.

It is important to use FreeBSD as a local server since it uses ZFS filesystem that prevents file corruption. ZFS can also be used on Ubuntu server as well, however, it needs to be installed and configured. (Ubuntu by default uses EXT3-4 filesystem)

ZFS is the best filesystem on the world, it supports RAID-5 (they call it RAID-Z) in short: you can use 3 hard drives to store your data, if one of them goes bad you just plug new one and it restores data without loosing anything... No RAID card needed.
It works for months without restart needed.

Once you image become old (month or two) you just restore to any machine, update all software, install all new updates from Microsoft and create new image. You dont have to do everything from scratch.

 

[SAG]

This reads like a ZFS advertisement.

 

[Martyn]

Nice guide but a tech licence @ $799 per year!

http://www.todo-backup.com/business/technician-backup/comparison.htm

 

[BrentfromZulu]

Yeah this seems like an ad. And, I don't really care for Raid 5....

 

[Vicenarian]

This reads like a ZFS advertisement.

LOL

 

[tim fitzgerald]

Why xp?

 

[PBComputer]

Why xp?

I was going to ask this since support has ended.

 

[codegreen]

I don't understand all the hate here.

1. It's not just for Windows XP. He also mentions Vista, 7 and 8. It's just XP has the most impressive restoration time (6 minutes).
2. You don't have to use EASUS' tools to do this. Any imaging software will work.
3. He likes ZFS. It's a cool filesystem with many advantages and free implementations. It's not like he's advertising for a specific product.

This is a good overview of a image-based Windows installation system for any tech (especially newer ones) that may not be aware this can easily be done. What's with the pile-on?

 

[tim fitzgerald]

I wasn't being hatefull, I just asked why XP. I was just wondering.

 

[zaoka]

hi

I was expecting more positive comments, new ideas etc.

1 - I paid only $300, it was on sale at that time
2 - I used XP as an example because its the fastest one to do
3 - You can use Vista-7-8 as well
4 - I dont advertise, I did not offer any product or pointed to any ongoing sale.
5 - I dont advertise EASEUS, as somebody said it can be done with several other similar tools
6 - My goal was to share information to people who may benefit from it...

As for ZFS & FREE-Bsd I dont really know why would someone advertise it when its free?
You could use FreeNas, ZFSGuru, Debian, Ubuntu or Windows server...

 

[CompConfig]

Thanks for sharing. We use similar techniques on our installs for new systems.

 

[coffee]

I reread the post and agree. I guess I hurried thru it when I read it. I went in and deleted my post and appologize.

Hey we all make mistakes Sorry....

coffee

 

[Knightsman]

I have a similar experience, but even a clean install of win 7, takes about 7 minutes total. Either way, it just works, and I'm not complaining.

 

[zaoka]

hi

I have a similar experience, but even a clean install of win 7, takes about 7 minutes total. Either way, it just works, and I'm not complaining.

How do you do it that fast?

 

[Knightsman]

How do you do it that fast?

Install windows on a machine, do not enter license key. Run all updates. I also install the files for anything basic i need like my remote support software and GFI. Then i back it up with easeus from the usb boot.

When I restore it via the usb boot i choose universal restore. Boots right up.

 

[PBComputer]

I made the same mistake. Once I've re-read it I've seen the part I missed.

Sorry about that

Paul

 

[Pc Fixed Right]

I like it thanks for posting.

 

[pceinc]

We use a similar setup.

To create image we use sysprep with generalize.
Boot Gandolf WinPE.
Ghost32 over LAN to image on Freenas server.
Ghost32 from LAN to target hardware.
Boot machine, install drivers, most recent updates, etc.
Boot OBE.

Update images every couple of months.
For our builds where we use the same motherboard, we have an image with drivers so we don't have to install them each time.

It is fast. We've seen 5-7 minutes to image a new system across the LAN.

 

[brandonkick]

I don't understand all the hate here.

1. It's not just for Windows XP. He also mentions Vista, 7 and 8. It's just XP has the most impressive restoration time (6 minutes).
2. You don't have to use EASUS' tools to do this. Any imaging software will work.
3. He likes ZFS. It's a cool filesystem with many advantages and free implementations. It's not like he's advertising for a specific product.

This is a good overview of a image-based Windows installation system for any tech (especially newer ones) that may not be aware this can easily be done. What's with the pile-on?

This is exactly why I really don't bother to come around very much any more. People get uppity so quickly and start running around with pitchforks. I was a daily reader / contributor and honestly now I probably log in twice a month.

I reread the post and agree. I guess I hurried thru it when I read it. I went in and deleted my post and appologize.

Hey we all make mistakes Sorry....

coffee

Yes we all do, but not all of us handle it like you have. Bravo.

I have a similar experience, but even a clean install of win 7, takes about 7 minutes total. Either way, it just works, and I'm not complaining.

Not to start a fight or an argument, but my BS meter is pegged right now. Perhaps you can do a clean install of windows 7 on a new machine, but there is no way updates are downloaded and installed in that time. Even on fairly new and modern hardware it still takes a good hour + to download and install all the windows 7 updates. Let alone any other third party software. I'd say it takes me a good 2 hours to start from bare metal and wind up with an updated "base" installation of windows 7.

The real point here is that most hardware that was intended for windows xp is slowwww. By doing it this way, you can take a process that would easily take several hours and get it done in less than half an hour. Perhaps I personally wouldn't use the tools the OP did (and you never know, I might... just really don't see myself paying $300 to try them out) and don't love ZFS, but the article is a good guide for those who may not be familiar with the imaging methods.

 

[Knightsman]

This is exactly why I really don't bother to come around very much any more. People get uppity so quickly and start running around with pitchforks. I was a daily reader / contributor and honestly now I probably log in twice a month.



Yes we all do, but not all of us handle it like you have. Bravo.



Not to start a fight or an argument, but my BS meter is pegged right now. Perhaps you can do a clean install of windows 7 on a new machine, but there is no way updates are downloaded and installed in that time. Even on fairly new and modern hardware it still takes a good hour + to download and install all the windows 7 updates. Let alone any other third party software. I'd say it takes me a good 2 hours to start from bare metal and wind up with an updated "base" installation of windows 7.

The real point here is that most hardware that was intended for windows xp is slowwww. By doing it this way, you can take a process that would easily take several hours and get it done in less than half an hour. Perhaps I personally wouldn't use the tools the OP did (and you never know, I might... just really don't see myself paying $300 to try them out) and don't love ZFS, but the article is a good guide for those who may not be familiar with the imaging methods.

Uh, you can bs meter all you want. Doesn't sound like you have tried this process before.

I've done this multiple times, sounds like the other guy has to. Wouldn't you think we would download and install updates on the computer we created the image from? And then do the same thing every couple of months to have the latest?

Also, no one is talking end user ready, i thought it was obvious you would still need to setup any extra software specific to the customers needs. That holds true no matter what the process is.