Creating XP Disk Images w/ Company Applications? 95
-ryan asks: "After a decade as a software engineer, I decided to try my hand at being a System Administrator, to help a friends business. Unfortunately every single computer in this office is on different hardware (all custom built), all running different versions of Windows, and new employees come and go regularly. I'd like to create a single disk image with all of the company software pre-installed and configured to save time setting up new boxes and rebuilding old ones. Problem is, you can't just ghost Windows XP onto different hardware (I remember this working years back). Is there some way that I can (without purchasing hugely expensive 'client-management solutions) slipstream a bunch of company software into a Windows XP install disk?"
"I remember trying to set up a system image for XP a while ago, and some machines will boot the ghosted system image with errors about missing drivers (which is easy to fix) but some won't even boot without a BSOD.
If I can pull off a slipstream of my own custom XP install (with applications), I wouldn't mind having to install system specific drivers. The company leadership is very pro Linux and wants to move all of the desktops over, but this year it's not feasible to do such a migration. So until then.... any ideas?"
Unattended Installation (Score:4, Informative)
With your mix of hardware, slamming an image won't cut it for you. You'll have to created an unattended Windows install.
Here's a pretty good guide [msfn.org] on the subject.
Re:Unattended Installation (Score:4, Informative)
Absolutely Possible (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Absolutely Possible (Score:5, Informative)
Yes, but Sysprep depends on all the target computers having identical ACPI support, which I'm betting isn't the case in the submitter's hodgepodge environment.
Using Sysprep on systems with disparate ACPIs yields a target system that BSODs, much like if you just tried to slam an image of the source to it. You need to reinstall Windows on the afflicted system, using the undocumented F5 option during setup to select the proper ACPI, to revive it, and then, you're stuck with having to reinstall all service packs and hotfixes. Not much of a solution.
Ghost works fine (Score:5, Informative)
The ACPI isn't the biggest problem. The main problem is, astoundingly, the IDE driver.
Here's what you do.
1. Install Windows on a system and then load all the drivers.
2. Set it for Uniprocessor ACPI.
3. Set the IDE driver to the generic driver.
4. Move the drive image to another system (swap hard drives, clone the drive with Ghost, whatever).
5. Boot up, install drivers for new system.
6. Move image to previous system.
7. Set for system-specific IDE driver.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 for each type of system.
9. Move image to last system and switch to system-specific IDE driver.
10. Sysprep and save a Ghost image.
Also, if you're using a lot of different types of systems with GhostCast Server, PXE booting is the only way to fly. Use pxelinux (part of syslinux) with the keeppxe option along with the 3COM universal NDIS driver, and you'll never have to worry about NIC-specific drivers with Ghost again (unless you have a system that can't boot PXE, like my Compaq 1830s -- they're a pain in the ass!) If you absolutely can't boot PXE, use Bart's tools (BFD and BCD) to make a bootable floppy or CD-ROM with all the drivers.
Re:Ghost works fine (Score:2)
4. Move the drive image to another system (swap hard drives, clone the drive with Ghost, whatever).
5. Boot up, install drivers for new system.
6. Move image to previous system.
7. Set for system-specific IDE driver.
8. Repeat steps 3-7 for each type of system.
My experience has always been that moving an image to a new motherboard without sysprepping often causes BSODs. I'm assuming step 3 is the trick. Can you elaborate on this? (Is it just "Update Driver" and then c
Re:Ghost works fine (Score:2)
Yes, that's it exactly.
Re:Ghost works fine (Score:1)
Re:Ghost works fine (Score:2)
I also use WinImage to make the images because I generally need a 2.88MB floppy image. I have had several issues with WinImage being flaky -- sometimes, I'll start with an image that works fine and end up with one that doesn't. I hadn't thought of this before so I haven't tried it, but you might have more success with the image file mounted as a loop device on Linux.
What I've ended up doing is
Re:Ghost works fine (Score:1)
You do not need multiple images (Score:1)
It all works pretty well. You'll find you will likely o
Re:Absolutely Possible (Score:2)
Re:Absolutely Possible (Score:2)
It's probably even possible to make windows look there upon re-discovery.
Unattended is good (Score:5, Informative)
I second that! (Score:2)
I also like your origional idea to include installers on the WinXP CD. We have a WinXP cd that installs antivirus and some other apps after windows installs. We also made a DVD that installs Office and a whole sweet of applications when it's done. Look at the documentation on the Unattended website to learn how to generate answer files for almost any installer shield. Repackaging is the devil.
Otherwise, I've found that Norton Ghost and othe
Re:I second that! (Score:1)
Re:I second that! (Score:1)
Re:Unattended is good (Score:2, Interesting)
And actually, you can do that now with the service packs from Microsoft. At least that's what I'm doing with our windows 2000 and 2003 server installations. I have the service packs, as well as all post-SP patches and updates, integrated into the specific versions I386 folder. After that I just commented everything in the updates.bat file and all of my installs end up fully patched out of the box. Coupled with the Perl and VB scripts you can writ
Re:Unattended is good (Score:1)
Then check out: http://driverpacks.net/Projects/DriverPacks/ [driverpacks.net] (if you are using winxp).
It integrates (read the manual for howto) into a winxp cd install and a sysprep install. (needs DVD CD because all drivers together are more then one gigabytes).
However using a network
Re:Unattended is good (Score:1)
Re:Unattended is good (Score:1)
(Quick breakdown how this whole unattended thinger works with the whole server backend)
Firstly you setup unattended on a server that supports windows files haring (e.g. linux running samba)
Following the manual you put your original files on it (2k or XP), then you configure the unattend.txt file which tells windows setup how to install the system (e.g. reg keys and the like). It then installs updates (via scripts you can t
Microsoft Acedemic Learning Series (Score:2)
At least, the NT4 and win2k texts did. I haven't picked up anything newer.
Still potentially Ghostable (Score:2)
Don't forget to use ghostwalk to blow out the SID.
Re:Still potentially Ghostable (Score:1)
Also, in my experience, just changing the Hard Disk Controller to a 'Standard Hard Disk Controller' in Windows Device manager is enough to allow the computer to boot with different hardware.
A good way to see if this is true is if you only receive the 'Inaccessible Hard Disk' BSOD then thats probably the only difference that's required to allow Windows to boot and so that Hardware can be redetected.
You can also do a full hardware detect with SysPrep
Dug
Universal Imaging Utility (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Universal Imaging Utility (Score:1, Funny)
Did you try this (Score:4, Informative)
Re:Did you try this (Score:1)
Take a look at nLite... (Score:2, Informative)
RIS/RIPREP (Score:2)
You don't need to worry with Windows XP (Score:2, Informative)
When you fire up the restored Windows XP on a computer with different hardware then last used, it will go through its hardware detection and driver installation phase, just point it to the i386 folder you have included in the image, and all should work.
In fact, I think if you specify somewhere in the registry before ghosting the installation, Windows XP will automatically search for the l
Re:You don't need to worry with Windows XP (Score:1)
You had some misspellings in that last section. The correct spelling is "...quite likely BSOD, go into a reboot loop, or lock up instead of loading Windows, and you'll have to do a reinstall on top of the existing install once or twice and then reload all
Bâshrat the Sneaky's DriverPacks and MSFN (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.msfn.org/board/ [msfn.org]
Here:
http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/view/web
And here:
http://www.driverpacks.net/Projects/DriverPacks/ [driverpacks.net]
Applications, Drivers, Updates - all slipstreamed.
Re: Bâshrat the Sneaky's DriverPacks and MSFN (Score:1)
Not very realistic! (Score:2, Informative)
I recently did a slipstreamed XP disc w/ SP2 and all the critical updates already integrated, and I found myself having to remove the unessential stuff (demos, extras) from the CD image if I wanted to fit it onto one disc.
Re:Not very realistic! (Score:2)
They make these things now... Like CDs, but called "DVDs". They hold 7x as much, and virtually all new PCs come with one built in.
Sorry. Yeah, where I work, we also have FAR too many PCs still in use from before the days of ubiquitous DVD drives. But my solution has tended towa
Sysprep/Ghost still not a solution (Score:3, Informative)
The problem is with Windows XP reg keys. If you build a ghost image using a 'corporate license' disc or whatever, then all of your machines will have to use that multi-license key. You may not care, but when you work for a state hospital (like me) they do. You won't be able to use the reg key on the case badge, cause its probably a key for an OEM install.
The OEM windows keys on the case badges are sometimes vendor-specific. Meaning the key off a Dell's case won't work on a Gateway 'restore' disc, nor will it work on a store-bought copy of XP from the shelf. We have a contract with Dell, so its not a big deal for us, but it may/may not suck in your situation.
yeah, yeah, redundant... (Score:2)
Re:Sysprep/Ghost still not a solution (Score:2)
Re:Sysprep/Ghost still not a solution (Score:2)
Yes, but it takes some work...and tools. (Score:2)
Next install all the apps.
Next your going to need a utility from Microsoft called sys-prep. Once you have this standard image, you will use sysprep. This will
One thing big corps usually do right... (Score:1)
After the Holy Grail? (Score:2, Insightful)
What I did was take an inventory find out how many of each model I had, then I found out which models would take the image I had (even if not compleatly) and cleaned those up to create a new image for that model. on system that where too diffrent I upgraded to XP (to maintain as many settings and apps as I could) and used that with some cleaning as a base for an image for those model.
At first my boss wanted m
Re: (Score:2)
Create an image for each (Score:1, Informative)
Also I have never had the problem you describe with Ghosted copies of XP.
IBM Director? (Score:1)
For a few bucks (I got an offer for approx 100) you can get a remote deployment option for IBM Director that lets you install packages, images and whatnot.
Unlike most other options IBM's RDM also supports linux installs.
Of course for a quick fix http://unattended.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net] is a very clean and appropriate solution.
Re:IBM Director? (Score:1)
http://www-03.ibm.com/servers/eserver/xseries/sys
At the top there is links for other IBM Director extensions also.
Sysprep (Score:3, Informative)
Acronis True Image and MS Sys-Prep (Score:2)
A lot of people talk about Ghost and I used Ghost for years, but once you try Acronis True Image you will dump ghost and never look back!
http://www.acronis.com/ [acronis.com]
Re:Acronis True Image and MS Sys-Prep (Score:1)
Re:Acronis True Image and MS Sys-Prep (Score:2)
I'll second the recommendation for Acronis! It's good.
Back to the original question: if you don't want to use a hugely expensive client/server solution, use one which is cheaper! Go to www.enteo.com [enteo.com] and look up their operating system deployment (OSD) software. Better still - call them and ask them about what's in the next version; I don't know if any details are on their website, but I have it on very good authority that it's extremely good. Their software is generally licensed per client, so if your
sysrep (Score:1)
sysprep (Score:1, Informative)
google for sysprep, Oempnpdriverspath, updateHAL, and so forth.
one you get that done, get some image cloning software. ghost is nice. but you can roll your own with stuff like driveimagexml, gparted, linux ntfstools (ntfsclone especially), g4u, g4l, udpcast, and many other tools.
oh, and i make 9 dollars an hour working part time too. so if i can do it, you better believe you can do it.
http://unattended.msfn.org (Score:3, Informative)
Acronis Universal Restore Does Just This (Score:1)
Acronis Universal Restore [acronis.com].
You install everything on one machine, and then prep [acronis.com] it for a transfer using MS Sysprep tools. Create a disk image with Acronis, and then, when the time comes to restore it to dissimilar hardware, the restoration program will allow you to replace drivers and even the HAL.
Knoppix + dd + external hard drive (Score:2)
Make sure the machine you do it on is the one with the smallest HD.
dd an image of the entire drive to the external hard drive.
dd it back on the next machine, then format the extra space as drive D or whatever.
It's free.
Re:Knoppix + dd + external hard drive (Score:2)
However, all the machines were identical, so I didn't even use sysprep.
And BTW, I even dropped the pipe through gzip which was suggested in the examples, since it didn't make things any faster. The Gigabit network helped, I guess. Maybe with 100Base-T, gzip is good.
Creating Images for multiple platforms (Score:1)
The two major issues seem to be drivers and ACPI. If you've got similiar enough hardware, shouldn't be a big deal for drivers. And for ACPI, they either all need to have it on or off in
Windows RIS (Score:4, Informative)
Good starting point: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsServer/en/Li
Re:Windows RIS (Score:4, Informative)
For me Ghosting is not a good solution because of all of the driver issues, the old SID problems from the NT4 days (fool me once...) and the amount of additional work required every time you want to update the image - service packs or applications for example. Also be aware that for Microsoft based products you will want volume licenses so you can reuse the same keys, this requires buying through a reseller and creating an account with Microsoft on the https://eopen.microsoft.com/ [microsoft.com] web site (I hate passport!).
One solution I am fairly happy with is a bootable CD I created which will install Windows 2000, XP, 98, 2003 Server from an answer file. Obviously only one or two OSes per CD but I can install any of those by typing a name for the machine, pressing enter and waiting an hour for the OS to actually install. Unfortunately this requires a few non Microsoft tools, which is probably why the lack of documentation. I use a Windows 98 bootable disk image (proprietary), the DOS version of sed (to parse the computer name from my DOS script), AEFdisk (to script the formatting of the disk) and CD writing software capable of grabbing a floppy disk image.
I still need to install drivers and software and configure the network. The cd has to have a hard coded key. But for PC repair it sure beats entering everything manually and pressing enter to bypass the installation screens.
RIS is similar but made for companies with at least one Microsoft based server. You create your answer files and install the OS from a dedicated partition on your RIS server, this is a pain of a limitation if you don't plan well in advance before you install your server/s.
There are several other limitations with RIS the show stopper has always been support of the PXE boot protocol, but nowadays most motherboards support PXE boot, you may have to enable it in the BIOS of your machines though. Many newer network chipsets are just not supported by Windows XP or 2003 server and RIS specific drivers can be difficult if not impossible to track down - the Marvel Yukon network drivers spring to mind.
Microsoft provides a bootable floppy disk to boot off of that provides generic drivers for many older network cards, several of my customers mandate specific network cards for each of their workstations.
To install a computer you press F12 for the PXE boot, provide the credentials of a user that has permission to install, breeze through a few configuration screens (depending on your RIS setup) and then the workstation is installed for you.
In my opinion this is where the process of imaging finishes and the beginnings of workstation management begins. I say this despite the software not being installed because you should be installing and managing your software through Active Directory and the use of MSI files.
Some applications come with MSI files for installation such as Microsoft Office and Norton AntiVirus. These applications can be managed by user or computer or groups thereof in Active Directory. This is far more flexible than imaging.
Many applications can also be installed silently via script, this can be problematic if your users don't have local administrative access to their workstations but you can bypass this restriction.
Microsoft has really done a piss poor job of creating automated installation tools for third party products for creating MSI files for use with Active Directory, all of these tools are expensive and don't have demo versions so I've never used one. All of the tools I have seen require that you install your workstation, start some monitoring program, install the software, reboot and then the monitoring program compares the machine before and after and creates an MSI file based on the differences. Microsoft should try employing some of those malware writers
Re:Windows RIS (Score:2)
http://msi-repository.sourceforge.net/ [sourceforge.net]
Install CD (Score:2)
There is a DVD floating around on BT sites that have an updated winxp with all patches/drivers and some needed applications. But I recommend making one yourself for security reasons. (rootkit/etc)
Driver packs [msfn.org] and Driverpacks.net [driverpacks.net]
Ryan's windows xp updates [msfn.org]
nlite [nliteos.com] to help modify a windows install.
Bart PE [nu2.nu] - bootable dvd/cd for windows install.
Acronis. "Ghost 10" is not an update of Ghost 2003 (Score:2)
Symantec did something that amazes me. Symantec bought PowerQuest. Symantec abandoned their own product, called Ghost, and substituted a product from another company. The substituted product, PowerQuest DeployCenter, now called "Ghost", had numerous completely different quirks and issues.
The new "Ghost" box, which I just bought about month ago, includes the "new version
I noticed trhat too... (Score:1)
I had never heard of Unattended. (Score:1)
Your insightful comment is the reason I read Slashdot. I had never heard of Unattended. I've only had time to read a little of the web site, but I agree with what I have read.
AutoHotkey. AutoIt installation automation. (Score:1)
Use AutoHotkey [autohotkey.com] to make keyboard shortcuts to run programs and enter text.
Use AutoIt to simulate keyboard entries and mouse clicks and when you need complicated decision-making. Download AutoIt with the SciTE auto-completion IDE [autoitscript.com]. The SciTE editor makes writing and testing AutoIt programs and compiling the finished results very easy.
Both these programs are very sophisticated, the best available, and FREE. AutoHotKey comes with source code. Both are programmable.
For example,
DeltaNow? Does Unattended allow param installs? (Score:1)
Does Unattended allow automation of installation parameters like font choices in Open Office? I read some of the web site, and it looked like the answer was no.
I would say Ebay; maybe with a pro version of DI. (Score:1)
I would hit Ebay for DI pro cd's up for sale. It's sure to be on any version before 2003, and after 3.
Heybiff
Re-install Windows XP over the restored image. (Score:3, Informative)
After that, as others have said, you MUST run Sysprep [microsoft.com] to change the SID. These are the commands: Install Sysprep into a folder sysprep2 and copy to C:\Sysprep. Sysprep deletes its folder after it is finished.
Sysprep -bmsd rebuilds sysprep.ini, which holds the information that Sysprep uses.
Any tips about this experienced users have would be appreciated. Microsoft's documentation is VERY sloppy.
Win 2003 Sysprep. NewSID (Score:2)
I have not had good luck with using SysInternal's free utility NewSID [sysinternals.com]. However, other utilities from SysInternals are best in class, and NewSID was updated after I tried it.
Also see PsGetSID [sysinternals.com].
Win PE - Windows Preinstallation Environment (Score:1)
http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/programs/sa/ben efits/winpe.mspx [microsoft.com]
If that doesn't work for you, then by all means take a look at BartPE, as the person above recommended.
http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/ [nu2.nu]
Good luck!
How I do things! (Score:1)
Ok some tools I use to make my life easier (all free):
How to Peel An Orange... (Score:1)
Keep it up, Y-all!
Buy new hardware (Score:2)
In my view there is no way to effeciently manage Windows on widely varying hardware. The installation is the smallest problem, but then certain applications are incompatible with certain drivers etc.
So you should just sell your existing hardware and replace it with a defined hardware platform. Both Intel and AMD have programs for exactly that. Intel calls it the "stable image program", and the goal is that you can buy the same hardware
webify (Score:1)
I have just started learning this... (Score:1)
Dell Ximage (Score:2)