Help me to help them...

June 11, 2007 7:35 PM

How can I efficiently deploy dozens of computers (all different makes and models) with Windows XP and Office 2003?

I am involved with an organization calledComputer Outreach, which refurbishes donated computers for local underprivileged students. Currently, we install Windows XP and Office 2003 by hand on each machine, but obviously that is not ideal. Our software is provided by the Microsoft Authorized Refurbisher program and the license allows us to install using any means, but does not provide us with any specific options.

We explored imaging options (mainly Symmantec Ghost and Acronis TrueImage) but ran into 2 problems: all of the computers are different and licensing is expensive. Everywhere, I looked it seems that both of those solutions only work on identical (or at least similar) hardware, and unfortunately our are donations and the models differ greatly. Also, it seems as though you need a license for each computer you are imaging and as you can imagine, budgeting does not allow for that.

Does anybody know of ways around these obstacles? Are there other imaging solutions or work arounds to the above problems? Or is there away to include MS Office into the WinXP CD? I know it can be done with a DVD but unfortunately, most of the machines do not have a DVD drive. F/OSS is of course preferred but we are willing to pay if the price is right and its the only solution. Also, most of us are pretty technical and knowledgeable so we are not afraid of an in depth solution if it gets the job done.

Please ask any questions that might help. Thanks in advance.

posted by coolin86 to computers & internet (8 comments total)

Acronis has a feature called Universal Restore. It simplifies a bunch of the steps you'd have to take to get a sysprep image working on dissimilar hardware. I'd look into that. I'm not sure what you mean by needing a license for each computer you image. As far as I'm aware, Acronis and other imaging programs are just programs that you buy. You do need a license for Windows for each machine - but it seems that you've got that covered.
posted by odinsdream at 8:22 PM on June 11, 2007

At work, we use an open source package called unattended for this. It performs an automated install of Windows and whatever software you care to add, and it's fairly easily customized. Once you've set it up, you just boot a target machine from the supplied CD image, wait a couple of hours, and you have your XP + Office + whatever else installed and ready to go. The OS installation and all software is stored on the network.

You'll also want RyanVM's XP update pack, which you can slipstream into your XP media so you don't have to do any hotfixes after installing. You can also easily slipstream in dozens of custom drivers, which are used automatically as needed.

Also, for the licensing thing - I know that the current version of Ghost does require a license for each target PC. Not sure about Acronis but I'd assume it does as well.
posted by pocams at 9:22 PM on June 11, 2007

er, I mean to say that the OS installation media contents are stored on the network; obviously the OS is installed on your target PC.
posted by pocams at 9:23 PM on June 11, 2007

The "Official" Microsoft way is using Remote Installation Services to create a RIS image, or multiple RIS images for different HALs, residing on a RIS server (any Win2k machine will do). Then you can PXE boot each machine (boot via the network) which will launch you into the install.

Depending on your licensing, you can automate the license entry in the RIS image so you don't have to deal with that on each machine. Your RIS image can include software packages and drivers as well. This is not too hard to setup and use, although you may have to tweak the images to get them just right.
posted by stovenator at 10:10 PM on June 11, 2007

This KB Article also has good info on RIS.
posted by stovenator at 10:12 PM on June 11, 2007

If you are doing dozens of computers, something like Ghost will work out quicker. It IS possible to deploy a single image to machines with different hardware, you need to use sysprep before you take the original image so that Windows will set itself up during the first boot. You are right about licensing though, but perhaps Symantec would give you a deal.
I have used RIS in the past. It works OK, but is a pain to set up and very slow.
posted by AndrewStephens at 3:12 AM on June 12, 2007

odin: I will look into Universal Restore, I don't think that was ever been researched, but I worry that Acronis suffers from the same licensing issues as Ghost.

pocams and stove: How much time do "Unattended" and RIS take? Is it any faster than a regular attended install? We have very little configuration after the installation so it may jus be easier to install it by hand. Labor is not a problem, its mostly time.

andrew: I have heard that even with sysprep, the same image will not always work. It has something to do with the network and IDE drivers, and the ghosting process itself fails. Have you ever heard about that or have I been misinformed? Either way I will contact Symmantec for pricing.

Thanks for all the help so far. Other suggestions are greatly appreciated.
posted by coolin86 at 7:42 AM on June 12, 2007

Make an Ultimate Boot CD. There's an imaging tool on it.
posted by theora55 at 3:26 PM on June 12, 2007