Standard build laptop: possible?

[Andie]

I am getting fed up with the change of model that seems to happen every few months with laptops. We have bought same make and model series over the last two years, but individual model changes to the series mean that we don't get exactly the same spec each time. Now the new series has been redesigned so that dimension is slightly wider and power socket is on side, not back, which is causing us some issues with charging cabinets.

Is it possible to get a manuafcturer to build a laptop to your spec, with reasonable allowance for changes in chipsets, O/S etc? On a recent FITS Practitioner course, one of the Network Managers was saying they did this, but I didn't get a chance to ask how it was done. Anyone done this on here, and if so how big an order would you have to place to get this to happen?

[ICTLTD]

Changes tend to happen with each new CPU. I know Dell have legacy support (usually around 18 months) and driver cabs on Latitude. The general thing is the more expensive laptops have a longer selling lifespan, but they will still be gone a few months after a new generation of CPU is released.
You can get bare bone unbranded chassis and specify components but in general the laptops tend to be inferior and you are generally limited to the most recent chipset.

For example the Dell E5520 has been replaced (well the e5520 is still available) with the e5530 both are identical (externaly) except the e5530 supports the new generation i series CPU's.
The E5520 came out around March 2011 so if you purchased them when they came out and then went to E5530's you would most probably have externally identical laptops for around three years of availability.
But they cost a lot more than the change shape every month laptops.

[Andie]

It is the hardware components that I would like to be able to specify the most: number of USB, position of RJ45 and power socket, external monitor port type, etc., together with minimum RAM (that changed too) and processor. We've been buying more expensive business type laptops, and therefore haven't had more than a handful of minor issues as a result of the better build. But it is frustrating not to just be able to get the same model each time we need to buy a batch. I guess I'm just going to have to make a very definitive list of where everything needs to be etc. and only buy from companies that can tell/show me where the ports etc are on the laptop.

[FN-GM]

We use SCCM for imaging. We have one image and the drivers are injected on image depending on the hardware itself.

[ICTLTD]

It is the hardware components that I would like to be able to specify the most: number of USB, position of RJ45 and power socket, external monitor port type, etc., together with minimum RAM (that changed too) and processor.

USB Position and RJ45 power socket etc. would be board design so mega money really. RAM, CPU and other components should not be a problem.
Any good supplier should be able to get you a Demo unit over though so you can check out positions.

[Andie]

We use SCCM for imaging. We have one image and the drivers are injected on image depending on the hardware itself.

Just looking at what SCCM is now. Looks like it is only available on Server 2008? One more year of 2003 to go here (unless disaster strikes)!

[FN-GM]

Just looking at what SCCM is now. Looks like it is only available on Server 2008? One more year of 2003 to go here (unless disaster strikes)!

SCCM 2007 will go on 2003. But i would go with 2012 with Server 2008 R2

[sted]

We use SCCM for imaging. We have one image and the drivers are injected on image depending on the hardware itself.

you can achieve a lot of the same with mdt and that does work on 03 with wds

as far as im aware sccm basically adds zero touch mdt you have to at least go to the machine (for imaging purposes i believe scum does updates/software deploy). You can set up mdt with a database add mac addresses and get it to pick the right image (personally i usually create one updaated one with office on a vm and use that as my base) it will then pick appropriate drivers and if you have a database name/domain it (if its only for the odd pc i just name manually when imaging)