Imaging (or not!)

[chrbb]

Quick question, am I the only person that don't use any imaging software on edugeek?

I manage around 50 computers/laptops all that arrive with oem xp pro, then I install the software by script, gpo or using purgos. In 4 years I've only had to wipe one computer and reinstall windows, I run delprof half termly on the school computers, the staff laptops stay under one ownership until that staff member leaves then I delprof their profile and hand it to a new staff member. Am I the only one?

Just realised this sounds a bit smug, just the opposite actually feeling a bit lame because I don't image!

[mossj]

We use imaging software on major outbreaks (conficker got through) reinstalling/wiping/cleaning every machine in the school just isn't feasible.

Also we image all IT rooms/laptops every summer just to make sure there in tip top condition.

Don't think we could survive without imaging, tbh... not when we have 400 machines

[wesleyw]

With a small ICT provision I don't think it's necessary it will make you life easier but whether or not you need to is a different matter.

Wes

[button_ripple]

We don't image here, but are looking into buying some software for it. We do reinstall laptops/computers roughly every term and it is getting a bit too much.

[mossj]

We don't image here, but are looking into buying some software for it. We do reinstall laptops/computers roughly every term and it is getting a bit too much.

have you looked at fog? its a OS imaging software, as good as the paid for alternatives

[p858snake]

Try having a look at a WinPE boot disc and inculde ImageX on it and then you can capture wim images of your systems.

[jamin100]

I image every pc/laptop in the school in about 2 weeks every summer.

I've just started creating the images this week ready to deploy them.

I'm on my own with just under 150 workstations.

[SYNACK]

I never used to image any of my stations instead having a really well automated and slipstreamed cd that could reinstall any machine in the school. I have switched over to WDS imaging though with Vista as it is much faster and easier. It also marked the biggest number of clients that I had had to upgrade at any one time so it was a good time to switch.

[ZeroHour]

We use Wininstall here but I am currently working with SCCM and it is looking interesting.
We have 650 clients now though so doing oem installs would be a problem. We rebuild pc's regularily as well to solve issues and as good maintence. When we get a weird fault and nothing is to obvious it can be faster just to rebuild and reset profiles and it usually goes away so in that sense it saves huge amounts of time.

[bio]

We use symantec ghost overhere. However we are looking into LAndesk, Altiris or KACE.

bio..

[ChrisH]

We have just started using FOG. Once you get your head around it, you wont use anything else.

[witch]

The question is - how long does it take you to reinstall all the software etc?

We have over 80 titles on the machines (101 machines) and so even with scripts, msis and goodness knows what (which don't always work and sometimes you just HAVE TO DO IT MANUALLY!!) it would take me a long time to reload everything. Which is why I image. I use Ghost and I am quite happy with it.
If you didn't feel that doing all that is worth the time and money, you could get a copy of ghost and just have the ability to ghost locally - copy one machine's hard drive to another to save all that reloading

BTW - I run delprof on log-off so I don't have to bother to do it regularly - doesn't slow anything down noticeably!!

[mac_shinobi]

There are a few threads on imaging will see if I can find it later on unless someone else posts them first but for free imaging comes down to clone zilla versus fog - think there are also a few youtube videos comparing the 2 and possibly how to setup / configure them

[Quackers]

We use a mix of Imaging and Automated Deployment of XP.

Even if the Laptop comes with XP Pro on out the box its still wiped, just for performance as OEM's have a habbit of putting so much junk on the machines its just not funny.

[jamin100]

All our software deployment is also managed through ghost.

A total rebuild of a machine from scratch including all software will take around an hour.