Building an image - "Windows is not genuine"

[localzuk]

I'm working on our various images for Windows 7 and as it takes a while to do it, Windows is now telling me that I'm using counterfeit software...

But of course, you don't enter a real key in the system yet do you? That is done when the machine syspreps, and it gets told to look for the KMS server.

What it means for me though is that I can't run Windows Update.

Thoughts? How do people build images if they start reporting that they are counterfeit? The idea I was going on was to have virtual machines set up which can simply be updated and saved, then sysprepped and uploaded to Fog for deployment. So, if a new update comes out I just update the image.

Should I be putting in a key during the set up stage, for sysprep to remove later?

[Fazza]

You normally get 3 days from the actual installation before it reports that it needs activating. If you are using a Volume Licensing version of W7 then enter a key that you had, the sysprep process will remove the key when you run it.

[localzuk]

You normally get 3 days from the actual installation before it reports that it needs activating. If you are using a Volume Licensing version of W7 then enter a key that you had, the sysprep process will remove the key when you run it.

3 days is nowhere near long enough for us to build an image. Not to mention the image will constantly be updated over the years to come.

So, I'll just add a key for now then.

[3s-gtech]

3 days till automatic activation, but 30 days until you get the 'non-genuine' messages - should be enough surely?

[localzuk]

3 days till automatic activation, but 30 days until you get the 'non-genuine' messages - should be enough surely?

Nope. Started the image back in June, have it working with all our hardware types. Just received 2 new models of PC, so need to add driver packs for them both. And then we'll do this in the same way for the foreseeable future. Otherwise it means that when we want to update the image in the future, we end up having to rebuild it from scratch.

[Achandler]

An image takes mew about 4 days to make. But then i make it at the start of the holiday with little interruption and knowing what PCs it is to be used on.

Surely if you activated it, then sysprep would jsut remove the key again and that wouldnt be an issue?

[localzuk]

An image takes mew about 4 days to make. But then i make it at the start of the holiday with little interruption and knowing what PCs it is to be used on.

Surely if you activated it, then sysprep would jsut remove the key again and that wouldnt be an issue?

Indeed, adding a key does the job. I just didn't want to have to waste MAK keys doing this. The KMS server here is not past its initial activation count yet - as we've not started rolling out stuff.

And I started my image earlier in the year as I have 2 million things to do this summer.

4 days? We have about 12 different models of PC to get the drivers working for. The process for doing that isn't that quick. Then we also have 3 schools on the site, each with teacher and student images, and an admin image. Around 150 different pieces of software to install and configure...

4 days? Not a chance.

Not to mention, that is besides the point, as every month I want to be able to update the image without using sysprep counts with the latest Windows updates, flash, java etc...

[Achandler]

Your other choice would be, though you obviously don't have time this year now, is to create packages for al your software then deploy it, makes updating easier and makes your image much quicker as it becomes drivers only. Maybe a project for next yeah.

Our image only has about 60 bits of software in, but I guess I am luckier with the PC variations. I have about 4 models mainly, then 1 or two odd ones that I just do manually.

[localzuk]

Your other choice would be, though you obviously don't have time this year now, is to create packages for al your software then deploy it, makes updating easier and makes your image much quicker as it becomes drivers only. Maybe a project for next yeah.

Our image only has about 60 bits of software in, but I guess I am luckier with the PC variations. I have about 4 models mainly, then 1 or two odd ones that I just do manually.

Packages? Nightmare. Takes a *lot* longer to do. Not to mention, imaging machines then takes 10x as long. Sticking a single 25GB image on machines means we can reimage a suite in an hour. Doing it via packages means it takes 3 or more. Serif MoviePlus takes 15 minutes to install on its own!

[Achandler]

Longer to do short term, imaging does take longer to which is worse mid term but easier in the summer or half terms.

Personally I use a full image mate, I think it is easier and cleaner.

Edit: I'm waiting for 30gb of Moodledata to move servers...

[localzuk]

Longer to do short term, imaging does take longer to which is worse mid term but easier in the summer or half terms.

Personally I use a full image mate, I think it is easier and cleaner.

Edit: I'm waiting for 30gb of Moodledata to move servers...

We use a 'reimage is the answer to everything' policy here. So, if something is broken we just reimage. It works well. So, long reimage times would be a problem during the term, where we're expected to get a fix within half an hour for any machine.

And I know what you mean... I'm waiting for 2.5TB of data to finish mirroring...

[FN-GM]

@Achandler think yourself lucky i have just moved our moodle and the moodledata is 500GB!

[mavhc]

You should be able to rearm the activation period

[localzuk]

You should be able to rearm the activation period

You can only do this 3 times total.

[Duke5A]

What are you building the image on? I build mine (XP and 7) in virtual machines and use snapshots. When I first created the installs I fed them a MAK key and right before I get ready to run sysprep I shut them down and create a snapshot. When the sysprep/capture process is complete, I revert back to that snapshot.