Imaging Software - what do you use?

[VeryPC_Tom_M]

Only time i've ever had to mess around with any drivers in WDS bar adding them to the store is to inject network drivers into the boot image, but that's dead simple and no command line involved. Can't even think what you'd need command line driver injecting for?

 

Injecting network drivers into a Vista Boot wim.. In 2k8r2 WDS, the inject drivers option is greyed out unless you're adding drivers to at least a Windows 7 Boot wim

[mrbios]

Injecting network drivers into a Vista Boot wim.. In 2k8r2 WDS, the inject drivers option is greyed out unless you're adding drivers to at least a Windows 7 Boot wim

 

Ah, well that's your own fault for using a shoddy OS... haha

[cpjitservices]

Several options we use at the moment, I'm using fog but I am wanting to implement partimage (Linux's own alternative to GHOST) and its free, I also have WDS as a backup.

 

I do miss Novell Zenworks Imaging though.

[XiJ]

We use Clonezilla at the moment. Got a fog machine setup but haven't had a chance to play.

 

I'd like to look into WDS at some point too

[garethEds]

I use MDT2012 for the network. I love the product and am constantly learning new things about it. I read most of the blogs about the software and have become quite addicted to getting it running perfectly. :-)

 

Gareth

[drmike]

Taking a spin of what you asked I'd say you have plenty of choices but it depends what effort and time you have.

 

If you are happy to sit down and create a fully automated, self-maintaining build (process) then Microsoft has 3 options

 

MDT standalone FREE

Server + WDS Server licence

SCCM + MDT + WDS Service license + SCCM licence

 

MDT is the way to create images. Even if you use SCCM, start with MDT. It is quicker, more powerful and is designed for just that. It will fully automate a fresh image creation for you. There is some work with importing drivers but you only need to do it once per machine. It will automate pulling updates down too.

 

WDS is OK, but I don't see the point of spending money on a server license just to get WDS service, when MDT is free and installs on XP, 7 etc. It's only 25MB but as a later poster says - it gets addictive once you realise what it can do.

 

SCCM is the ultimate solution but costs an arm and a leg. Being a school I expect that's not practical.

 

Plan B - if you're happy to just create your source image manually and then clone it, then Ghost, Clonezilla or Acronis TrueImage all work fine. The downside of cloning is what I call staleness. You create your image with Office, Acrobat and Flash, ghost it and sit back. Two weeks later Adobe release a critical update for Flash. You have to create your gold image all over again, or somehow get Flash out to every netbook. with MDT it would take about 10 minutes, not including the download!!

 

SCCM gets over that pain by having full software distribution

 

Summary: Get MDT install it and experiment. It's easy and really effective. If you get stuck I'd recommened Deployment Fundamentals by Johan Ardwidmark. It's only £8 for the Kindle version which is a steal .

 

cheers,

 

Mike