SYSPREP imaging - how to create

[fatboyandy]

Hi everyone

 

I have an issue in school where we have 1 new computers in a computer suite develop an issue, so had hard drive replaced. Of course this means the rest of the suite are all fine and working (win 7), however they were put in a rush and no image was created.

 

How the hell can I get an image off one of the working computers to transfer to the pc with a new drive? I mean there are all on the domain and networked.

 

I assume you have to run sysprep, which is fine, but whats next? I can't run PXE boot and use WDS to capture an image, because how do I create the image and where the hell do I save it too? All the existing images are on the WDS server.

 

Anyway, just one of the jobs I wanted to sort over easter.

 

Regards

[eddyc]

Hi there,

 

Do you have the image for other machines like the one which has had the drive replaced? If so, you should be able to PXE boot the machine (F12) and then restore the image from the WDS server?

If the hardware is different, try an image for a similar spec'd machine... Windows 7 is no where near as fussy on hardware as Windows XP.

 

Ed

[fatboyandy]

Hi Ed

 

No we don't have images for these machines, thats the problem. Have them for other one's but wanted to create one for the future, in case more go wrong.

 

Whats the best way to do it?

[eddyc]

You should be able to sysprep a machine and then capture it to the WDS server to deploy onto the machine with the faulty hard drive.

When you PXE boot a machine do you have a capture option and a restore option? If not, you need to create a capture image;

how can I CAPTURE an Image using WDS - Windows Deployment Services (WDS) - www.windows-noob.com

 

In Windows 7, there is no deployment toolkit to download, you can go to start > run and type sysprep and away you go.

Once the machine has syspreped, PXE boot it and run the capture option (see link above if you do not have this).

Once this has uploaded to the server you can add an answer file to the image to make the process unattended.

 

Let me know if you need anymore help, Ed

[fatboyandy]

Hi Ed

 

Yes I have a capture option on the WDS, but where should I save the image too? The local drive? I tried saving it to network drive but it will not allow it, not sure if it was a rights issue. But everything I read says to save it locally, or usb etc and never to the network. If I save it locally, can I then simply copy the image to the WDS server later?

 

Sorry to be a pain.

 

 

Andy

 

 

 

 

You should be able to sysprep a machine and then capture it to the WDS server to deploy onto the machine with the faulty hard drive.

When you PXE boot a machine do you have a capture option and a restore option? If not, you need to create a capture image;

how can I CAPTURE an Image using WDS - Windows Deployment Services (WDS) - www.windows-noob.com

 

In Windows 7, there is no deployment toolkit to download, you can go to start > run and type sysprep and away you go.

Once the machine has syspreped, PXE boot it and run the capture option (see link above if you do not have this).

Once this has uploaded to the server you can add an answer file to the image to make the process unattended.

 

Let me know if you need anymore help, Ed

[eddyc]

Hi Andy, it will only let you capture to an external USB drive. Once it's captured and its happy the image is sound, it will then let you upload it to the server. Ed

[FRS]

Hi Andy

 

Maybe the easiest way is to take one of the working pc' s of the domain.. then clone the hdd to the new drive using norton ghost or another cloning software, when done just add back on domain.. rename your new clone hdd after booting (or will a domain name conflict e.g ictpc15) add to domain.. if you really wanna teeth ..google this .

HOW TO CREATE/RESTORE A GHOST IMAGE STORED ON A LOCAL MACHINE AND HIDE/UNHIDE THE PARTITION CONTAINING THE IMAGE

 

FRS

[fatboyandy]

Hi Ed

 

I just tried with a 16gb usb stick and it said it wasn't big enough. Any ideas?

[alanchcc2000]

I find Redo backup reliable. sends image to network location and vice versa and its free

[eddyc]

Hi Ed

 

I just tried with a 16gb usb stick and it said it wasn't big enough. Any ideas?

 

Sorry for the delay in replying, it has been manic here! We use a 320GB USB HDD to capture the image before we upload it to the WDS server.

 

Thanks, Ed

[speckytecky]

I had a Win 7 machine which I had joined to the network then used Clonezilla to capture an image of it. I didn't sysprep it but later on had a HD fail on a similar machine. I was able to Clonexilla that image onto the new HD then joined the client to the network. It seems to be working fine without causing any conflicts - all I had to do was re enter the Office key and re activate Win 7.