Quick easy and free way to clone and deploy a few laptops

[edutech4schools]

A small primary need me to install Windows 7 or 8 on about 10 (might be a few more) laptops.

 

I do not see the point of setting up the server to deploy for such a small one off job so thought I might use something like Win Pe with GimageX.

 

I will need to take an image (syspreped)

I would like to be able to wipe the laptop before applying the new image.

I can store the image on the network or USB

 

Is WinPe+GimageX my best option?

 

If so, can someone help me out and post a step by step that will work as I have tried and failed to create a bootable USB with WinPe+Gimagex. Each website has a slightly different approach and I only trust EduGeek.

[beany1]

If it's only for 10 ish laptops, I would say just use Clonezilla - free and really easy to use, can store and retrieve image directly from USB HDD. Just need to burn clonezilla to a CD.

[MattDLEA]

+1 for Clonezilla,

 

Have used things like redo backup and that in the past. Clonezilla worked with win 7 and xp. Both creating the image and restoring the image was alot quicker than I have experienced in the past

[edutech4schools]

Thanks. Clonezilla installed on to the usb drive in no time and without needing to read pages of instructions, nice.

[LeMarchand]

Another vote for Clonezilla: download the ISO, burn it to disc, boot from it and follow the instructions to capture your sysprepped image then more or less repeat to deploy. No need to wipe the laptop first. If you have a variety of disc sizes you may need to faff a bit more.

 

Whilst I prefer WDS (well worth the time setting it up) I often use Clonezilla for "one-off" backups and in my school with only a few GB spare space on the server. I tend to keep the image on a USB drive (or two) and do the machines individually, but you can install from a network share, too. (Never had the time/inclination to work out exactly how, I'm afraid).

 

As well as a boot CD you could always use a "bootable USB" creator (my current favourite is Easy2Boot, but if you don't need multiboot there are easier solutions) or if you want to make a great investment, one of the Zalman VE series "virtual" drives.

 

DOH

 

Clonezilla so easy to use that you got it working in the time it took me to type the above! (I was working on other stuff).

[sted]

it will take 30 mins tops (excluding time to download the aik) to install wds/mdt on the server and will do all you want it to

[LeMarchand]

it will take 30 mins tops (excluding time to download the aik) to install wds/mdt on the server and will do all you want it to

 

*Feels inadequate* (Just took me a lot longer than that to create a new capture/deploy set).

[free780]

Windows update.

Software and drivers. No av.

Sysprep.

Capture wim

Script

Diskpart to clean and create partition.

Format.

Assign letter=c

Active

Imagex /apply "image.wim" 1 c:\

Give pc name and install av.