Deepfreeze, Persystent or?

[jmair]

We're currently using an older version of Deepfreeze on our student machines that run XP. Our next batch of machines will be Vista, and this will force us to either upgrade Deepfreeze or to look at alternatives.

 

Does anybody have feedback on Persystent, the new Deepfreeze or an alternative?

 

I've tested Steadystate already and it isn't going to work for our setup at this time.

 

Thanks

[SimpleSi]

Don't be forced into Vista - finds another supplier who will give you XP.

 

Dell still do it on business machines.

 

Fujitsu sell "twinload" - machine comes with Vista but 30mins after sticking in a DVD - back with good old XP

 

And I'm sure there are many more (if not all proper suppliers)

 

Nil Carborundum Illigitiam

 

regards

 

Simon

[wesleyw]

I keep on rabbiting about this product but it is very good NetRunna will do this and has a Vista Prep tool that once run will allow imaging of that vista image from then on. So no matter how many you create from it vista will not be a problem it isn't cheap but it does the job of Ghost Solution Suite and DeepFreeze.

 

 

Wes

[mrforgetful]

We used to use Deepfreeze when we had Windows 98.

 

I've found it more of a hindrance than a help when it comes to XP / Vista.

 

You can restrict the users abilities to damage the setup so much using Group Policies that I've found it extremely rare a computer needs attention to sort something that DeepFreeze would have solved.

 

On the other hand, it was very inconvenient when I wanted to deploy something using Group Policies but everytime the computers restarted installatio nhad to take place again, and again.

 

I guess what I'm saying is, do you really need any of them? Is the network not tied down enough with just Group Policy?

[Domino]

I'd second the NetRunna idea.

 

"Layering" of software packages, PXE booting, rebuilds.

 

all reliable, nice to use etc. We're using it quite succesfully here.

[Jose]

I've used deepfreeze and steadystate and never had any problems with either.

 

I would reccommend looking again at steadystate, there are scripts avaiable now that you can download that enable you to unfreeze and refreeze remotely. The only benefit of deepfreeze over steadystate is the ability to freeze other drives other than the c: drive.

[ChrisN-0123]

We use DeepFreeze Enterprise and its ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT

 

The PCs are Windows XP.

 

Never have any software corruption issues unless we accidently leave

a machine thawed.