Include virus scanner in reference image

[free780]

Is this a bad idea? MS Security Essentials seems to be OK. This is when using mdt to capture the image. Is it best to avoid putting a virus checker on when creating a reference image?

[round2it]

Is this a bad idea? MS Security Essentials seems to be OK. This is when using mdt to capture the image. Is it best to avoid putting a virus checker on when creating a reference image?

 

yes it is a bad idea especially if you use sophos or another type of av scanner that uses a console.

 

just have a startup script to install it when the machine first booted

[k-strider]

Sophos is easy to install on first boot

i use a startup script like so and just pass the password, sophos does have an obfuscate but i couldn't get it to work :s

 

@ECHO OFF
REM --- Check for an existing installation of Sophos AutoUpdate
if exist "C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\dir.txt" goto _End
if exist "C:\Program Files (x86)\Sophos\AutoUpdate\dir.txt" goto _End

REM --- Deploy to Windows 2000/XP/2003
\\SERVERNAME\SophosUpdate\CIDs\S000\SAVSCFXP\Setup.exe -updp "\\SERVERNAME\SophosUpdate\CIDs\S000\SAVSCFXP" -user "DOMAIN\UserWithReadAccessToSophsShare" -pwd %1 -mng yes
dir > "C:\Program Files (x86)\Sophos\AutoUpdate\dir.txt"
dir > "C:\Program Files\Sophos\AutoUpdate\dir.txt"
REM --- End of the script
:_End

[Duke5A]

It depends on the AV solution you're using. I can only speak for Symantec End Point Protection 12.x, but it works just fine being pre-rolled into an image; the only thing you have to do is run a cloning prep utility that strips out all the unique identifiers from it.

 

As far as Security Essentials goes, I'm surprised it works period with going through a sysprep process. MSE is a free for home use antivirus and isn't licensed to be used at schools and businesses. Just tossing that out there...

[witch]

I've always been advised to miss it off the image - I have had issues with NOD32 screwing up an image in the past

[Arthur]

This is when using MDT to capture the image.

Since you have MDT, it would probably make more sense to add the AV as an application (in the Deployment Workbench) and deploy it via whichever task sequence you are using to apply the image to your PCs.

[CAM]

TBH, the definition files will need updating anyway when you apply the image.