RIS and streamlined XP :(

[starscream]

I have been trying to add a windows image to RIS on Server 2003. It works fine from the original CD but when I streamline XP updates and/or driver packs into it I get the message "The required INF file is invalid. Please review the INF file and try again."

 

Does this mean I can't used streamlined XP sources with RIS or WDS?

 

I have a vision of having all the hardware in my schools streamlined into XP along with up to date updates and hotfixes as an efficient way to deploy XP on my networks but this seems to be preventing me making the modified XP source in RIS.

 

Is there a simple fix or is this a no entry sign to my plans?

 

Ta!

[ChrisH]

There are other ways and tools for doing this with RIS. It involves doing the updates during the installs etc. head over to http://www.msfn.org for a fuller picture.

[plock]

Have you contemplated using Ghost? We use GhostCast Server, does lack the Windows Update functionality, however, this could possibly be scripted to run at first logon as 'admin' etc.

 

EDIT: or as we do it, through WSUS

[starscream]

I use ghost at the moment but looking to replace it with RIS/WDS. Basically I don't want hardware independent images like you need with ghost. Would be nice to be able to reinstall windows from scratch with all updates and drivers for all hardware streamlined into it.

 

I have not set up WSUS on our server yet so I suppose I could use that for the updates site of things but it doesn't fix the issue of hardware independant installs.

 

Do you tend to have software in your image or use MSIs and just have the basic windows install with drivers as your image?

[plock]

Our images include as much software as possible, with MSI’s used for software required after the image was created.

 

The WSUS server is vital I feel, this allows us to control all the updates on our network, and deny any updates we feel will conflict with our software/hardware.

 

We have various images; they have the drivers for the appropriate hardware used on them. For example, we have a basic image, which hence the name is basic, with just software and no specific extras.

 

Other images include Enhanced Desktops, this will have the extra Media software, and drivers for Music Keyboards and Scanners for example.