Imaging multiple computers

[Guest]

We are looking to move to Vista in December and looking for a multiple
machine imaging solution and have had no success. We are a Novell house, but
has not come into play yet. The biggest problem is after making the changes
through bcdedit which actually allows for the computer to even image.
However, After imaging, shortcuts dont work, etc. Mostly looking to others
successes with imaging and how they have overcome their roadblocks without
using the Microsoft Domain services.

 

[AJR]

Post is confusing (to me anyway) From the post "...looking for a multiple
machine imaging solution...", "...after making the changes through
bcdedit...."
and "...without using the Microsoft Domain services...".

I take it to mean "applying an image to multiple machines". Bcdedit is used
to create/modify the BCD Store and reference to "Microsoft Domain Services"
pertains to domain offers and a service managemnet pack for DNS servers -
curious to know the application to imaging?

Imaging applications are provided by Microsoft - BBD2007 (may have the
acronym wrong) and WAIK (Windows automated Installation Kit).

 

[Guest]

Sorry about the confusion. Some of the text came up missing. We have both
the latest version of Ghost, but primarly using Novell's Zen Imaging. We
dont use domains and dont have domains set on the computers. We are afraid
we have to move to the Microsoft Imaging Solution in order to allow this to
work halfway decent. XP has just been so nice.

If I dont use the BCDEdit, the machine does not even boot after imaging,
even bringing it down to the same machine. If I do use it, Vista will at
least boot and allow for login, but can not run shortcuts. For example
today, I would type in cmd in the search start menu field and it brings up
the cmd shortcut and runs. However, once I sysprep (OOBE and Generalize),
things like typing cmd in the search start menu field or even running the cmd
shortcut returns no results, but I can browse out and run it directly. We
also build all our images with all the software included so we know it all
works then image our labs, all using the same "windows login". We dont want
to have to create a second user by forcing things through sysprep, which
should be easy to overcome just by forcing the default user in the registry.

Hope this clarifies things a little bit.