what is the fast and easiest way to set up a computer?

[Lisa]

Hi,

We have a lot of new hires recently. It takes long time to install the
OS/office and other application and then update Windows, etc... I know there
are some products like Ghost image, can someone give me a recommendation
which way/product is the fast and easiest way to set up a computer unattended
or minim time on it?

Please advice!

Thanks in advance!

Lisa

 

[philo]

Hi,

We have a lot of new hires recently. It takes long time to install the
OS/office and other application and then update Windows, etc... I know there
are some products like Ghost image, can someone give me a recommendation
which way/product is the fast and easiest way to set up a computer unattended
or minim time on it?

Please advice!

Thanks in advance!

Lisa

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314459

 

[Anando [MVP]]

Hello Lisa,

You might want to consider using 'sysprep', an automatic system deployment tool provided on the
Windows installation disk. More information here:

How to use the Sysprep tool to automate successful deployment of Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577

--
Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp


My Blog
http://www.anando.org/blog

 

[Lisa]

Hi Philo,

Thank you for your response. I think I still need spend a lot of time to
update Windows after unattended installation. Is there other way that Windows
are up-to-date after installation?

Thanks for your advice!

Lisa

 

[Lisa]

Hi Anando,

Thank you for your response. I think I still need spend a lot of time to
update Windows after unattended installation. Is there other way that Windows
are up-to-date after installation?

Thanks for your advice!

Lisa

 

[FrankFL]

<http://www.autopatcher.com/whatsautopatcher>
This page may help you.

 

[Anando [MVP]]

Lisa,

You can manually install Windows on one machine and setup it up as per your requirements (install
drivers, third-party software, change settings etc) and then run sysprep and prepare your image for
installation on other machines. Do post back if you need further assistance.

Happy new year !

--
Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp


My Blog
http://www.anando.org/blog

 

[Lisa]

Hi Anando,

We have Office Standard edition. If I install Office and then run sysprep,
will there be any problem that Office cannot be activated on the new machine
since the product key has been used by another machine?

Please advice.

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Anando [MVP]]

Hello Lisa,

If you are running Office 2007, you can choose not to supply the product key at installation. If you
do so, and create a sysprep image and then deploy that image on multiple PCs, when Office is run for
the first time on those machines, the users can supply the unique product keys and activate Office.
Does this help ?

--
Anando
Microsoft MVP- Windows Shell/User
http://www.microsoft.com/mvp


My Blog
http://www.anando.org/blog

 

[Lisa]

Hi Anando,

We run Office 2007, however I don't see any option for not to supply the
product key at the installation. It asks for the key at the very beginning of
the installation. Without the key, the installation couldn't continue.

Thanks,
Lisa

 

[Lisa]

Hi Anando,

Need your help! I followed the instruction in
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/302577. I created Sysprep.inf file.
Everything looks fine, then I ran sysprep.exe, it shut down my computer . I
rebooted it, it went back to the original state. My question are: how to
create the image for the reference computer? can I put the image on network
drive? do I need the third party like Norton Ghost to clone the image to
another computer? How to clone the destination computer?

thanks in advance!

Lisa