3 computers to build...

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mike
  • Start date Start date
M

Mike

I've got to put 3 computers together over the weekend-all using the same
hardware, software, etc.
They will be running XP Pro, Office 2000 & will also have acrobat reader & a
terminal emulator.
What would be the easiest way? Build one & ghost the disk?
Any suggestions?
 
Assuming all three PC will have identical hardware, install Windows XP,
then visit the Windows Update web site and download all the critical updates,
then install your programs. Make sure to update Office 2000 with the latest
Service Pack (3):

Updates for Office 2000
http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdate/CD010225771033.aspx

Defrag the hard drive, then create a Ghost image.
You'll have to have three Windows XP Product Keys,
so you'll have to change the Product Keys on the two
remaining PCs: http://www.petri.co.il/change_the_serial_in_windows_xp.htm

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User
Microsoft Community Newsgroups
news://msnews.microsoft.com/

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

:

| I've got to put 3 computers together over the weekend-all using the same
| hardware, software, etc.
| They will be running XP Pro, Office 2000 & will also have acrobat reader & a
| terminal emulator.
| What would be the easiest way? Build one & ghost the disk?
| Any suggestions?
 
I'm assuming that I wouldn't activate them until they are all complete?
what about changing the Office product keys?
 
Mike said:
I've got to put 3 computers together over the weekend-all using the same
hardware, software, etc.
They will be running XP Pro, Office 2000 & will also have acrobat reader &
a terminal emulator.
What would be the easiest way? Build one & ghost the disk?
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...

If you're doing just three computers, ghosting isn't going to save you all
that much time, and if something goes wrong with the ghost image, you're
going to spend more time troubleshooting that. Not to mention changing
product keys. And dealing with any hardware issues that you're going to
attribute to a bad ghost image.

Build all three, and run all the installs at the same time. They should get
to the same point in the installation at about the same time, so when you
need to hit enter, it's click, click, click on all three. It'll take you
maybe ten minutes more to do all 3 installs at the same time as it would
take to do a single install.
 
D.Currie said:
If you're doing just three computers, ghosting isn't going to save you all
that much time, and if something goes wrong with the ghost image, you're
going to spend more time troubleshooting that. Not to mention changing
product keys. And dealing with any hardware issues that you're going to
attribute to a bad ghost image.

Build all three, and run all the installs at the same time. They should
get to the same point in the installation at about the same time, so when
you need to hit enter, it's click, click, click on all three. It'll take
you maybe ten minutes more to do all 3 installs at the same time as it
would take to do a single install.
Click to expand...
This was just the start. Over the next month or so I will build 12-15 having
the same configuration.
 
It all worked great-thanks alot!
One small problem, one of the users doesn't like their desktop case & would
like a mini tower. I can easily put another computer together & just use hid
HD, since all other components will be the same, but I have attached the
sticker to his case. Can I get another copy of XP & change his current
product key to that one?
 
Back
Top