Deploying OEM Machines

[David S. Mohler]

Hello,

We need to deploy a large batch of OEM computers from Gateway. As everyone
knows, these computers come with other programs that are often not needed by
business end-users (such as Quicken, PC Doctor, etc.). Plus, we need to add
things like our own business software, Antivirus and the latest Microsoft
Security Patches.

Isn't there a simple, methodical way to configure a single XP Professional
workstation and then deploy that configuration to a batch of computers
(assuming they are all the same hardware)?

Again, these are pre-installed OEM computers. So I am concerned about things
like the SID and computer name.

We're willing to buy a third party package that REALLY WORKS.

I welcome your comments.

Thanks,
David

 

[Londonity]

how about trying norton ghost??

 

[Shenan Stanley]

We need to deploy a large batch of OEM computers from Gateway. As
everyone knows, these computers come with other programs that are
often not needed by business end-users (such as Quicken, PC Doctor,
etc.). Plus, we need to add things like our own business software,
Antivirus and the latest Microsoft Security Patches.

Isn't there a simple, methodical way to configure a single XP
Professional workstation and then deploy that configuration to a
batch of computers (assuming they are all the same hardware)?

Again, these are pre-installed OEM computers. So I am concerned about
things like the SID and computer name.

We're willing to buy a third party package that REALLY WORKS.

http://unattended.sourceforge.net/

 

[Dave Mohler]

Norton Ghost does not resolve the duplicate SID problem that will result on
OEM installations of XP Pro.

The old DriveImage Professional had a utility called SIDChanger for Windows
2000, but it does not work reliably on XP.

David

 

[Shenan Stanley]

Norton Ghost does not resolve the duplicate SID problem that will
result on OEM installations of XP Pro.

The old DriveImage Professional had a utility called SIDChanger for
Windows 2000, but it does not work reliably on XP.

GhostWalker has solved that for many versions of Ghost.
And NewSID for SysInternals does the same things as well.

 

[David S. Mohler]

Thanks. I am going to look at all the stuff SysInternals has.