Need to deploy 50 copies of XP

[bill artemik]

We are upgrading some Windows HOME and Windows 2000 Pro machines throughout
the office to Windows XP Pro (with SP2). We have 50 copies with COA
stickers.

I want to know the FASTEST way to deploy and activate these. Someone told me
to install one copy, with apps and basic configurations and then create an
image (Acronis 9.1 is the tool we use for workstation imaging) and deploy
from a server but in my fist attempt to do this I had to call Microsoft to
activate this. I don't want to have to call them 49 more times for
activation. I ran SysPrep on the master copy and resealed the box but the
automatic activation failed. What am I doing wrong with this?

It took me 18 minutes on hold before I got someone to give me the correct
code. I don't have 49 x 18 min to waste activating an operating system we
purchased. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.

Can someone detail the process for me?

 

[Carey Frisch [MVP]]

The Microsoft Policy Concerning Disk Duplication of Windows XP Installations
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;314828&Product=winxp

Do not disk duplicate installed versions of Windows
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/162001/en-us

How to Use Sysprep: An Introduction
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/introduction.mspx

Preserving OEM Pre-Activation when Re-installing Windows XP
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/prodtechnol/winxppro/deploy/oempreac.mspx

How to change the SID on a Windows XP, Windows 2000, or Windows NT computer
http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/ghost.nsf/docid/1999050308324125

--
Carey Frisch
Microsoft MVP
Windows - Shell/User

Enjoy all the benefits of genuine Microsoft software:
http://www.microsoft.com/genuine/default.mspx

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:

| We are upgrading some Windows HOME and Windows 2000 Pro machines throughout
| the office to Windows XP Pro (with SP2). We have 50 copies with COA
| stickers.
|
| I want to know the FASTEST way to deploy and activate these. Someone told me
| to install one copy, with apps and basic configurations and then create an
| image (Acronis 9.1 is the tool we use for workstation imaging) and deploy
| from a server but in my fist attempt to do this I had to call Microsoft to
| activate this. I don't want to have to call them 49 more times for
| activation. I ran SysPrep on the master copy and resealed the box but the
| automatic activation failed. What am I doing wrong with this?
|
| It took me 18 minutes on hold before I got someone to give me the correct
| code. I don't have 49 x 18 min to waste activating an operating system we
| purchased. I'm sure I'm doing something wrong but I don't know what.
|
| Can someone detail the process for me?

 

[Guest]

With 50 copies you could qualify for corporate liscencing, which would
require a seperate copy of Windows for the installation, call up Microsoft
and ask

can't remember the specific title however there is a version which doesn't
require individual activation, designed for deploying disk images

that would be my advice for what it's worth

 

[Guest]

Having looked-into the issues surrounding volume licensing, it simply isn't
worth the extra time and (very considerable) costs for anything less than
corporation.

Not only is a volume licence MORE costly than an OEM licence per unit (crazy
as you are buying in bulk, so it should be cheaper, but it ain't, at least
not from the UK resellers) also volume licences can only be installed as an
upgrade, so they cannot be applied to machines built in-house, at least not
unless you can source some licences (not necessarily XP) which qualify as an
upgrade-path.

Microsoft have this 'thing' about imaging, the main reason seems to revolve
around the concerns of SIDs being identical. I've never seen any documented
proof that this SID issue is of any great concern, however - and in any case
there are utilities to set a new SID.

The other side of this is that cloned machines always behave more uniformly
and predictably than machines set-up by other means. This alone is a major
argument in its favour.

Imagine a production-line of any other kind, on whch goods _couldn't_ be
mass-produced..

 

[Guest]

Ian,

Are all 50 of your machines exactly the same? (is the hardware identicial?)
If this is not the case you will have to activate windows no matter what each
time you use this image on a machine.

Also, when you made the image did you activate the copy that you were
imaging from? If not, this could also cause this behavior.

 

[Guest]

No, Bill Atemik's 50 machines.

What you say is true, though. Provided you use an OEM copy (not retail) and
the mobo IDs are the same then there shouldn't be any need to activate
individually. HST I have seen instances where that's not the case, I think
because mobo manufacturers don't always give you 'the level' about which
revision they're supplying you with, and sometimes you get a mixed batch.
This can be a real pain if you happen to make the image on the one out of 50
that's different!