We don't have a separate swithc that I can use. And with such a short notice, very difficult to get one. So, getting back to 0 I guess. Why, o why Microchot decides to always complicate things
I have to make a half joke half truth here: I REALLY REALLY hope I am not using this bank for any of my financial transactions!!! You have a long night ahead of you Kwanbis
That's my point I am trying to tell him to create a new standalone deployment LAN of 1 physical PC running a VM he's pre-prepared and a switch to plug the new PC's into to network boot into WDS and deploy. Company policy on a main LAN in bank would be extremely high (or should be) so creating a new isolated LAN for this is by far the best and simplest option. My proposed solution meets his requirement both technically, legally using Eval for now and internal policy due to been standalone. When he's back from vacation he can get authorisation for a fully licenses OS and install directly on a real server. then the WDS images can be exported from the WDS inside the VM and imported into the fully licensed server once company have agreed & supplied.
The bank works perfectly. It is just that they are very conservative. But my plan B is to install an image, configure it, clon it. Deploy it without sysprep and change the names. I would have to be concerned with SIDs later at my vacations return I think. So, how do YOU do it. It seems you do it basically like I want to.
They havn't complicated things. Your just attempting to do something without any pre-planning. That's hardly Microsofts fault. WDS once setup is a fantastic technology for deployment in this scenario. The issue here is the lack of pre-planning. And why can't you get a switch? few quid down the local PC shop on the way into work. You could even use a router (just ignore the WAN port and disable it's own built in DHCP service.
Threat trust me I understand I consult with financial and health firms that are so rigid and deal with every possible scrutiny so I totally get it.
SysPrep generalize option takes out any hardware specific stuff and new SID's get generated when deployed.
Your going to hate hearing this but based on what your telling us I would rip you guys apart in an IT audit... the banks IT does not work perfectly and it is seriously flawed from what you are proposing here at the 12th hr... and Threat is 100% correct do not fault MS for this it is the fault on the banks IT resources.
Thanks, but I tried it the microsoft way and it didn't work. I tried another way, and while it worked, the drivers where not installed (same machines!), and the settings of the applications where lost as where the DNS settings. So, either I'm doing something wrong or... I don't know.
Your doing it wrong. I can deploy machines fully setup with Office, Visual Studio and other applications and settings. It's tried and tested by millions.
Obviously the main fault is the lack of planning. BUT, why can't Microsoft provide an OLD Sysprep like the one for XP? It was VERY simple to use. Anyway, my interest here is finding a good tutorial and/or solution, as the ones I tried didn't work. Some talk about sysprep/audit mode, some talk about WAIK, some use both. But nothing seems to be working.
Great, can you point me to a reliable tutorial? I have 3 that use different methods, so, who to trust?
They do? There is not much difference except for improvements to support Windows Vista+ preparation for WIM files which is exactly what you are trying to do.
Kwanbis I truly know we would both like to help you but even if you try my methods how do you expect to learn how to use DISM and other tools plus install a VM and mount images PLUS configure your image before syspreping it in the amount of time you have it is truly unrealistic And on top of that with your slow connectivity downloading the updates will take forever
totally agree. The WDS method was by far the quickest option within the timescale. You have no possible options that would be quicker given your apparent lack of (or very much out of date knowledge) on the area in question.