Automating deployment of really complicated Windows setup

Hi,

I've got a client who recently asked me to deploy 200 windows machines in 2 days. Now the big problem is that 41 of these machines are triple boot - WinXP, Win2k and Redhat Linux. I'm not that familiar with Linux and I hope to setup one machine, clone it then install the image on the other 40 computers.

I'm new to this and am not sure of the possible complications and problems. I thought of using sysprep but does sysprep support multiple OSes in the way these machine are to be setup? Or do I run sysprep multiple times? How will the Linux partition be affected? Sorry for all the questions but this is way too complicated for me.

Regards,

Pierre

 

Ouch. The more I thought about this one, the more snarled my brain got. I've done a half-dozen drafts of a reply and trashed them all. At least this will bring the thread back to the top where hopefully someone will have a clue and will answer.

 

I think I'm gonna cry. "SOB "

I've been asked to do it in 2 days but lets assume the deadline's not that tight. Can anybody figure out a way to do this?

I got some additional info about the job which should make things a little bit easier . The machines which will have 3 OSes installed will have 2 harddisks, so i guess one will be taken up by WinXP and the other is dual boot Win2k and Linux.

Please help. Thanks

 

hi out there
I am not sure exactly what you are going to do here - deploy 200 pc -> fresh install or add some applications in a running environment (windows 2k AD domain ?) - I don't think the linux would be a problem since it does not depend on uniq netbios names on the network, SID etc so if you have a ghosted harddisc this would be managable but I must admit I haven't done it myself

 

Thanks Tiwang. As soon as i found out that the tri-boot comps would have 2 harddisks, i thought of doing that same thing you suggested. But i'm still unsure of the whole process since I've never done this before. Anybody can advise me on any potential pitfalls?

One more thing - Which is a good disc imaging tool to use for what i'm doing? I've only heard of Norton Ghost. Are there better ones?