Reformating Computers Solutions /w Both Win and Linux/Unix Solutions :)

Okai, heres my question,

I got something like 30 laptops with Windows XP Proffesionale and we use them in our "classroom" in our company for rent to other companies and such. These computers need reformating and installation of some programs, now what i want to know is:

How can i set up a server or something to get this to be done almost automaticly on all computers?

We have a big server room, lot off expertice and the equipment, but we do not know the best solutions for this, the RIS method is just a example.

It could help if someone came up with some solutions and the reasons why i should choose your solution

 

A year or two ago, the "obvious" solution would be a disk image system such as Symantec's Ghost. However nowadays virtualisation is perhaps a simpler solution. Have a look at VMWare. If you can manage with Windows OS only Microsoft's virtual server is a free alternative.

 

So you meen i should virtualize the laptops that im using? I dont think that could work so good because we are running pretty heavy programs and its not so stable, but yes that is one solutions, but im looking for maybe something like to install a server and deploy and image maybe using unattended installation for windows server 2003 or something

 

I mean you put a basic OS on the laptop and then have a number of images on the laptop that you can run to host different applications and environments.

For example, I've recently been on a Windows SQL course. Each student had an XP Pro PC with Virtual Server. On each PC were a number of 2003 Server images with SQL server installed with varying configurations. For each stage in the course, there was a coresponding image. To work on different stages of the course simply meant firing up a different image.

One advantage of the virtual option is that you can run more than one image at the same time. So you could have your application running on Linux on one virtual instance and on Windows on another.

It works a treat, but you do need lots of RAM. Especially if you want to run multiple instances at the same time.

If that doesn't appeal to you have a look at Sysprep and Acronis.

 

Well if it was our courses it would be okai, but we also rent it out, so we set up the computers the way they want it, and making a new iso everytime someone going to rent the rooms is not an automatic way to do it, and im also sure the people going to use it not only on the VMware side so its still going to be used, and after a while its need to be remformated again

 

Well, it seems we are going to use the Unattended Installation method instead of the RIS or Sysprep installation

So the case is closed ^_^