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phil-cameronFlag for Canada

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XP, Sysprep and multiple machine types

Hello Everyone,

I'm attempting to create an imaging solution for a post secondary university faculty, and I'm having some difficulty in getting Win XP Pro to transfer to multiple machine types.  Here's our situation: we are a complete IBM shop, and are on a 4-year evergreening cycle - the oldest machine we want to image is from 2001.  I have 4 model years (and therefore 4 different machine types) for our desktops: the A40 [2001], the M41 [2002], the M42 [2003] and the M50 [2004].  Since our academic staff also do quite a bit of traveling, we offer them 2 different types of notebooks per model year: a desktop replacement and an ultra light.  We currently have the following in deployment:
A21M, A22M, A30, A31, A31P, R40, R51, X22, X24, X30, X31 and X40.

Now, from what I've read, it is possible to image multiple machine types with 1 standard image.  I've been checking out quite a few forum postings, and they have proven to be somewhat helpful:

http://x220.minasi.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=1264
https://www.experts-exchange.com/questions/20674997/How-do-I-clone-Windows-XP-to-another-Model-of-Machine.html
http://www.coolsolutions.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=10012

However, I have followed many of the suggestions posted here (and others that I neglected to bookmark...), and I still can't make it work.  I've done the following:
1. Used the oldest machine in our pool to build the image (Power Mgmt = ACPI Uniprocessor PC)
2. Used the newest machine to build the image (Power Mgmt = ACPI Multiprocessor PC)
3. Changed the Power Management type from ACPI Uniprocessor PC to Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC [using the image from point 1]
4. Used a laptop (A22M) with Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC Power Management to build the image

Every time I try to restore the image onto a different model of machine, I get one of the following different errors (which makes troubleshooting that much more exciting!):
1. The machine bluescreens and immediately reboots
2. A solid white bar appears on the bottom of the screen (It's finished loading the DOS portion, but doesn't display the Boot-up Windows logo)
3. A boot into safe mode stops on mup.sys
4. A boot into safe mode stops on agp440.sys

This all occurs before the Mini-setup can start, so it appears to be an incompatible HAL/ Power Management issue.

I've about reached the end of my rope for this one, and I'm starting to feel some deadline pressure looming...

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
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sj_hicks
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ASKER

This solution worked perfectly!  Thanks!
Phil
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jeottum

Wow...great solution!

I would like to comment on this...with new hardware controllers coming out, how will you know when you need to add to this list?
This should work with most new desktops and laptops.  Servers and some PCs may need some more work.  You can manually add an entry if required by determining the mass storage controllers device ID (PCI_VEN) and pointing it towards the appropriate inf file.
There is an option in the sysprep.inf file called something like "GenerateMassStorage".  Sorry I don't have the exact info at my fingertips.  Check it out in the deploy.chm file.  If you set this to YES, the [SysprepMassStorage] section will be autocatically genereted for you when you run sysprep.