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Alternative to Sysprep for Vista

We are building Vista images that support various models of hardware and sysprep is failing to create the image. A lot of time has gone into troubleshooting, duplicating hard drives prior to sysprep, identifying troublesome drivers etc. The bottom line is that this is KILLING our productivity. We didn't used to have this problem with XP. When we successfully create the image, we then use ghost 7.5 on a server to load 20 machines on an internal net at a time.

My question is-- Is there an alternative to Sysprep to prepare the image? Have other people run into this problem with Vista and found an alternative? I am NOT involved in the nuts and bolts of this issue but our image creators continually wrestle with Sysprep and it just isn't working!!!!!

How are other people doing it?

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dmwynne

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deBrun

ASKER

Let me describe out process as it is a bit better:

We aren't cloning per se but building an image that will install on different pieces of hardware, can be named and have drivers installed during the imaging process. At the end, we finish any drivers and join them to a domain where they get a domain sid.

The image build process starts with a Vista box, preconfigured with software and drivers, it is then sys-prepped and then that is made into a Ghost image that is put on a server to be distributed on a closed network to 20-ish computers.

I'm going to get a hold of the procedures and read up on them to better clarify the current process so we can get an alternative. I will ask about ImageX but I don't know if the newSID will be a benefit because we are on a domain.

deBrun

ASKER

I submitted ImageX as an alternative to management but they are not interested. It took the image creators 6 months to make just a couple of successful Vista images. I think management enjoys pain and suffering so I've realized that I need a new job. Nobody seems interested in solutions or trying something different to be successful therefore my interest in this job has reached its end. Thanks for the comments and advice!