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Creating an image of my pc

I have been asked to build a machine and then create an image of it so it can be used as template for another 30 machines in use at the moment. (they had an AV outbreak in this room and want a CD that will simply wipe the machine and re-image it to this specification they want). I just want to know what's currently the best tool to do this.
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AdrienneSperber
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Symantec Live State works great in doing this.
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Acronis imaging software is hard to beat:

This product is specifically for multiple deployments:
http://www.acronis.com/enterprise/products/snapdeploy/
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Eirman
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I agree with Eirman...  XXClone is a good solution with Windows XP and 2003.
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There is a warning about the  target volume (see image attached). i presume the target location is where the image will be stored and then i burn this image to CD. The warning makes me think different ? User generated image
This means when you restore a clone to another drive (or copy a drive to another drive), it completely replaces the entire destination volume (existing data is wiped out).  
i suggest to use the paragon software - you can test it with their free software, and buy as needed
i found it very easy to use, and faster than others ; here the free one : http://www.paragon-software.com/home/db-express/      
So can i be clear in the knowledge that...
1. XXClone will allow me to create an image file of exisiting pc.
2. I can then burn image to CD/DVD
3. I can put CD/DVD into another PC (exact same spec hw) and boot from CD/DVD.
4. Then OS get's installed and the config(settings/software) of the system is the same as first machine ?

Or am i missing something ?
that is correct - and all others offer that as well + manyy other possibilities (paragon)
Excellent. I will run this now... Thanks for your help so far.
Nobus or Eirman,  When i did the clone to external drive, it did not simply create an ISO image as i had hoped. It created the system files....how do i create an image from these files ? do i simply copy them ?
it never makes an ISO file - it makes IMAGE files
you do NOT make iso files from them. When Paragon is installed, it lets you make a bootable recovery cd - this is used to boot from, and restore the image files
I need to create an image of a pc to reinstall on numerous pcs...i was using XXclone as advised. What is the next step to create the Image so i can burn to CD/DVD
i told you already 2x how to do it with paragon
and that - even if i did not get any points....
Thanks Nobus. Sorry about not giving you points. I thought XXclone was a winner...but obviously not.
I am using Paragon now. Can you advise on what i choose to create the image as when i go through the backup wizard it creates a archive that is 14.3 GB which won't fit onto a cd/dvd... how do you do it ?
i always choose to clone the complete disk - certainly for akll pc's from vista and later (2 partitions) i store that on an external disk drive -  be sure to have one with it's own power supply
if you don't have one, it cuts it into parts for  DVD's
14 Gb would be 3-4 DVD's - but i suggest to buy an external disk : faster, and easier to use
If i clone the whole disk to an external HDD (I presume i do a backup to disc in paragon), how do i redeploy the image?  
BY BOOTING FROM THE RESCUE CD
that also i told you sevveral times.....