Imaging Windows 7

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remmett70

If possible I would restore them to factory default from the recovery partition if available, or the original recovery disks for the computers.

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ASKER

I guess it is OEM license of Windows ..

I am much concerned on how to do this part :
<<run sysprep and create an image that you would then deploy to all the computers.>>

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ASKER

Thanks...
what about imaging with Sysprep? do you have step by step link on how to do it ?

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ASKER

<<<Here'a a MS video for it: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee530017
And the Sysprep technet page: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744263(WS.10).aspx>>>

is that all I need ?

ASKER

http://www.danscourses.com/Windows-7-and-8/how-to-create-a-wim-system-image-file-with-windowsaik-and-windowspe.html

I was looking at the link above, it looks like there is a lot to do

I never used Imagex.
Just syspreped, removed the hdd after the system shutsdown, cloned it (using Acronis, Macrium etc) then put the new hdd(s) in the other computer(s).

Something like this: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/135077-windows-7-installation-transfer-new-computer.html#post1161038

As I mentioned already, imaging and sysprepping OEM versions of Windows isn't allowed by m$ and their license agreements. If still do that, and then sell the PC's, you risk getting sued by m$. The best way to avoid any such risks is to deliver the PC's without OS, or just by using the factory restore options.

Just dbanning the disks and then selling the empty PC's saves your time.

ASKER

OK rindi,

let 's say you have 10 windows 7 computers at home, that you want to give out.
they all have data in them, that you want to strip off.
you take one computer, and install clean windows OS on it. you make it a reference image, and deploy the image to the rest of other computers…
what 's the method will you take to make such image ?

Dan Craciun, said all I need is boot the first computer run sysprep on it , shut it down, pull off the hard drive and make clones to other computers Hard Disk.
it sounds simple...

Thanks

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ASKER

it is not about the SID , when a user gets a computer , it is like getting it from the store.
I do not want the user name who installed the OS to be at the logon window, I do not want any data on the computer.

just mimicking the new computer you get from the store.

it is Gracious give away not a sale… so the question is much more technical than legal.

If you have those 10 PC's at home, you probably also still have the recovery partitions on them, and you should also have the recovery media you made when you got them.

I would first make sure you have the recovery media, and if not, make them for every PC (particularly if they are from different manufacturers and different models, if they are the same model, one such recovery media may suffice).

Then dban the disks of those PC's, and when done restore them to factory defaults using the recovery media you made. When you the sell the PC's make sure you sell them with the recovery media you made.

But again, in your Question you say that those PC's are in the Company, and not at home. And Company PC's usually use Volume Licenses and not OEM licenses, and those PC's usually either aren't delivered with an OS included (so no recovery partition or recovery media), or the OS is already licensed to your company, in which case you can probably not sell it again with that license.

If those PC's originally came with an OEM license of Windows 7 home premium installed, it is very likely that that OS was replaced with your company's Windows 7 Pro license, as that is the minimal version of Windows 7 you can use in an active directory environment, and usually no one will bother making any recovery media, and the recovery partition is probably also removed...

There is no difference between a giveaway or a sale. You are legally bound either way.

ASKER

So what would Sysprep strip off the computer, just SID ? what about the info of the user who installed the OS ?

Why is the user important? You are going to dban the hdd's and reinstall the system, right?

Simply removing the user and what you think is private data from a long used system is a bad, bad idea.

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ASKER

when you do the fresh install of windows 7, then reboot, I believe you will still see the user account you installed the OS with….how do you get rid of it ?

then how do you make it as image , so that you boot with it other computers…
I know you mentioned Sysprep, but sysprep will not create image file that you will deploy to other computers.

So my objective is to make from one computer multiple copies, now that the SID is not important as the computers will not be in the same domain…..is just like going to each computer and install fresh windows 7, but with no username showing on the login screen when you are done installing and rebooting