Dag Wolters
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Best strategy to create images of 100 Windoss 10 laptops?
We have 100 Dell Latitude E6430 laptops which will be used on a summer camps for kids. We would like to install some software on them, and then easily create an image so that we can roll back to a clean laptop with all the installed software in place. As the laptops will only serve during 8 weeks it will be too expensive to install a commercial, paid solution. How should we address this situation in the most effective way? I guess the ideal would be to be able to create a partition with this image that could be triggered from BIOS (like Acronis), but parhaps this is only doable with a commercial solution? Or?
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ASKER
OK, so Windows 10 lets you continue use the laptop and install additional software without having to enter the Windows 10 serial number (but do this later on)? Thats is a clever solution in that case!
ASKER
Great answer! And I did not know about the software before, so that was also a bonus!
Actually, you WILL have licensing problems. The ONLY license that permits you to reimage is a Volume License. You only need ONE license, but you DO need it to be volume. Reimaging rights grant you the ability to use one volume license to reimage others so long as they came with Pro.
If you have a server, Windows Deployment Services can handle simultaneous deployment to all 100 laptops with a broadcast.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/licensing/learn-more/brief-reimaging-rights.aspx
If you have a server, Windows Deployment Services can handle simultaneous deployment to all 100 laptops with a broadcast.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/licensing/learn-more/brief-reimaging-rights.aspx
Well Licensing would be an issue if we were to use the same key on all 100 Laptops...From what the author asked i am under the impression he has 100 laptops each with its own key ...the only striking point is that they are identical in every aspect of course the aspect...
So i don't see the issue if they setup a laptop with all the software and settings they want and reimage it to the other laptops...we DON'T use the same key in any way...each laptop has its own unique key ...and if we would take a fixed procedure of installing the OS/software we would end with identical setups....so what's the problem...
As for WDS there was no mention that there was a domain infrastructure
So i don't see the issue if they setup a laptop with all the software and settings they want and reimage it to the other laptops...we DON'T use the same key in any way...each laptop has its own unique key ...and if we would take a fixed procedure of installing the OS/software we would end with identical setups....so what's the problem...
As for WDS there was no mention that there was a domain infrastructure
1. WDS doesn't require a domain (it does require a server). I prefer to assume they do have a server - it means no purchase necessary in that are.
2. Read the licensing agreement. The end user is NOT PERMITTED to re-image workstations using OEM / Retail (/ downloaded) media. Only Volume licenses permit re-imaging by the end user. Further, the same key should be used for all installs - which Volume Licensing permits.
3. There are locales where such restrictions may not be legally permitted, but in MOST areas, the licensing states this.
4. There are OEM programs that allow you to customize ONE system and send it back to the manufacturer for imaging onto others - however, if these have been ordered/delivered already, this is not a practical option.
@Dag
Re-imaging is a great idea but don't expect to do it in 3 hours. Do it right, learn the products and it will become FAR easier in the future. I would suggest that learning the proper procedures and setting up the software/image for deployment PROPERLY could take you 30-60 hours. However, once you know the process, the redeployment should be MUCH quicker.
And as I said about Volume Licensing, you only need ONE copy thanks to the re-imaging rights Microsoft grants, provided you have ordered the machines with a Pro operating system. If not, then unless you're a school you cannot get Volume licenses for home and do not have the right to re-image. You do need an initial volume license order of 5 ITEMS, but 4 of those items can be the cheapest thing "on the menu" and ONE copy of Windows 10 Pro (which then gives you keys and media via the Volume License Service Center for all other supported versions of Windows).
2. Read the licensing agreement. The end user is NOT PERMITTED to re-image workstations using OEM / Retail (/ downloaded) media. Only Volume licenses permit re-imaging by the end user. Further, the same key should be used for all installs - which Volume Licensing permits.
3. There are locales where such restrictions may not be legally permitted, but in MOST areas, the licensing states this.
4. There are OEM programs that allow you to customize ONE system and send it back to the manufacturer for imaging onto others - however, if these have been ordered/delivered already, this is not a practical option.
@Dag
Re-imaging is a great idea but don't expect to do it in 3 hours. Do it right, learn the products and it will become FAR easier in the future. I would suggest that learning the proper procedures and setting up the software/image for deployment PROPERLY could take you 30-60 hours. However, once you know the process, the redeployment should be MUCH quicker.
And as I said about Volume Licensing, you only need ONE copy thanks to the re-imaging rights Microsoft grants, provided you have ordered the machines with a Pro operating system. If not, then unless you're a school you cannot get Volume licenses for home and do not have the right to re-image. You do need an initial volume license order of 5 ITEMS, but 4 of those items can be the cheapest thing "on the menu" and ONE copy of Windows 10 Pro (which then gives you keys and media via the Volume License Service Center for all other supported versions of Windows).
ASKER