Cloning question made me think of this

Hans Manhave · January 22, 2014, 12:08:49 AM

What is the fastest way to set up ten work stations?

Windows 7 needs to be updated and to do that on all machines would take a while so cloning would be worthwhile. Having all the printers (everyone gets all of them no matter where they are) pre-installed would be handy.

Would there be a problem with a user profile from a current user being his/her profile for the new machine? Seems to work fine, but I may not know what "fine" is.

I keep not having a couple days to dedicate to this and so I'm looking for a super fast / efficient / failsafe way. Of course, I will have to get some stuff of each user's old machine and add it to their new one which may take as long as the whole prep procedure.

I looked for some software that could grab the contents of a WinXP and move it to a Win7 machine, there are many but deeper study revealed that they were actually making a virtual machine of whatever flavor. Long ago I moved machines from 98 to XP with something named "Aloha" or other Hawaiian sounding name, but that doesn't exist for this idea.

Mark · January 22, 2014, 08:46:11 AM

What is it that you're moving? Cloning is a good solution when everyone has all the same programs.

When I replace a machine all I need to do after the user logs on is grab their desktop icons and favorites from their old profile and plop them in the new one. Help them with their Outlook preferences if necessary, and they're off and running.

Jeff Zylstra · January 22, 2014, 02:38:34 PM

I'm confused. Are you just doing updates to existing Windows 7 machines? Or are you upgrading from XP to Windows 7? Two very different propositions, since user profiles would be different between XP and Windows 7. If you are updating Windows 7, maybe a Windows Update Server - WSUS might be an option for you.

Mark · January 22, 2014, 02:43:40 PM

I use WSUS here and it's very simple. We could start a thread on that if you'd like.

But, what I think you're saying is that you want to take one machine, apply all the windows updates that are available for it, install necessary applications, sysprep, clone, and deploy. If that it what you are saying then yes, this can be done.

Hans Manhave · January 22, 2014, 05:00:45 PM

Quote from: Mark on January 22, 2014, 02:43:40 PM
I use WSUS here and it's very simple. We could start a thread on that if you'd like.

But, what I think you're saying is that you want to take one machine, apply all the windows updates that are available for it, install necessary applications, sysprep, clone, and deploy. If that it what you are saying then yes, this can be done.

That is what I'm saying, XP to W7. I'm suddenly needing some more Office2010 availability and need to replace stations on a weekend so I can update TAM and have it all running on Monday morning. However, I don't have 48 hours to spend at the office.

As for software, everyone has TAM and Office, but after that there are some specialties. Especially shortcuts directly to files on the server. Some have a screen full. I used to be one of those.

If a WinXP machine logs into a domain as user Pete, and then they log in a Win7 machine as user Pete that would be the same profile, right? Not?

Jeff Zylstra · January 22, 2014, 06:23:23 PM

Quote from: Flag Waving American on January 22, 2014, 05:00:45 PM
Quote from: Mark on January 22, 2014, 02:43:40 PM
I use WSUS here and it's very simple. We could start a thread on that if you'd like.

But, what I think you're saying is that you want to take one machine, apply all the windows updates that are available for it, install necessary applications, sysprep, clone, and deploy. If that it what you are saying then yes, this can be done.

That is what I'm saying, XP to W7. I'm suddenly needing some more Office2010 availability and need to replace stations on a weekend so I can update TAM and have it all running on Monday morning. However, I don't have 48 hours to spend at the office.

As for software, everyone has TAM and Office, but after that there are some specialties. Especially shortcuts directly to files on the server. Some have a screen full. I used to be one of those.

If a WinXP machine logs into a domain as user Pete, and then they log in a Win7 machine as user Pete that would be the same profile, right? Not?

You may be served be roaming profiles that copy the user's files back to the server. I use roaming profiles because the user's files get copied back to the server upon logging out and get backed up each night, and also because they can walk up to any machine and log in and have their email and desktop files all there for them. Sharing machines, swapping out machines, and fixing machines are all a little easier with this arrangement.

Yes and no on the XP versus Windows 7 profiles. The folder structure is different between XP and Windows 7. The folder "Documents and Settings\%Username%" is where user profiles are stored in XP, and "Users\%Username%" for Windows 7. I'm sure there are differences in the registries as well, but I'm not sure how much difference that would make.

Mark · January 22, 2014, 07:38:16 PM

Ignore the local profile as it is not involved at the moment. Windows 7 brings version two profiles now. Your roaming profile on the server side will be automatically named username.V2. So an XP roaming profile and a 7 profile can exist simultaneously for a single user.

Let me know if I need to elaborate.

Jeff Zylstra · January 23, 2014, 11:41:57 AM

Quote from: Mark on January 22, 2014, 07:38:16 PM
Ignore the local profile as it is not involved at the moment. Windows 7 brings version two profiles now. Your roaming profile on the server side will be automatically named username.V2. So an XP roaming profile and a 7 profile can exist simultaneously for a single user.

Let me know if I need to elaborate.

I knew about the .V2 profiles on the server, but didn't know that they could co-exist. Never tried it, but that makes perfect sense. Good to know. Thanks, Mark!