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| Thread ID: 108947 | 2010-04-18 04:48:00 | Setting up multiple PCs | Tony (4941) | Press F1 |
| Post ID | Timestamp | Content | User | ||
| 877728 | 2010-04-18 06:21:00 | One way and you need to make a "master machine" install XP from fresh on one partition, then on the other partition install Vista. Heres where the "what if's" come in. IF - you have volume licenses thats good, the licenses can be put on the master. IF not then you install the OS's with out entering a key, and use a default Name say user - once each machine is up and running you would need to boot into it, and manually enter each indivigal key for each OS (pain in the Butt) - you will also have to change the PC's name on each PC / OS, on a LAN, you cant have two or more with the same name other wise they clash. So it may be PC1, PC2, PC3 or how ever they are named. Second IF - the hard ware is all the same or very close - the master has all the drivers installed for both OS's. You can then clone the Master to a removable drive - take that drive to each PC and clone it back one at a time. OR if you have a server, clone the image to the server, and depending on the software go around each PC tell it to clone the image back. As for software - macrium reflect (http://www.macrium.com/) will do it to removable HDD, or LAN location. Seagates Disc Wizard (www.seagate.com) will clone the HDD and allow to be put back on different size drives. I'm just trying another one now to see if it does a LAN / Server option, that's easier to use. Edited: Funny this comes up actually -- I'm looking at something similar, I have to do a quote for a place to do a job, they want 7 PC's reinstalled using W7 volume license, all hardware the same. I was reading the other day on how to do it from a server at least 5 in one hit. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 877729 | 2010-04-18 06:43:00 | I usually use Acronis True Image, but I've heard Clonezilla (free open source software) is very good too. I'm surprised Seniornet don't have any standard setup or nationwide software deals. I look after Seniornet Invercargill & they seem to work completely autonomously. I enjoy working with them because they are so passionate about what they do. |
Greven (91) | ||
| 877730 | 2010-04-18 06:59:00 | Acronis True Image does work and work well, its costs as well - in the original post What tool(s) (preferably free) would we need Segates Disc Image is a basic free version of Acronis. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 877731 | 2010-04-18 08:06:00 | I was reading the other day on how to do it from a server at least 5 in one hit. That's what I do with g4u - the only limit is the bandwidth of the LAN. You need a FTP server set up (simple to do). |
johnd (85) | ||
| 877732 | 2010-04-18 08:25:00 | I usually use Acronis True Image, but I've heard Clonezilla (free open source software) is very good too. I'm surprised Seniornet don't have any standard setup or nationwide software deals. I look after Seniornet Invercargill & they seem to work completely autonomously. I enjoy working with them because they are so passionate about what they do.I t surprises me too that there isn't more national direction and assistance for the SeniorNet clubs. It seems like every club has to find its own way - which seems very unproductive. There are some deals available - go to the seniornet website. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 877733 | 2010-04-18 08:28:00 | Thanks Wainuitech - what you are describing is what I had envisaged. I'm not too fussed about entering multiple product keys - it was doing identical installs 14 times that made me cringe. The big question is what our licensing situation is - I'll be checking that out this week. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 877734 | 2010-04-18 08:35:00 | One of the problems you may have, is since you want to have Dual boot/two partitions, a lot of free software cant handle that to make a image. Single partitions are not a problem, even over a LAN. Just finished playing about with some free image software, they can handle single partitions, but dual partitions it all turns to custard. The only problem I can see with the software g4u is it looks like its all command prompt - and while thats fine if you know what to do, for someone who doesn't it can be a nightmare. I mean no disrespect to anyone but if someone is asking here then they dont know how to do it. @ johnd -- does g4u handle dual booting/partitions. (as in have you actually done it) Making a clone of a HDD with multi partitions and transferring that is simple as, ( do it every day almost) but that needs to then have an external HDD plugged in to each PC and imaged back one at a time. Mind you if user deatils are having to be entered, while one is imaging back, the previous can be worked on etc. |
wainuitech (129) | ||
| 877735 | 2010-04-18 09:08:00 | I had a look at the g4u website, and although I consider myself reasonably knowledgeable about PC stuff in general, I must say my eyes started to glaze over while reading what it said. When I started the thread, I thought I understood more or less what had to be done, and really wanted confirmation/negation/discussion - which is what we've had. Interesting about the >1 partition issue. I think what we will have to do, once we have the licensing stuff sorted is to try it in one PC and see how we go. |
Tony (4941) | ||
| 877736 | 2010-04-18 09:27:00 | Hi Tony. I was recently discussing with others the possibility of dual booting one machine (probably Windows 7 and XP) and then cloning to others - . Small matters arising included the identity of each machine, especially if, as in your case, each has its own id for email training and so on. It was suggested that the initial dual booting could be made easier using a free programme called VirtualBox. Just throw this in as you are gathering information.... here from Wikipedia.... VirtualBox - From Wikipedia virtualbox.org Oracle VM VirtualBox is an x86 virtualization software package, originally created by German software company Innotek, purchased by Sun Microsystems, now developed by Oracle Corporation as part of its family of virtualization products. It is installed on an existing host operating system; within this application, additional guest operating systems, each known as a Guest OS, can be loaded and run, each with its own virtual environment. Supported host operating systems include Linux, Mac OS X, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Solaris. According to a 2007 survey by DesktopLinux.com, VirtualBox was the third most popular software package for running Windows programs on Linux desktops. Others may have experience of this facility. |
Scouse (83) | ||
| 877737 | 2010-04-18 10:18:00 | @ johnd -- does g4u handle dual booting/partitions. (as in have you actually done it) Done it many times with XP/Linux/Vista. W7 seems to have some problems with sysprep not working properly when it sees the Linux partitions there - really strange. |
johnd (85) | ||
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