Network Installs

[semtex]

hi there, got a quesiton about performing OS installations over a netowork, so here we go...

First off is it possible to copy and store windows XP on a hard disk on another machine on the network, and then create some sort of boot disk that you can use on other machines to install XP over the network, using the copy stored on another machine? the reason i ask is that i'm forever loosing CD's and would like to keep copies of software setups on one machine for convenience.

thanks

 

[semtex]

ps, don't know if it makes any difference but the network is my home one, using 1 workgroup, not domains

 

[Kage]

Hi,
Doing this though would breach copyright unless you had a licence for each computer you used it on.

You could use nero I would guess to create a image to store on a computer (though with the way the windows licensing works, if you copied it again, it wouldn't work probs)

hmm... I'm sure this is a way. I know how you feel though, I would prefer not to use original cd's to put in and out of the computer. There too vunerable. Lets hope Blu-Ray discs have protection on them... like the cases.

Yeah there is definetly a way. My college uses the same sort of method to store programs in ram , so they don;t have to load them onto the C drive... though I'm afraid I couldn't tell you how.
I'll research If i can, though I'm sure someone can help.

 

[semtex]

cheers, and yes there is a license for each machine.

 

[TRDCorolla1]

I forgot the name of the utility that does this. I know there is one. I use to work with the network administrator and he would load client disks into each PC that needed WIndows installed. On the main computer that has the image, he would flood the network in that room (or at least the PCs that are connected to the switch the imaged computer is on). We would manually reboot the PC with the client disk in there and it will start the imaging process. It even has the status bar and everything. Can't think of the name though, but it's really handy and convienent.

Kind of like a Norton Ghost pushed over to the Client ends through network. The problem with image is that we have to go to each PC manually and change the name and IP so there will be no conflicts upon boot. You know what, Norton Ghost probably has a version that does this. Multi client installs over a network using an image you havel.

Here is older website that has a similar action to what you are taking:

http://www.biostat.wisc.edu/bcg/sup/appsup/ghost/dump.html