Creating Custom OS Images?

[iPwn]

It's actually rather easy.

You need to build the OS from scratch. I suggest partitioning your drive, and then installing the target OS on that partition. Get it configured to how you want it and simply sysprep it. DO NOT install any AntiVirus or Security Software, the sysprep will fail and destroy the image.
After Sysprep is run and the machine shuts down, simply capture the contents of the drive and copy them to a target drive. When that target drive is booted on a machine, it will go through the initial Windows setup process. Install drivers and you're right back to where you were before sysprep but on a new machine.
Sysprep is located in c:\Windows\System32\sysprep\sysprep.exe

 

[BK_123]

Well I found finally found a program that would let me do what I wanted called nLite, nLite - Deployment Tool for the bootable Unattended Windows installation and download here Download nLite 1.4.9.3 - FileHippo.com

 

[root]

I prefer RIS combined with software installation via GPO or SCCM myself.

no need to build an image, and crucially no need to update an image, start a machine, enter a password once and walk away. come back much later and log on. might need 1 more restart to finalise some software installations.

adding software to an image is a really good way to spend loads of time building images rather than doing work to improve anything...
It ties you to machines because your master image won't have all the drivers of all machines that you might want to use, it ensures that any rapidly updating software that you have (Jave, Firefox, Chrome Acrobat, flash, etc) are out of date within a month or so of you creating your image...