Solved How do I image one system to load onto another system?

I will be setting up many kiosks. Each machine will have it's own key for Windows 8.1.

I want to be able to make a copy of a completed machine and be able to load all third party software and settings onto other machines. What is the best way to do this and will it be an exact copy, i.e. all software will be installed on the next machine?

Thanks!

Brett.

Macrium Reflect has a boot CD creator that will allow you to restore the image to each machine. Just don't activate the first machine until you make the image to use on the others. Of course you need to use Macrium to make the image.

Do the machines have a CD/DVD drive or do you have a portable drive? Otherwise will have to do it with flash drive.

Oh, also the free version is for personal home use only.

EDIT: This also assumes all the machines are exactly alike when it comes to hardware.

sysprep maybe. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-ca/library/cc721940(v=ws.10).aspx

alphanumeric said:

sysprep maybe. https://technet.microsoft.com/en-ca/library/cc721940(v=ws.10).aspx

Click to expand...

Thanks, I couldn't remember that one! Stupid old brain and I've never had to use sysprep myself.

I haven't used it either but have seen it recommended many times.

Both of these look like viable solutions. Thank you!

Yep. If using in an enterprise situation you would need a paid cloning program like Macrium pro or Acronis. (I've used both and recommend either.)

If I were you I would do this: Before activating Windows on the "completed" computer:

Open a Command Prompt (Administrator) by right clicking on the start button and click the referenced. Do the commands:

net stop WMPNetworkSvc
cd sysprep
sysprep /audit /reboot

The system will now reboot. When it boots to the desktop, you will see "System Preparation Tool" dialogue. Make sure you select the options "Enter System Out of Box Experience" "Shutdown" and tick the "Generalise" box. Then click OK. The computer will shut down.

Now, boot from the Macrium/acronis boot disk/flash drive, and have external media handy to copy the image to, depending on the software you are using the steps are different but the general gyst of it is you want to "Back up my disks" "Back up all partitions"

Save the image to your external media, shutdown the kiosk, then apply the image to the rest of them. Turn them all on and run through OOBE and activate and all will be well You can also save the image for later use in case one of them has an issue, you can just re-apply the image.