Driver packaging for mass enterprise deployment  

sirdurst said:

[Background] -- I build images for my city organization of 10,000+ computers. With WinXP we built images for each device individually (so that’s one image for E6530, and then T3600, and GX790, the list goes on). Since Win7 is a crossplatform OS, so I hear, I can build just one image to support all the different types of computers (as long as there is ample HDD, RAM, CPU, etc)
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[Problem] -- Now I just have to find all the drivers for all the computers in the organization. On Dell’s enterprise website there are driver cab files containing all needed drivers for each specific device. However, sometimes drivers in the cab file are outdated and can only be updated by going to support.dell.com. And in annoying cases, I have to search on vendor websites
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[Question 1] -- How can I create folders, or packages, or cab files (anything) that contain all the drivers needed for a single device? So instead of having 100 different images, I’d only 1 master image with 100 different driver “packages”, saving on a lot of storage space
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[Question 2] -- Is there a way to do this without having the physical device on hand? So far I only know how to locate driver issues by going into the computer and going to Device Manager and looking at the hardware with warning signs
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[Question 3] -- If I am just creating folders with all updated drivers, is there a way, after installing an image, to simply point a computer to a folder to install all the drivers needed? If so, How?
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Any thoughts, suggestions, better ideas will be much appreciated

Hi sirdurst,

Welcome to Seven forums.

I understand that you trying to make custom images which are specific to the system. Here is what I have done for three different systems I own.

I use them as a backup but I am sure it would work fine for re imaging as well. Please install the windows on the system:

Clean Install Windows 7

Then install the required drivers:

Updating Dell Drivers

Then the required software:

http://dell.to/18vHplX

Once everything is setup and installed then take a backup image of the same using various backup softwares available.

Tutorials - Windows 7 Help Forums[2]=Backup%20Restore

And you can use these image to load them on all the systems and in future as well. I hope this helps. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact us.

sirdurst said:

So should I download all the drivers for these 57 computers onto ONE computer?
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Latitude 10 AIO9010 ATG6400 ATG6410 ATG6420 ATG6430 D430 D430 D830 E4200 E4300 E4310 E6220 E6320 E6410 E6420 E6430 E6500 E6510 E6520 E6530 and OptiPlex GX110 GX150GX260 GX300 GX620 GX7010 GX745 GX755 GX760 GX780 GX790 SX280 and PowerEdge 2850 T410 Precision Workstation 370 380 390 590 670 R5500 T110 T1600
T1650 T3400 T3500 T3600 T5400 T5500 T7400 T7500 Toughbook X10 XFR6400 XFR6410 XFR6420 and XT3
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Then capture that image and install it on all the computers in my Org?
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Or should I create separate images for these 57 Dell computers with their own select drivers?:
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The reason I don't want to do the latter is because it ends up costing tons of storage space (upwards of 1TB) when I could probably store everything under 15GB. And If I do the first suggestion, then I end up using up more space on the PCs by installing loads of unnecessary drivers (Eventually costing even more than the first suggestion). What I am looking for is a way to store ONE master image on my server (perhaps 10GB). And then I would store all the rest of the drivers in individualized folders/packages on the server tagged with the computer name (perhaps 100MB per computer and 5GB for ALL drivers). Then whenever I need to image a device, I just install the master image plus the drivers (Total space used on each device around 10.1 GB, as an example). I don't want to load everyone's drivers as that seems an unnecessary waste of space.

Hi sirdurst,

I believe windows installation would be same for all the systems. However, drivers would be different. Either way you would need to download the drivers for all the required files from the site.

Now either you can install the windows and drivers on the specific system and then make a backup copy. Or you can just make a windows copy and put all the drivers in one shared folder and deploy the relevant drivers whenever needed.

I understand storing all the different images would be quite difficult. So it would be better to have a image of windows and required softwares. After re-imaging you can install the drivers from the shared folder on a network.

I hope this information helps. If you have any further queries, please feel free to contact us.