Windows 7: An Old School Geek’s approach to Installing & Setting Up a Windows PC

You can always select Printable Version from Thread Tools and print it to a file to have it on your PC if you'd like to.

I use the Windows SIM to create my XML file . It creates the partitions and installs the windows where the file tells it to . It's an unattended build. I have either in a DVD disc or USB .

What is SIM? this sounds like material for another tut.

Windows SIM is part of the Windows AIK (WAIK), Windows Automated Installation Kit: Download Windows® AIK for Windows® 7 from Official Microsoft Download Center

It is an quite easy to use tool to create pre-customized Windows images for deoloyment. Worth to download and try.

For Windows 8 the same exists with a new name, Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8: Download Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows® 8 from Official Microsoft Download Center

Kari

got it from Google, SIM is System Image Manager.

Nice & concise - picked up a new trick (audit mode in Windows 7) +rep

Thanks,

Bill
.

My current setup of my desktop:
I have two Hard drives. 500GB and 250gb. 500gb is fairly new and I've had the 250gb for more than 7 years now.
500gb contains Windows 7 and 250gb contains Windows XP.
I will probably have to reinstall everything when Microsoft stops support for XP in 2014.
When I reinstall, I would probably install Windows 7 and 8 in the 500gb hard drive. I would also install some linux distros in the 250gb hard drive.

Is that a good plan? I would like to keep windows in the same hard drive, and linux in their own drive. How would you go about partitioning hard drive?

Personally I would not put two operating systems on one disk, but that's just my opinion. A mechanical failure, HDD dies and you lost both. My max amount of OSs = amount of HDDs, so for instance in your scenario I would install max two OS, Windows 7 and 8 or one Windows and one Linux.

Just remember to give enough space for Windows partitions.

Kari

Hey, thank you for article, really helpful. I am going to need this in couple days for new computer and I want to do it right finally

Anyway I have question to this post below. It is really nice advantage, however it means, that when I will be returining to that backup like 2 years later, I will have to start with all those old versions of software and without windows updates ?

Or is it still possible after restoring to go back to Audit mode again, update these apps and drivers, make new backup and than continue onward ?

Thanks for reply.

No, Fredy. That's just an initial image that allows you to restore the original Windows, when and if you want to. I for instance save this image separately not on the same partition on network storage where I save the later images.

Later on you set up regular backup as you see fit. When you need to / want to restore, you can select which image to use: one of your later images, or to start completely from beginning restoring the initial image.

I am a backup freak, I need to know my a** is covered. I always create this initial image twice, with Windows native Backup & Restore and with Macrium Reflect Free. Also later on I always create two images, one with Windows tool and one with Macrium.

Whatever you do, whichever backup tool and strategy you choose, the main point with this initial image is to be able to restore a virgin Windows setup when need arises.

Kari