Installing numerous PCs from a master build - Is this possible

I have been stepping through a procedure I found on-line about
"Imaging and deploying Windows 7 using WINPE and SYSPREP".

As for at least the first 6 pages, this document follows closely
the MS doc I found on the WAIK CD.

I'm on page 6, which referred me to the FAQs at the bottom of the doc.

============================================
On page 24/25 in the FAQ section another FAQ says
"This procedure (winpe and sysprep I assume) only
works for the VLK (volume licensing) distribution of
Windows" (wording to this effect), and there is a
negative comment concerning store purchased
packages (licenses).

The master system I built is W7HP from a store. Properly licsened.
=========================================

An MS tech last week told me that if I image this system (fully licened)
to another identical PC, that Win 7 is smart and will simply ask for another
license key.

Now that I am trying to use WINPE and SYSPREP for duplicate and non-duplicate
hardware DO I HAVE A PROBLEM HERE?

Sorry but I cannot both easily explain this, and reduce the word count.

Steve Broshears ...

I thank everyone very much.

Thank you for your quick response.

I want to make a system with Win7 (sp1) fully up to date.
And I have many customizations, tweaks, etc. installed.
And a custom directory structure.

Numerous apps are also installed, and I have set all the
options in each app the way I want them to be.

The master system takes a long time to build.
Then I want to just use it to load other systems.

As for WIN7HP that's all my small business
customers really need/want. So I have started
with WIN7HP.

Steve Broshears ...

Thank you very much.

One more thing I forgot.

Hardware.

Whatever a customer wants is best,
but I am willing to limit that. Say
two laptops, two desktops. From
good companies.

I really like SAMSUNG tech support
in both NJ and SC.

Also MSI suppoort in Jeffersonville IN.

And if i may complain a bit, HP support
in India, when I asked them what the
latest BIOS rev was for a particular PC
I got transferred to a higher level of
support twice, then I was told that this
was the most complicated question they
had ever received. [really]

And DELL support in India, said they might
have to invalidate my customer's warrinty
because I installed SP1. Updates NOT
PERMITTED. [really]

Steve ...

Are you clear now that preparing a master retail install used to deploy retail Win7 to different machines is done by applying a SysPrepped Image?

Sysprep removes all the drivers, Hardware ID's and activation so that it starts up new and installs the drivers when started on new hardware. You then activate at Computer>Propertis using the OEM or retail key for that machine.

The only other option is using a normal image and removing drivers by booting Paragon Adaptive Restore on the new hardware and pointing it at Win7.

Yes I'm clear on all of this now. Thank you.
I just wish that the DOCS and WEB pages had stated
this NEAR THE TOP, not at the bottom. I spent about
5 weeks building this what I thought would be my
master system. BUT I kept notes on everything so
making another will not take so long. Before I do
anything more I will check into MS OEM PARTNER.

And the PARAGON software.

Thanks, Steve Broshears ...

Thank you all.

I just wish MS had told me all of this
the first time I asked them.

Steve Broshears, thanks again ...

You're welcome.

Thanks for the update and I hope things go well for you in the future.