Installing numerous PCs from a master build - Is this possible

[w3a537]

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.

 

[cluberti]

2 questions, and I'll see if I can help - first, what are you hoping to do with the Win7 Home Prem image (simply make a reinstall, or create a custom image with software, drivers, etc)? Second, given these are retail (purchased at a store), what kinds of machines will these be installed on once you have created an image?

 

[w3a537]

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.

 

[w3a537]

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 ...

 

[Layback Bear]

VLK is what is used for installing Windows on many systems. Trying to do this with a O.E.M. or Retail c/d is not legal. O.E.M is one system and Retail is one system at a time.

 

[gregrocker]

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.

 

[w3a537]

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 ...

 

[Layback Bear]

Good choice OEM partner is what you need to do what you want.

 

[w3a537]

Thank you all.

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

Steve Broshears, thanks again ...

 

[seavixen32]

You're welcome.

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

 

[w3a537]

As for the OEM program, where does the support come from.

USA
CANADA
INDIA
PHILLPPINES
ENGLAND
GERMANY

I have had (many) bad experiences with MS support in each of these countries.
One good session with the PHILLPPINES but also a wrong information incident during the same call.
And 2 bad and finally one good incidents with INDIA one day.
The good one was only because I kept complaining.
Both corporate bedfore I retired an personal support calls.

It would be bad to spend good money for bad support.

Steve Broshears ...

 

[Layback Bear]

From my understanding you are trying to do something the Microsoft doesn't allow unless you buy a proper license to do so. Once you do that things should go well for you. You can't buy one new car from a dealer and drive off with 6 new cars and sell them to others. If you need 7 new cars they will give you a deal but you still have to pay for all 7 cars. Same o same o with a operating system.

 

[gregrocker]

Each install will need a full Win7 Home Premium license, unless the owner has a retail license for XP or Vista they are not planning to use which would qualify them for Upgrade version - requiring them to do one of the workarounds here to activate Upgrade version on a clean installed/imaged HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

You should look at Builder's OEM which is exactly suited for what you describe and gives you a substantial price break. However it cannot migrate if the user wants to move Win7 to new hardware.

 

[w3a537]

What I have done so far has been with full retail licenses
purchased at an office supply store. With one exception.

Going forward I will check into the OEM program.

This is going to require a few extra words.

One customer wanted me to install the upgrade license
on his PC already running XP. I backed his system up,
then re-formatted. I installed WIN7HP. It would not
activate. I had expected simply to need to enter both
codes or briefly put in his XP CD which he had ready.

Not the way it worked. No Joy.

I called MS India. We were on his speaker phone. He
heard everything. We were bounced around through
possibly 5 reps. Then forwarded to England. The lady
in England said "we are not trained to help you". No
bull. Then to Germany and then back to India.

This tech in India was helpful. He said that what I did
was not supported by the OS code, irrelivant of what
MS docs said. It was 1hr 15min into the call. My customer
was not impressed but then he talked to him.

This rep in India gave us an acvitation code that seemed to
be 50-80 characters long which fixed everything up.
He said it was a one-time self-destructing code.
This system has been fine ever sience, even SP1
went in W/O any problems.

This IS what happened.

Steve ...

 

[w3a537]

The link above provides some additional techniques that I
have never seen. Thank you. I will document all of them.

Again, thanks to everyone for the help.

Steve ...

 

[w3a537]

What I am concerned about is the quality of support
if any if I join the OEM program. Almost all the supoport
I have received so far from MS has been BAD.

I need some advise.

Putting "MS OEM PARTNER" on my business cards
would look good.

Steve ...

 

[cluberti]

The problem with MS support is that personal and professional support is outsourced, and premier support is handled by their own people. If you're paying per incident, unless you're paying for the $500+ support incidents, you aren't actually talking to Microsoft.

 

[w3a537]

I really don't understand.

If I go with OEM, are you saying that still only people paying $500
per incident get good MS support, otherwise they have to accept
outsourced bad support.

1. I expect answers. No run-around.
2. Of the answers I get I expect then to be correct.

I don't want to pay a lot to get an MS fix for any MS problems
I may encounter.

Steve ...

 

[gregrocker]

I would provide the Support myself if I were you using SevenForums as a resource. Otherwise either you or your customers may wind up back here anyway and with a lot emptier wallets.

We provide much better support than any other industry tech support except for a few specialized problems which we will then advise contacting them about.

 

[w3a537]

Well,

The first page and a half of this thread (go back and read), is mostly people
giving me bad advice, advice I knew wrong, and arguing. No other forum members
stepped in to control this. I was dissapointed in this lack of help, (go back and look).

I have the feeling I was being run away.

I had to supply several sevenforum links to settle this myself, without sounding
like I wanted to argue too much myself. Then it became more quiet. And better.

You people don't know how close I came to leaving sevenforums to try elsewhere.

Is true, Steve ...