Preparing for an OS image

Unknown macro: {float}

	h3. Best Practices
Use as generic an image as possible - This helps to keep file size down and allows you to perform customizations later using LANDesk rather than creating a separate image. Stage your image in a virtual machine - This allows the fewest number of drivers to be installed and can eliminate any hardware dependency. You can also use snapshots to easily test and revert changes.

Summary

Provisioning and OSD can help to save lots of time while building new machines, they also take a significant amount of time to get running correctly. The information found here is geared to help you create the image that will be deployed using OSD/Provisioning.

[Sysprep]

This information is for Windows 7

Every image that is deployed with an automated installation needs a Sysprep file. This file is created using the Windows System Image Manager (WSIM) found in the Windows Automated Installation KIT (AIK). It contains information in XML format that is read during the different phases of Windows startup. WSIM can not only be used to setup default settings link the Admin password, but can also be used to set system settings such as default homepages for Internet Explorer, Settings for Windows Media Player, and many many more.

WSIM actually has great built in help. If you ever want to know what a setting does, just click on it and hit F1