Creating an OS image

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	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.

[LANDesk: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

Process

The process of preparing an image for deployment generally starts with a default OS installation of Windows 7. Unless there are special circumstances, the image located at

\\titan\software$\fsp\MCA\Windows 7\Windows 7 Enterprise with SP1 - Tufts KMS

should serve as a good starting point. This image is stock Windows 7 Enterprise. The only 2 changes are SP1 has been integrated and the image is configured to use the Tufts KMS for Windows product activation.

Install Windows 7 Enterprise from one of the images linked above. As noted previously, this is best done in a virtual machine.
When you get to the Welcome screen, enter audit mode by pressing SHIFT+CTRL+F3. You can additional information about customizing Windows in audit mode on microsoft's website. Make any changes you wish, such as installing windows updates, changing windows settings, etc.
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