I have ghosted Windows Machines for many years now. I had come to find
it increasingly easier... That was untill Windows XP. The school I
help out in the ghosting of there labs has one lab I call the easy lab
(all computers have the same specs and ghost beutifully with XP), but
the other lab, well, right now I am doing them one by one (this
questions is addressing how to avoid this in the future). My end users
are very computer illiterate making everything from the placement of
start menu icons to a quick launch toolbar on the side of the screen a
necessity. I have tried an unattended cd with all my apps and other
stuff. While the cd works to install programs and general registry
edits of mine the cd lacks the end user customization I have done
(this is why I love ghost). My school unfortunately bought a series of
Dell GX1 900mhz, and GX100 500mhz from a wholesaler who has put
chipsets together and sold them as refurbished, meaning that I have a
little differant chipset in each which XP, and 2000 hate. I have been
suggested to to run a windows server and deploy, but my school is
based on a novell server platform with a linux core, so this is not
going to work (also money is tight as it always is in schools).
Anyway, I want to know how I can ghost a lab/deploy a lab with windows
xp, office xp, adobe acrobat 7, iTunes, Musicmatch, Media Player 10,
Viewpoint Media, Real Player, Firfox, Quicktime, Ultimate Zip,
Microsoft Works, Wordperfect, OpenOffice, 1st Security Agent, and
DeepFreeze (seeded), FullShot, GIMP, and VLC Media Player, along with
all my user options and gui customizations cheaply and effectively.
Any answers to this would be much appriciated because I'm stumpt. I
paid Microsoft's support, and all I got was a non refundable lesson on
there new authentication and genuine software awairness program
propaganda. Because my school is legally licensed with Microsoft, this
was a very annoying 30.00 phone call. Sorry I can't offer more, but
this is out of my pocket and it's what I can spare.

Are you using SysPrep prior to ghosting?

I use the Windows PE disk that came with our volume license to run the
mini setup. Is that what your asking? This gets me to see an error
"ntoskrnl is either corrupt or missing", otherwise the system hangs
after POST. I have tried the sysprep on the actual windows cd, and
they say something in the Microsoft Knowledge Base about HAL?

HAL is hardware abstraction layer...in order to use ghost on different
hardware you do need to do a sysprep prior to creating the
image...follow this link on microsofts web site. You can download
whatever you need to do it from there.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;302577
We use Ghost at my workplace and I only need a few images and they can
be used on any computer...as long as you create the image correctly.
Good luck

this should help you too...
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/deployguide/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/deployguide/en-us/acicd_sys_brlp.asp

It says windows 2003 but just read it to get a handle on it.

I will try that at work tomorrow, thank you.

I have the processors in the one lab ranging from a 500mhz celeron, to
a 900mhz pIII, do they have the same HAL, or how do I find out? Also,
could I make a generic ghost for bost labs this way, The other lab is
2.0ghz celerons, 512mb ram, intel 64mb graphics, sound, usb. Thanks
for your help, Nicolaus Usry

I looked over the reading material you gave me and like the look of
how intrecate the tools you have given me are. The last thing I was
wondering is if you don't mind giving me sort of a how to on which
switches to do to make a ghost correctly because I don't want to
factory reseal and all the stuff they also talk about. Thanks again,
Nicolaus Usry

The best way to do it...Computers will different types of CPUs will
give you a hard time. Create an image for each type. P2 P3
P4...celerons can be a p3 or p2 depending on how old it is. create a
directory on the c:\ of the target computer called c:\sysprep and copy
all the sysprep files into that directory.
Run the setupmgr.exe first and create a new sysprep.inf file. Then
afterwards run sysprep.exe You shouldn't need any switches. Let me
know how that works for you

Well, good news first, My Windows XP actually went to Windows XP boot
screen with this, but then it just sits?? Much further anyway. One
system actually booted :). That has been my problem, the chipsets are
just a little differant, and I need all on one ghost. Any other
suggestions on this would be of much use

2 possible things...if it doesn't get to the XP boot screen then it's
a chipset problem...maybe CPU problem. If it gets to the XP screen
then it may be a IDE driver problem. Make sure you have all your IDE
drivers listed in the sysprep.inf file.

Okay, I will try this tomorrow, Nicolaus Usry