VMware Workstation is pricey, but well worth the cost IMHO.Test on real hardware, but build in a virtual environment. These are two facets that are simply not available with building images on real hardware. Should a screw-up occur, it can be undone without loosing work or have to re-do everything. VMware calls these “snapshots”, and Microsoft uses the term “checkpoint” in Hyper-V. Second, most virtual machine software (I’m not sure about Virtual Box) have the ability to save a VM’s state, and revert back to that state, should it become necessary. This also involves less work in mainatining the image as any work only needs to be done once and not x-times per different type of hardware. One image becomes possible for multiple hardware configurations. First, virtual machines provide the option to create hardware-neutral images which can be applied anywhere, regardless of what is actually in the target computer. Virtual machine software for the creation workspace. Windows and software install media ( obviously) This piece will discuss creating a Windows install for distribution.

Many shops do not operate that way, and have some level of interaction required during the imaging process. This is offered by Microsoft System Center (SCCM) along with the Deployment Toolkit (MDT). The ideal target being what Microsoft calls “zero-touch” deployments that require no interaction on the target computer whatsoever. From a few PCs, to hundreds, the requirements were the same, to deploy the same configuration with as little, repetitive work as possible. 8.x?), desired apps for the image (Office, PDF viewer, web browsers, plugins), virtual machine software (VMware Workstation, Microsoft Hyper-V, or Oracle Virtual Box), and image creation and deployment software (ImageX.exe, MDT, SCCM).Īlmost every place I have ever worked, IT had or needed a method to clone and deploy a specific Windows configuration and application set. Requirements: Windows install media (7 or 10.

Checkpoint vmware image