Invisible wrote:
> Well, since HP sells millions of identical machines, I would suspect 
> they do what I do - create a disk image and clone it onto each machine.

And then you run sysprep, which sets up things as if you didn't do that.

> That still doesn't help you if you just want to set up one machine, but 
> you want to configure it in a specific way. There is basically no way 
> round it; you *must* run the irritating wizard,

I'm not really sure what wizard you're talking about. The only thing I 
remember setting up is the timezone, optionally the network configuration, 
and the name and passwords of user accounts. I don't know what "incorrect 
configurations" you're referring to. Care to enlighten me?

> - "How to deploy using RIS". Cool. I don't have RIS, but anyway...

No, you buy it if you want it. Just like Windows or Office.

> - "How to perform unattended install from CD-ROM". Which basically says 
> you need the Resource Kit that I can't obtain. Nice.

This was free for Win2000. I'm not sure if it's still free, but unless 
there's some sort of export control stuff going on, I don't know why you 
couldn't obtain it.

> - "How to use Group Policy to remotely upgrade from Windows 2000 to 
> Windows XP". Interesting that you can do that, but I would never, ever, 
> attempt to do something so hazardous.

On the other hand, if you have a few thousand machines spread around (say) 
multiple airports, it's not too hard to figure it out and get it right.

I saw instructions on upgrading from Linux to FreeBSD (or maybe it was the 
other way around) without ever being in the same city as the other computer. 
Pretty funky.

> - "How to use SysPrep: An Introduction". Now this sounds actually 
> useful... oh, wait, it redirects to the Windows XP Homepage. So no help 
> there then. (Having spent time wrestling with SysPrep and trying to 
> guess how to work it, this might have been quite useful.)

It probably got moved to a different link. That was probably for Win2000 or 
soemthing.

> - The second SysPrep link also redirects to the XP homepage.
> - "How to use the SysPrep tool to automate the installation of Windows 
> XP". Ah, *this* link actually works! And contains some moderately useful 
> information...

Glad to be of service. :-)

-- 
   Darren New, San Diego CA, USA (PST)
   "Ouch ouch ouch!"
   "What's wrong? Noodles too hot?"
   "No, I have Chopstick Tunnel Syndrome."

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