Building an Image: XP & Vista

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mokkapoop

[H]ard|Gawd
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Jun 6, 2005
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Hello all. I have been interested for some time on how to build an image for a machine. The purpose is to eliminate the time consuming process of reformatting my machine. What I would like is some official guidance on how to build an image, from start to finish and getting in onto my machine. Is it the same for both Vista and XP (both 32 bit versions)?

Please include how to add the following:

* XP or Vista OS with latest SP
* Drivers
* Applications I want installed
* Windows Updates
* Profile Configuration

Anything else that might be important that I am missing, please let me know. Also, the tools needed to do all of this are free to download, correct? If so, what are they and where can I find them?
 
bump, i just came here looking for this same exact reason..

I have vista ultimate, I am going to replace my HD my OS is one, I can image it and just reinstall it on the new HD and everything will be fine correct?

Do i just use that back up utility in vista?
 
The backup utility in vista will create a virtual image that you can use in VPC. However, I have no idea about restoring that image.
 
Vista Ultimate has a full backup option that just takes an image of your installation and backs it up. If you ever need to restore you boot from the Vista DVD and use the recovery options to just restore from that image.

There are other options as well. Norton Ghost, for example, will create an image that you can restore from as well. I used Ghost under XP and it was always nice to just restore from a "fresh install" without all the time consuming actions.
 
From a "personal" use would you use WAIK or something like Ghost or Vista's backup utility?
 
Personally, I install Xp or Vista, set up my pc with all the regular apps I use, bookmarks, address book, email accounts, antivirus, everything, the whole thing, except vid card drivers. Then burn an image with Acronis (used to use Drive Image). When something catastrophic occurs, I just restore from that image, run win update, make new image, then install the latest vid card drivers. Takes a lot less time than a clean install.
 
WAIK is pretty easy for personal use. If you try to do Corporate image for a multitude of hardware then it gets confusing.

Just setup the computer the way you want it. Use the WAIK utility to create a WInPE USB stick or CD.

Run Sysprep on the system w/ the shutdown option.

Boot from the USB stick / CD.

Run ImageX and copy the image to a network drive or USB drive.

Shutdown / Restart boot to PC as normal.

When you want to go back to the original state boot to the USB stick and run ImageX again to load the image to the local disks.
 
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