I have just started working for a chap who builds pcs, networks etc and then maintains them.  

He has asked me to find out how to create images of all the differant builds we do and store them on the server.  The idea being after building a new machine I can then connect the new machine to the network and copy the appropriate image to the new hdd on that machine whether that be IDE or SATA hdd.

It sounds preatty much like the guy 'Rockdrala' requirements to be honest.

"Basically these are my needs. I need to boot a a freshly built computer with a NEW hard Drive off a cdrom.  
 
This cdrom needs to allow to me to clone a image to the new hard drive.  
 
The bootable cdrom also needs to be able to load support for accessing this library of images over the network wether its hard lined or wifi.  
 
What do you recommended"

There is a copy of Ghost 9 in the workshop, so I guess it would be this I would use.

(NB I did post this in a differant thread but didnt seem to get ne response, think the thread may have been too old.)

Just to clarify the hard drives will mostly be SATA I dont think that will make ne differance.....but just in case.

notfrompompey

What you're asking about is not a *simple* configuration question--but rather a much more complicated, large network administration issue--probably none of the *retail* Ghost products (such as Ghost 9) are really up to this task--you might be able to get it to work--but I suspect it will not be a smooth, easy to use setup.

You probably need to look into the Corporate Ghost products, learn about *Sysprep*, GhostWalker to perform *Security Identifier (SID's) changes and computer name changes for systems hooked up to a network for imaging, Ghost Server Console for *multicasting and/or unicasting of images*, site licensing for Ghost (each system that you Ghost requires a licence--I don't know the licensing requirements if you are placing images on units that are then sold to others), as well as site licensing for Microsoft products.

I'm sure there are folks out there doing this, but I don't think too many spend time here on this forum--most folks that do network Ghost here are doing backup and restores from an existing system that remains the same--fairly simple stuff--drive mapping and network share--and don't need to worry about SID's, computer names, detection of new hardware, licensing new units, etc.

The idea is to have a ghost image of all the system builds we do at work.  One with XP volume licence, one with XP Pro OEM, one with XP home OEM etc.  Then when I build a new pc I can just put the image on to the new build via the network, then run system prep on it, and then put the new licence key in at the prompt.  It is a lot quicker than loading the OS from scratch.  
I will need a boot cd with network drivers or something though because obviously the new machine will be blank.

notfrompompey


Quote:

will need a boot cd with network drivers or something though because obviously the new machine will be blank.

Homepage--Universal TCP/IP Network Bootdisk

How to Create a Ghost 8.0 Network Boot CD

bootable cd ghost 7.5

Notfrompompey, I recommend that you examine the Ghost license to ensure compliance.  The retail versions of Ghost stipulate that the product is licensed for use on a single PC.

Thanks nightowl, I hadnt really given the licence much thought.  I will look into it.