I been trying to clone a bunch of computers that are the same they are p4 2.6ghz 512mb of ram. I used trueimage 2010 home and did a direct clone. After I had problems with internet explorer crashing. After I resigned it I noticed terirbly long load times in windows xp for starting. I reformated reinstalled, and did it manually. Only to find still slower loader times althrough alot faster. Do I need to write 0's or is a format totually clean it out. Anyone have any other suggestions for program to clone, I want to be able to use my external usb 2 hardrive as with ghost 2003 I have to open the computer. Let me now thanks

@ earl


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I been trying to clone a bunch of computers that are the same they are p4 2.6ghz 512mb of ram.   I used trueimage 2010 home and did a direct clone.

What OS are you using on your systems?

Often times, even though the systems are the *same*, there are multiple hardware components that have unique IDs--and especially on Windows OSs based on NT will often have problems being directly transferred successfully from one system to a different system--unless there have been certain preparations made to a *standard system* (SysPreped), that is then deployed to multiple systems.

Windows xp pro, like i said earliyer all the same pcs. Was thinking of making the source drive that I clone to. Not activitied then say change product key and put it the key in from that computer. Would that work out?

@ earl


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Was thinking of making the source drive that I clone to. Not activitied then say change product key and put it the key in from that computer.

Unless you prepare a *base* system that is designed for deployment to multiple systems (i.e. using SysPrep), you are bound to have problems.  You have to put the product key in during the initial install routine, if I remember correctly--haven't done that in awhile!  So, as soon as you image that *base* system and restore it to other systems--I think you will encounter problems--because that same product key will be transferred with each restore to each machine!


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Would that work out?

So, I guess you haven't tried it yet to see what happens.  You may have to give it a try to see what problems show up--if the system will even boot successfully.  Activation of multiple systems is a secondary issue--I think SysPrep will allow you on first boot of new system to enter the product key for that specific licensed system and proceed with activation.  If the same product key is seen multiple times, activation is going to tell Microsoft that you may be guilty of attempting to install pirated WinXP--even if you are not!

But, I'm not an expert in deployment issues--so I can't say for sure how this will work out!

Will right now what i do is the base machince is not activitioned. Then when I clone it I go change product key then activition with the new product key. I dont like sysprep it can corrupt machinces and make them run slower.