One of my companies has 25 PCs in need of upgrading. (i.e, Pentium 3s, low memory, slow HD, etc.)

However, I have valid XP licenses and MS Office licenses for all PCs. Plus they all just received new LCD flatscreens, mice and keyboards, so all i really need is to upgrade the boxes.

I have two options...

1. Buy 25 PCs from Dell or other vendor, and then spend about 3-4 hours per PC uninstalling all the crap they include, reinstalling MS Office, deleting all the crap applications, configuring the security and network settings, terminal emulator, MS Office settings, e-mail, screen savers, pritners, favorites, links, etc. I can probably get them for $350 or so (which would include new (duplicate) XP licenses.

2. Or I can build 25 PCs from parts (easy for me) for about $300 or so. I could then build and configure ONE PC completely, and then clone or duplicate the additional hard drives. Then, all I would have to do is change the IP addresses, e-mail config, and machine ID and be done. This would save me a load of time and work.

The question is, as long as I have the valid licenses for the OS and the MS Office onsite, am I okay, or do you think I am asking for trouble in the event I get "audited" by one of the software companies.

I know getting audited is highly unlikely, but I like to keep my risk low.

Norton Ghost works ok, and there are other programs too. That's the easy way to do it. Besides, you should be using DHCP for the IP addresses and a Windows server for the profiles.

As long as you have the licenses for the software, and invoices showing the purchase you should be fine.

I'd call Dell and see if they will do a bare bones config for you. 25 systems might get you there.

I do your #2 idea daily. Works great! and if someone screws something up, ten minutes and you're good to go.



as long as you have one license per PC you're cool.

you should be able to do what you describe in option two with the dell PC's too. you just need to config one and image the HD. then you can restore it to the other PC's. or use Ghost, drive image pro, ect. bunch of options on that front.

if you own the XP and office licenses you are ok. i do it all the time with clients that buy new PC's. Plus, Dell gives you a XP disc that doesn't require authentication. It will only install on a Dell PC.

You can clone the Dells just as well.


If you go with clone machines, make sure the licenses of XP that you have are transferable to the new machines.

legally, you should be fine, but you might run into trouble with the "validation" check for updates if you run multiple cloned systems ...
Andy

If you build your systems from "parts", will all of the systems match?
If not, I would avoid this. Plus if you purchase new complete boxes they will all have a warranty that covers the entire system, rather than having boxes which have separate warranties for all of their individual parts (assuming that your building boxes with new parts.)

Creating an image using software such as Ghost is a great idea. However, I would use Microsoft's SysPrep beforehand. It will save you a lot of time in the long run, and give you a final image that you can customize to work with different hardware in the future. Sysprep helps in that regard by stripping out all installed drivers and mini-setup is then run to discover and install whatever drivers you have given it, or it'll default back to Windows drivers when necessary. Plus it insures new a new SID.

Sysprep is downloadable from Microsoft for free, and it's included w/ XP pro and server 2003.


Just my $.02

Sysprep is the way to go. Thats what Dell & all the big duplicating houses use.

Ghost or Acronis images are specific to one hardware platform. Sysprep gets around this.

Does sysprep work with Office XP as well?

What if some of the Office XPs are the upgrade versions?

Thanks.

I have sysprep for Office XP, Office 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000

Typically OEM licenses are not susposed to be transfered from the machine they were installed on. Open LIcenses (Volume Licenses) can be transfered from machine to machine so long as you do not exceed the number of licenses. Also, some interpretations of the EULA believe that MS intended that you have relicence if you replace the MB.

Personally, I wouldn't worry much, say you did the legal thing in public, and I seriously doubt the BSA will do anything.

SysPrep is a wonderful tool, should be any issues with Office, just make sure that you have the SID setting set correctly. (Can't remember which way it reads)

EDIT: Just saw about the Office Upgrade. That I don't know. SysPrep should make you re-enter all information, and different batches of software don't always mix with different batches of CD-Keys. Still, I think that it's reasonable so long as you have the correct number of licenses.

buy the new boxes.

and build a custom xp installation using Nlite

slipstream all patches etc and whatever programs you want and all needed drivers.

i have a disc for xp that installs and only takes 250 megs.

I'm probably not the foremost authority on legality... but I'd do it... there used to be a program called "ghostwalker" after you install a ghost image on each PC you use ghostwallker to give each computer a unique IP, computer name and validation key... we used to use it to set up lab computers for schools.. all computers need to be the same hardware-wise though...

sysprep works well too... basically, from what I gather, we used to do the same basic thing by blowing away the registry and the reg backup and letting the install program repair win98,NT,2000... it was handy when people didn't want to lose data, and transfer the HD to their new computer... that was back in the day though