How to install Win98/2000 on multiple computers at once?

[northcoast]

I was wondering if there was a way to install windows 98 or 2000 on multiple computers at once. I have alot of computers I got in with their hard drives wiped clean, some with windows 98 COA's and some with win2k pro COA's already with them.

I've been re-partitioning, reformatting, and freshly installing windows on all of them one at a time, but still have around 100 or so to go. If anyone can give me a solution or point me in the right direction, or tell me if its possible, it would save me ALOT of time and I would very much appreciate it! I have networking hubs, routers and all that so thats not really a problem.

Thanks for the help!

 

[Osiris]

http://www.duxcw.com/digest/Howto/software/windows/dual/index.html

 

[northcoast]

http://www.duxcw.com/digest/Howto/software/windows/dual/index.html

Thanks for the reply but that had nothing to do with my question.

 

[Win2kpatcher]

What I would seriously consider is purchasing some cloning software such as Norton Ghost. Make images of each platform then push the images out over the network. You could also setup a RIS, but I dont think it would work with 98? maybe it would.

You could also install over the network on multiple machines to at least avoid needing a cd for each machine. The cloning/imaging is the way to go though since it contains all the drivers, appz, settings etc etc..match that with the sysprep tool and a udf file and your golden.

 

[northcoast]

What I would seriously consider is purchasing some cloning software such as Norton Ghost. Make images of each platform then push the images out over the network. You could also setup a RIS, but I dont think it would work with 98? maybe it would.

You could also install over the network on multiple machines to at least avoid needing a cd for each machine. The cloning/imaging is the way to go though since it contains all the drivers, appz, settings etc etc..match that with the sysprep tool and a udf file and your golden.

Thanks for the reply! I thought about norton ghost, I would make an image on my removable hard drive and copy it that way, but what I was worried about with that is the CD-Key's that were installed would all be the same. Is there a way to change the CD-Key stored on the computer after you install it? I've used programs that found the key that was already installed, but not anything that would change it. If I could do this, you're right, that would definately be easier.

I'm not too familiar with the RIS method but I'll look into it and see if that will work.

I've never installed windows from a network, is that when you set the bios to boot from network or something? All of the computers I'm using have their partitions deleted so I guess I'd have to do that first. Maybe I could just rip out the hard drives of each one and set up a few main computers, install the extra hard drives in each, and copy that way? Thanks, you've gotten my brain going on this one.

Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Win2kpatcher]

That wouldnt work..if you were to take all the hard drives out and put them in one machine and imaged them that way it would most likely not boot..and you would at the very least have to run a repair on the OS. Reason being you are working with different sets of BIOS, hardware..etc etc..

As for the CD-KEYS dont even worry about it. So long as you have documentation that you own each copy of windows you have installed in your env (COA) then you are cool with leaving that same key on each machine. In theory you should change it, but I have about 300 Dells here all running the same CD-KEY from one of the dells (via ghost image) with no problems.

Note that I ghosted with the OS that comes with the Dell and had no problem (meaning it wasnt a volume copy of windows, which doesnt require activation). and never ran into prompts for activation or any problems at all.

You dont have to worry about partitions or formatting or any of that when you use imaging software..thats whats so great about it..it truly is a copy and play operation. When you send that image to the new computer it will blow out all partions and create one large C:\ partition and will already be formatted with whichever file system the master was made with. This will save you the step of having to partion/format each PC. Let me ask you is there a reason you are partitioning each one currently? Meaning does your company have special needs that requires differnt drive letters and such or something?

 

[northcoast]

That wouldnt work..if you were to take all the hard drives out and put them in one machine and imaged them that way it would most likely not boot..and you would at the very least have to run a repair on the OS. Reason being you are working with different sets of BIOS, hardware..etc etc..

As for the CD-KEYS dont even worry about it. So long as you have documentation that you own each copy of windows you have installed in your env (COA) then you are cool with leaving that same key on each machine. In theory you should change it, but I have about 300 Dells here all running the same CD-KEY from one of the dells (via ghost image) with no problems.

Note that I ghosted with the OS that comes with the Dell and had no problem (meaning it wasnt a volume copy of windows, which doesnt require activation). and never ran into prompts for activation or any problems at all.

You dont have to worry about partitions or formatting or any of that when you use imaging software..thats whats so great about it..it truly is a copy and play operation. When you send that image to the new computer it will blow out all partions and create one large C:\ partition and will already be formatted with whichever file system the master was made with. This will save you the step of having to partion/format each PC. Let me ask you is there a reason you are partitioning each one currently? Meaning does your company have special needs that requires differnt drive letters and such or something?

Thanks for the tip, I think i'll go with the norton ghost. How do you usually hook up the computers? Do you just boot off of a external drive then use the program on the installed drive, just wondering how ghost connects to the unformatted hard disk drive.

I got my computers from a company that got rid of their computers after the original warranty ran out, so to erase their hard drives, they just erased the partitions so for windows 98se, my disk isn't bootable so I've been using a boot disk, doing a fdisk, then formatting c, then installing windows from the e: promt from the boot disk. For windows 2000, my disk is bootable so I haven't really had to use fdisk.

I'm selling these computers to the public, which is why I was a little concerned with having the COA's match, which probably won't be a problem I'm guessing. Thanks for all your advice!

 

[Win2kpatcher]

No problem! Yea Norton Ghost is just one of the many imaging pieces of software out there. I like it as well as many others around here. I think it will work good for you because you are not dealing with SATA.

There are many ways you can deploy images. It really depends on which version you purchase. Now we at work have the latest Ver10 Enterprise which supports Ghost Cast Server (which is *****in!!). Basically this is how I do it..it may be differnt for others..

1) You install the Ghost Server software on your primary computer that you will use to deploy images. Configure this computer with a static IP as you will use this to transfer images back and fourth via the network.

2) You launch the Ghost Cast Server which is part of the install on the computer you just insatlled this on. You name the session, select if you are creating an image or restoring an image, select the image location if restoring or image destination if restoring, then accept clients.

3) Prep a client computer which you will use as a master image, install all apps etc etc..

4) Boot the client computer with either a bootable floppy with the network drivers (ghost suite includes a boot disk making wizard) or right from a PXE compliant NIC. Once launched you will be prompted to enter session info source etc etc...then the creation begins assuming it esstablishes a connection to your ghost cast session which you had started in the earlier step.

5) Thats it once it finishes you will have the image on your server, which you can now use to deploy to as many clients as you purchases licesnes for. You basically do the same steps above to restore an image. Very easy.

You can also do as you mentioned with a portable HD or attaching it as a slave..but thats not as effecient as being able to do 20 at one shot via the network method If this is for home you may want to find alternative methods to acquire the corporate ghost software since you will probably only use it once..hint hint..yea thats all I am saying about that to avoid trouble

 

[Osiris]

sorry about that, I gave you the wrong link.....

 

[northcoast]

OMG! Thank you so much this is a HUGE help! Me likey alot.