need XP install tips

[Panama Red]

I'll soon be building 4 machines for my work. Just ordered all the parts today from Newegg. Ordered 4 copies of XP Home (3 pack + a single) and got to thinking about all the time involved in installing XP on each one and all the time I'll spend doing the MS updates. Anyone have any ideas on how to shorten the process?

[Heon2574]

if the four machines share identical hardware ( same mobo, gfx card, etc... ) you could save time making a drive image from one machine ( complete with windows and updates) and putting the image on the other three machines. That way it'll be a simple step of copying the drive image file to the hard drive (s) rather than the tedious repetition.

[Panama Red]

That's what I was looking for, Heon. I have Norton Ghost, but how do I work around the 4 product keys?

[Heon2574]

btw i believe all you need is the Windows Activation Key so don't activate Windows. Do it after you copy the image to the other machines. Then activate each one individually with the Windows key thingy.

[Heon2574]

btw i use norton ghost and it works beautifully.

just make sure you goto advanced and select HIGH COMPRESSION to save yourself some CDs.

[Heon2574]

does anyone know if windows will let you do updates in you don't activate?

[Panama Red]

Gotta head out for an evening of fun and frolic, but I'll check back later. Thanx for the quick ideas Heon2574!

[mb26]

yea i think u can update it all u like before activation

[Heon2574]

A QUICK CHECKLIST:

-install XP
-after completion, click register later, dont activate
-install SP 1, DirectX 9.0b, Windows Media PLayer 9 Final, Windows Update, any common

drivers, etc...
-BEFORE running ghost, defrag, clear out the temp folder, IE cache, etc (save space in the

image)

then run live update (there are updates for GHOST 2003), make sure you select back-up medium

as CD, select HIGH COMPRESSION under the ADVANCED tab, put a blank recordable CD in the cdrw

drive (i prefer cd-r because of their reliability, i've had bad experienced with cd-rw

discs), no need to set the write speed, don't worry about the virtual space thingy (leave as

is)

AFTERWARDS TAKE CAREFUL NOTE OF WHICH ACTIVATION KEY YOU GIVE TO EACH MACHINE, WRITE IT DOWN

ON THE PCS!!

[Panama Red]

Thanx! I made a copy of your post to 'notepad' and saved it for future reference. Next weekend when the four are all together, I'll give it a try. Appreciate the response.