Operating Systems Concepts

Installing an OS on a single computer takes time. Imagine the time it would take to install OS on multiple computers, one at a time, in a large organisation. To simplify this activity, you can use the Microsoft System Preparation (Sysprep) tool to install and configure the same oprerating on multiple computers. Sysprep prepares an operating system that will be used on computers with different hardware configurations. With Sysprep and a disk cloning application, technicians are able to quickly install an operating system, complete the last configuration steps for the OS setup, and install applications.

Disk Cloning

Disk Cloning creates an image of a hard drive in a computer: Follow these steps for disk cloning.

1. Create a master installation on one computer. This master installation includes the operating system, software application, and configuration settings that will be used by other computers in the organisation. 
2. Run Sysprep
3. Create a disk image of the configured computer using a third-party disk-cloning program.
4. Copy the disk image onto a server. When the destination computer is is booted, a shortened version of the windows setup program runs. The setup creates a new system security identifier (SID), installs drivers for hardware, creates user accounts, and configures network settings to finish the OS install.

Network Installation

Windows can also be installed over a network

1. Step 1. Prepare the computer by creating a FAT  or FAT 32 partition-of at least 1.5 GB. You must also make the partition bootable and include a network client. You can also use a boot disk that contains a network client so that the computer can connect to a file server over the network.
2. Step 2. Copy the Windows XP installation files (the 1386 folder from the installation disk)  to the network server and make sure to share the directory so that clients can connect and use the files.
3. Step 3. Boot the computer and connect to the shared directory.
4. Step 4. From the shared directory, run the setup program, WINNT.EXE. The setup program copies all of the istallation files from the network share onto your hard drive. After the installation files have been copied, the installation continues much the same as if the installation were performed from the disk.