This is the method I learn from Microsoft Event few week back,
Microsoft, more and more Stingy. This method are provided for those system builder which no need to install every new customize PC with windows Vista.

This method let those system builder just install once in a machine, and make a image in either CD-ROM, Pen Drive or Portable HardDrive, replace or image it in to new PC within 10 minutes

I not going to talk about windows vista here and any pre-installation step. I just apply this method for windows XP, and assume that you are now finish your windows XP installation and all the application you need (ms office, photoshop, winzip, ftp software and …..), this PC is ready for you to start your work~(we call this stage as TIME X)

Now is the beginning of the whole process, I will guide you how to clone the whole image up, and next time you need to format your PC, only 10 minutes time to recover it to (TIME X)

Here you need…

1. Windows PE boot able Disk
2. D drive (secondary drive) or PenDrive or Portable Hard Disk
3. Another Choice is to Burn in to CD

You are require this bootable Windows PE CD to capture an image of your master copy, and deploy that image to your PC again once you need to format your PC

Create an Image (once only)

1. Insert the Windows PE CD in your PC (TIME X) and restart, command prompt will appear
2. type E:\> imagex.exe /compress fast /capture c: d:\yourimage.win “my master copy” /verify
3. At step 2, you are actually capture the image in your PC (c:) by using ImageX(E:\> imagex.exe) located in your Windows PE CD to D Drive (d:) which file name are “yourimage.win”

After this step, you need to remove the CD and restart your PC, once your PC is up, copy “yourimage.win” to either Pendrive, or burn it to CD-ROM, or leave it at the same place. (assume leave it at the same place) This is your TIME X image, all the software and windows are in there.

Deploy an Image (During PC need format)

Once you feel that is time to format your PC, You require Windows PE CD

1. Insert the Windows PE CD in your PC and restart command prompt will appear
2. Format your C drive type c:\> format c: /q /fs:ntfs
3. after finish format, apply the image toyour C drive by type
4. e:\>imagex.exe /apply d:\yourumage.win 1 c:
5. Mean you are using imageX from windows PE to deploy “yourimage.win” from d: to c:
6. It take less then 10 Minutes to deploy(depend on your PC speed)

Once you restart your PC after deploy, you are having your TIME X back.

I will Upload the Win PE file, any one who need may email me at Clickme@iCalvyn.com subject “Request WinPE”, or you may look for my future post, I plan to post the link here soon~

Update 24th Oct 2007

Kindly Sign up as my FEED reader permanently, follow the give and take rules and send me the email address you have sign up in my FEED to ClickMe@iCalvyn.com, I will send you the download link there.