Image and Deploy New Computers

I am getting several new computers for my office. I want to install Microsoft Office and my proprietary software and all updates on a single PC and create a system image that will be copied to every other PC.

How do I deal with Windows/Office product keys to prevent licence violations? Am I able to do this from the System Image tool in Windows 7?

Note: The PCs will very likely not be joined to my domain at this point if that makes a difference.

You can, but not using regular, single user licenses.

However you can if:

• You use a VLK (Volume license key)
• Or you are large enough. E.g. at my last work place we inventoried the number of windows installations per month. Then sent that number to MS (well, to a reseller) and we got charged for it. No need to worry about every single license or if it used the right key. Just make sure your tally is correct (in case of an audit). Note that this only works if you are large enough.

Regardless of how you fix the licensing: The base idea is this:

• Install windows on a master computer. (Either use a VLK or do not activate it yet).
• Tweak, install additional programs. (Same license restrictions as above).
• Make a backup image. E.g. boot from a windows DVD and use imageX. You should not need this image unless you do something wrong later on.
• Optionally clean up the image (e.g. empty temp folders).
• Boot and sysprep the master PC and shut it down. Do not boot it anymore!
• Create a new image (again, imageX for a wim, or Ghost or clonezilla.
• Install this new image on all PC's.

The new PCs will boot from the image, detect hardware, ask for a computer name etc. etc. All pre-installed software will be present.