Arthur Fuller
fuller.artful at gmail.com
Mon May 16 06:48:21 CDT 2011
I used to teach at a tech institute that did exactly what you suggest. After each course, the tech-admin guy re-imaged all the computers back to their pristine state. For the more popular courses, he installed the required software before creating the image. It works a treat. At one travel agency I worked at, they did the same thing. There were about 75 computers in use, and a couple of bare-image ones ready to go. In case anything happened, the tech-guy would just replace the errant box with a new one, all preconfigured and ready to go. He was then free to repair or discard the errant box, with maybe half an hour down-time. Arthur On Sat, May 14, 2011 at 4:52 PM, Jim Lawrence <accessd at shaw.ca> wrote: > I can send you an image file of a PE boot CD with a copy of DriveImage XML > on it. > > Just write the image to a CD using any number of Nero type apps. Once done > you can just boot up any computer, from the resultant CD and you can easily > create a perfect bootable image of the current computer. The image can be > created on any drive attached through USB or NIC connection. Using > DriveImage XML, a free program, either the entire image, or directories or > just individual files can be exported from the resultant image file. > > I know clients who keep a series of images for certain types of computers > in > their office, stored on their main server and these image files can just > deploy for a new worker, through the LAN. I would think this would be a > great system for a student training class scenario where you have no wish > to > have to fix a box once a student has finished doing all sort of horrible > things on it...just re-image the box at the end of each course. ;-) > > Jim > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris > Fields > Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2011 1:25 PM > To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues > Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] SOLVED!! Not Sure Quite What I'm Dealing With Here > -Update 4 > > Hi Jim, > > Thanks for the compliment - but, aren't you the one who pointed me in > the right direction to begin with? > > Good idea to save a complete image. I've been meaning to learn about > that. I guess this is the time. I do have all the router and network > settings recorded. > > Student computer: yes, my home business is Tall Pines Computer > Training. I also make house calls. > > T > > Jim Lawrence wrote: > > Impressive and now I know where to come if I ever get in a sticky router > and > > network problems. > > > > I have one suggestion, words of wisdom (which I have rarely followed... > > except in with businesses) and that is to create a complete image of NEW > > perfect computer and store it. In theory when the computer fails, and it > > will; it should be easy to re-install. Also save the router setting as > that > > sure makes it easy to recover from a hardware failure. > > > > "Student Computer"; are you doing onsite training at your home? > > > > Jim > > > > > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com > > [mailto:dba-tech-bounces at databaseadvisors.com] On Behalf Of Tina Norris > > Fields > > Sent: Saturday, May 14, 2011 7:17 AM > > To: Discussion of Hardware and Software issues > > Subject: Re: [dba-Tech] SOLVED!! Not Sure Quite What I'm Dealing With > Here > - > > Update 4 > > > > Hello All, > > > > I thought I would finish the story. The Fields-Family computer has been > > completely re-established. It took doing the reformatting and > > reinstallation sequence twice - not sure why, but there were other > > details going wrong, too, that may have had an impact. Anyway, first I > > copied all the data files, documents, photos, music, videos, etc. from > > the Fields-Family computer to an external hard drive. Then, I did the > > complete re-installation of WinXP-SP2, with full reformat of the hard > > drive. Then, I did the SP3 update. I re-established drivers for the > > peripheral equipment. I set up the Admin account separate from the > > Family account. I got Vipre installed, running, and regular scans > > scheduled. Their copy of Office 2003 was not their original disk set > > and they had no idea where the original set was. I had a spare set, so > > I used that. > > > > Along the way, I noticed that the wireless network connection kept > > dropping. You already know that my DL-415 router at the POE was failing > > and I replaced it with a NetGear WNDR3400 router. Well, the DL-415 in > > my office was also dropping the signal - I watched my link status > > monitor and saw the signal drop out, then come back, repeatedly. So, > > there is now a new WNDR3400 in my office, too. Also, I noted that the > > USB wireless adapter on the Fields-Family computer wasn't functioning. > > I replaced that with another new NetGear adapter. While I was buying > > that, the store manager asked me if I wanted to invest $7 for a > > three-year replacement guarantee, in case anything went wrong, or the > > USB connector broke - and I burst out laughing, because that was exactly > > what had happened to the old one. It had apparently been bumped - no > > surprise there, with active kids and the adapter sticking out from the > > front of the computer - and the connector had a nice slope to it at > > about a 5-degree angle, rather than parallel to the rest of the body of > > the device. So, yes, I bought the additional guarantee. This new > > adapter came with a cradle, so, I used a USB port in the back of the > > tower and placed the adapter in its cradle on a shelf above the > > work-station. > > > > With all this new equipment, I reconstructed the entire wireless network > > - starting with the router at the POE. With my new computer in my lap > > and both new WNDR3400 routers sitting on the floor, I set the first one > > up, named it, and created a new SSID name - made note of all the > > settings. Then, I set the second one up, named it, and joined it to the > > new SSID - made note of all the settings. This router is > > cable-connected to the first router, no placed back in my office where > > it belongs. The DL-415 router in the garage apartment is still working > > fine. All the IP addresses are as they should be, and the 128-bit > > security key is established for the whole network. It's working > > beautifully, now. > > > > I've almost finished transferring the files and programs that I use all > > the time to my new computer. This five-year-old one will probably > > become one of my student computers here in the little classroom I have > > in my home office, or maybe it will serve as a sort of backup machine to > > use when I don't want to risk harm to the new computer - haven't > > decided, yet. > > > > Just wanted to let you know I got it all working again, and corrected > > some errors along the way - such as making sure the girls are not > > working in an administrator level user profile, and their wireless > > adapter is out of harm's way - things like that. Larry is working on > > the bookcase and work station construction for the library in their > > house. When that is completed, the Fields-Family computer will go home, > > and I will have room for one more student computer here. > > > > Best regards, > > T > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > > dba-Tech mailing list > > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > > > _______________________________________________ > > dba-Tech mailing list > > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > > > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com > > _______________________________________________ > dba-Tech mailing list > dba-Tech at databaseadvisors.com > http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/dba-tech > Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com >