Windoze 7 automate software install

Here is the deal I install Windows 7 to alot of machines: After the installation I install the following software

3DP network drivers
Ninite for custom apps
WSUS windows updates

Instead of manually doing this can this process be automated? i.e create a powershell program or batch file to automate the software installation process. I am not a programmer and do not possess programming ninja skills.

But am interested in getting my hands dirty and learning more about the process.

Many Thanks Guys.

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Comments

TheFORCE

Why don't you create an image with all the necessary software and then install that? Problem solved?

Verities

Yep, create the image, then use Windows Deployment Services (WDS). I believe you can include an answers file that does all the manual crap for you:

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn281955

Create Client Unattend dialog to make it easy for administrators to author client unattend files.

Mike7

If you need to install on existing Windows, most programs have a /s or /silent install switch. Do a /? or /help to bring up help dialog if any.

knownhero

Your best bet as others have mentioned is an image

MAC_Addy

Like others have said - create an image and deploy. Easiest way.

ally_uk

I need it to work on different hardware.... is there a way to create a universal image without drivers but has software?

22306

use a bat/powershell/VBS script and what do you guys use to deploy applications in your environment? SCCM?

Verities

@=ally_uk

Quite a few people have already given you options, including myself. Go do the research, its on TechNet.

hiddenknight821

^^^ This.

@=ally_uk

You said it yourself you wanted to get your hands dirty. Do your own research with the little seeds we gave you. It's like saying you wanted to get your hands dirty on a car, working under the hood. Yet you'd expect a mechanic to do all the work for you.

ally_uk

Ladies calm down

Currently in our environment we are not using any server infrastructure for deployment.

We are a refurbisher and work with donated hardware so I could end up with 100 towers, laptops ( different manufacturers)

So I will research how to created a Baseline Windows 7 professional image that has been updated and has ninite apps installed.

Drivers I'm not to fussed about if I just do the above it would speed up the process.

I will just create a driver archive for manufacturer and install manually.

The thing that confuses me say if I create the initial image how do I remove driver information so it doesn't cause conflicts on a different hardware platform.

Am I right in thinking sysprep and generalize handles this aspect?

ally_uk

I have been researching the last few days tools such as Waik, mdt, wds

I am going to first try and do a golden Windows 7 image

So I will install a image virtually clean install
Install windows updates
Install applications

Then capture this image. However I have two things which are causing confusion

First if the captured image was installed virtually say on a 20 gig virtual disk
How do i go about rolling it out on say a 250 gig disk?

Lastly dealing with drivers how do you make a image as clean as possible so it would work on any hardware?

Thank you people

Mike7

Did you read up on sysprep?

ally_uk

Briefly I kinda understand that the generalize option resets a image and removes any unique hardware?

Thats the thing that is really confusing me drivers and how to handle different hardware. Also the partion size of the O/S as each laptop, pc im installing to will have different hard disk sizes.

I do appreciate the guidance all of this Windows stuff is unknown territory for myself.

Mike7

You have done enough reading. Now you need to be doing.

Why not just run sysprep, capture the image and apply it to another device with different hard disk size?
That will answer the questions you are asking. Read and do. Get your hands dirty.

ally_uk

Thank you I will do. I switch off from practical stuff weekends ( family time)

However I will have a go this week, document my findings and report in with any quirks if I become really stuck and cannot progress.