dynamik wrote: » nLite - Deployment Tool for the bootable Unattended Windows installation lets you customize things a lot more. I don't think it's going to automate 3rd-party apps, but maybe you could script something. I'd check this out for the 3rd-party stuff: http://www.techexams.net/forums/off-topic/51021-best-site-new-windows-system-builds-evar.html Otherwise, just configure the system the way you want, run sysprep, and create an image.
dynamik wrote: » Keep in mind that images are going to be hardware-specific (unless you go with a universal product from Acronis, etc.), so you're probably just going to have to make a customized installation CD and then use that utility or script the installation of the third-party stuff.
Hyper-Me wrote: » making a slipstreamed install disc with nLite will allow you to install on whatever. Caputuring an image of completed install will be specific to that hardware (on XP). I try to keep an inventory of the really common models I see out there, and this eliminates manual reinstalls to around the 90% mark.