PC Cloning

The idea behind computer cloning is to create a server or a client computer just how you want it and then use disk copying software to photocopy the installation. The technique is very simple and works perfectly for Windows 9.x products. NT systems and later have a unique set of security identifiers known as SIDs embedded as numbers and having two or more computers sharing these numbers will cause problems in the network.

Microsoft have provided a very neat solution. The tool is called Sysprep and the rest of this page explains a little about it.

Sysprep tool

The Sysprep tool strips the computer off all security identifiers. On rebooting the computer, a new set of SIDs specific to that machine are generated. This enables the installation to be cloned across the computers in the network, without compromising security aspects.

To run Sysprep you need to extract two files from the support\tools\deploy cab file in the installation disk: sysprep.exe and setupcl.exe. Double-click on the Sysprep icon to start the tool.

Resealing the installation

Remember not to reboot the computer from the hard disk once you have resealed your installation, as this will create a new set of SIDs in the computer.

To copy the disk to a CD use Symantec's Ghost or PowerQuest's Deploy Center (the replacement for Drive Image Pro.)