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One of my roles as the DSJB(*) is that of Creator-of-Windows-System-Images for our products. Microsoft has a remarkably Byzantine set of tools for accomplishing this task. If used at the wrong time or in the wrong order, your image is crap, a fact you don't discover until after hours and gigabytes of crunching.
As I sit here waiting on yet another round of this joy, I finally found the metaphor for this process:
"Building Windows images is like walking barefoot on a tightrope made of LEGO's."
(*) Departmental Shït-Job Boy
Software Zen: delete this;
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Been the, done that, back in the day creating Windows XP Embedded images 
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You are not using interactive tools, are you?
But if you are... I could say that I am happy in the Linux world these days and I think everything should be scriptable. The downside is that you may miss stuff that you notice interactively. On the upside you can build a whole bunch of different images overnight without any babysitting. Something like this perhaps: Sysprep (System Preparation) Overview | Microsoft Docs[^]
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
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My complaint is that there are multiple tools/mechanisms for achieving your objectives in an image. Most work only at certain points in the process. Some combinations of techniques invalidate each other. The individual tools are more-or-less documented, but the broad outlines and overviews that exist assume you have been doing this as your life's work since the Windows NT 3.1 days.
I've [painfully] developed a process that lets me reliably create Windows 10 images for new hardware. I dread when we shift to a newer build, as we're currently on the LTSB (long-term service branch). No doubt there will be all sorts of subtleties to keep me occupied.
Software Zen: delete this;
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if u look at some of the network video recording space space , some of their boxes are windows boxes and their control / config and recording apps are installed
on it, if the hdd of the nvr crashes ususally there is a recovery procedure and a image u download from the vendor site as a zip file , basically a zip file
and u have to follow some steps to make a bootable usb and load the contents of the zip file on to it.
System builder deployment of Windows 10 for desktop editions
google How to create a bootable USB key to re-image a DSSRV.
Caveat Emptor.
"Progress doesn't come from early risers – progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things." Lazarus Long
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What do you use? MDT? SCCM? Capture & Build?
That's part of my Day Job now (SCCM), we use the LTSB / LTSC versions and for the (Naked) install image creation I use this toolset.
You just take the install.wim from the Build directory and import it into MDT / SCCM. You can then install your apps via the task sequence (or the tool of your choice for deployment)
Who the f*** is General Failure, and why is he reading my harddisk?
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The Jump (it's more of a small step) from the ADK to MDT is not that great. With MDT (Free Tool from MS) you can deploy your machines, Install the drivers and Software and join the domain, all you have to do is boot to network and the Task Sequence (once created) does the rest... Very easy. In combination with the OSDBuilder tool you have around about 5 minutes "Hands-On" work...
PM me if you are interested and need more info.
Cheers
Phil
Who the f*** is General Failure, and why is he reading my harddisk?
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These systems are industrial PC's controlling a commercial ink-jet printing system. Our manufacturing is *cough* not local *cough*, so we have to give them a pre-fabricated image with as few options as possible.
Once installed at a customer site the machines never have Internet connectivity and are rarely joined to a domain. When they are networked, it's usually a private network connection to a second machine which acts as a file server for print data. This makes for a lot of manual handling for Windows Updates and such.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Then I'd look at OSDBuilder. You can add any settigs (via Registry) during the WIM build process as well as carry out any custom scripting as well. Allot better and less (hands-on) time consuimg... once you get your s*it together it's a simple case of calling a powershell module command 
p.s. you can also create VHD images, even Boot USB with it (unattended installation inclusive)
Who the f*** is General Failure, and why is he reading my harddisk?
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Any decent disk imager?
Macrium Reflect I like.
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I use Reflect at home as my backup tool.
Unfortunately the images it creates don't unpack to create a properly activated and licensed Windows system under our distributor's agreement. We function similarly to an OEM PC seller in this regard. Some of our customer's wouldn't care. The collaborationist bastards more picky ones insist on valid, audit-ready licensure. To meet this requirement you have to use Microsoft's tools. I don't have the time or the interest to vet third-party tools to handle this.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Yeah, OK, you are mired in MSFT stuff then. Good luck!
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As I drew my first cave with my vector graphic eraser (proud link  )
I realise that my shape drawing tool is.... mmm.. insufficient.
I want to extend the eraser to be an on/off toggle. Off it erase as you drag. On it draw continuously merging its cicle / rect into a continuous tube.
Now.. it's an eraser no more.. it's something else!
What else would you call it?
Also I am not sure, whether I should toggle it on tapping space bar, or toggle use right mouse click to erase and left mouse click to draw...
Have your say, what do you think?
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drewtube?
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I think you should add foot-pedal support and call it "The crusher" 
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Wesley?
Software Zen: delete this;
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Did you mean Leslie ?
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
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I think he is referring to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wesley_Sneijder
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Would be a hit with my RPG players-users!
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Er... drop the -er !
Draw/Erase
"If we don't change direction, we'll end up where we're going"
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Nice and short! Like it! 
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A Lazy Eraser, or "Laser" for short.
I'm sure that won't confuse anyone, right?
cheers
Chris Maunder
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That was very coherent Chris!
Socialism is the Axe Body Spray of political ideologies: It never does what it claims to do, but people too young to know better keep buying it anyway. (Glenn Reynolds)
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