Help in creating scripted image redistribution of win2k VM for Technician Laptops

[thatoneguysteve]

Caution - Long thread, probably redundant to other threads.

Heres the scoop. we have tech laptops that get trashed on a regular basis because we add and remove applications on a regular basis due to the nature of our business. It gets to the point that they barely start and run like crud. One solution is to wipe and restore them, but then we have to reinstal our many regularly used applications. we are talking about hours per laptop, not to mention a good potential for lost customer data. I recently began the process of creating a VM Image to push to the laptops, we can trash it ll we want then copy down a new one.

Since the majority of our applications run fine on Win2k and none of us understand linux, I opted for a Win2k machine. XP reactivation limitations and system requirements factored in greatly as well.

The configuration that I want to have in the end is this"

Domain XP Pro host running as trimmed down as possible. The host runs Office and Visio, Our VPN, Our VOIP extesion and our antivirus (the less number of apps on the host the better, it keeps us techs from trashing the host)

I created a user account whos only purpose is to allow network access from the VM to a shared folder on the host. This folder is synchronized with our server and will contain any dynamic or customer data. This shared folder is mapped via the host only network in the virtual machine. Its shere name is IP based rather than hostname based to avoid any neccessary tech interaction on reimaging the guest OS.

I am hosting a master image of this machine on one of our servers running VMware Server. The Laptops all run VMware Player. I will install any neccesary applications and drivers to the master image as needed, then push it to the laptops. Any applications that the techs would like to have on their laptop will be reviewed by management, and if authorized added to the master image. Any other apps they would like to use they can install on the VM, but they will go away every time we reimage.

So I was initially planning on using a cloned image on all the machines, just downloading the VMDK files. But I have run into too many issues with networking (duplicate MACS and hostnames mainly) editing vmx files is too cumbersome, not to mention that even though we have the keys, all the imaged run with the same id. (note, I would like to reimage once a week or more since the guest wont be running any form of AV or firewall and will be exposed to many networks, so the VM wont be added to the domain)

I manually imported the Master image to a laptop, and its pretty painless to do, and it gives me my new MACs and hostnames, plus I can have each machine sing a vail cd key.

Im wondring how complicated it would be to have the following take place at night when the laptops are on the domain: Syncronize the host data folder with the server. Import the Master image (regenerated ssid, appropriate cd key, appropriate hostname, etc) to the individual laptops with each laptop getting its appropriate settings each time. I would like this to be as unattended as possible.

Each laptop has a wireless, and an ethernet interface that I would like to map to individual virtual adapters in the guest os. I also would like the host only adapter to have the same IP all the time.

I am not a script guy, though I have been trying to learn.

Anyone else have a similar situation?

I dont mind if it requires that I create a script for each laptop, if thats required.

so far the overall VM size is under 5 gig, so its a vey manageable size.

Any input would be greatly appreciated.