Imaging and MAR Win XP Activation/COA

[Brian]

Hi Fellow Refurbishers,

Our MAR outreach will soon receive a donation of fifty Dell Latitude
laptops. I am familiar with imaging and Ghost, but unsure of how that
would work in a MAR situation. Those of you who deploy images...how
exactly does it work? At what point do you activate the computer and
affix the COA?

Thanks for any insight you can offer. Take good care,

Brian G

[Pat Furr]

Brian,
We typically set up one of the laptops, activate the MAR COA, and
perform all of the updates. If we Sysprep the image we have it
programed to de-activate during the process. If we are going to clone
the image, we first run ChangeVLKey.vbs. Change volume License Key is a
tool offered by Microsoft to deactivate the license. The COA stays with
the computer so you can reactivate it again but the cloned computer will
need to have a new COA activated.
Pat Furr
Computers for Classrooms

[Brian]

Hi Pat, thanks for your advice. I have spent the last week playing
with Clonezilla and think this utility might be a good solution. I
don't think I will need to use Sysprep after all because I have 50
computers that are exactly the same.

As far as activation goes, I was planning to activate my "master"
machine and do all updates, software installs, etc. Then, when I
deploy the image on the other computers, I am guessing that Windows XP
will note that the product key has already been used and ask for a new
one. Am I on the right track?

Thanks again, Brian

[Pat Furr]

Brian,
I am unable to send the .zip file here at the office as the server won't
allow it. I'll try to send it from my home this evening. Pat

Brian,
After setting up the master drive, activating and updating the drive, it is
necessary to deactivate the drive before cloning. It is easier than
deactivating each drive one at a time. I am attaching a .zip file called
Change VL Key.
Unzip the file to a floppy drive or flash drive. Read the text file and
copy the command line that you will be using. If you use a floppy disc you
will highlight the command: a:\ChangeVLKey.vbs
kqpvj-xj9pj-7rg8j-dymg6-xpf7b.
I think all MARs have the same product code that is the five group of five
that follows the command.
On the computer click Start - Run and paste the command. Hit enter. Shut
down the computer and when it restarts it will ask you to activate Windows.

Be sure the drive you will use for Clonezilla is smaller than the drives you
will be using on your other computers and have fun...

Thanks for the feedback.

Pat Furr

-----Original Message-----
From: refurb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:refurb...@googlegroups.com]
On Behalf Of Brian
Sent: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 7:36 AM
To: refurbishers

[Brian]

Hi Pat, thanks for your help here. I saw your other post and think I
understand now. The steps in the process should be:

1) Create and activate my "master computer", including all SW,
updates, etc.
2) Use "ChangeVLKey.vbs" to deactivate the master computer.
3) Create my image with Clonezilla.
4) Deploy the image to other computers, then activate each machine
with a MAR COA.
5) Reactivate the original "master computer" with its' already
existing COA.

Do I have that right?? Thanks so much.

Take care,
Brian

[Pat Furr]

You have it! The only part you may want to consider is to keep you
Master Drive for future use. You would only need to activate it and
update it and then deactivate it for future use. The COA goes with the
computer not the hard drive.

Pat

-----Original Message-----
From: refurb...@googlegroups.com
[mailto:refurb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Brian
Sent: Thursday, October 29, 2009 5:03 PM
To: refurbishers
Subject: [Refurbishers List] Re: Imaging and MAR Win XP Activation/COA

[Brian]

Thanks for all of your insight, Pat. Just out of curiosity, how large
is your image for Windows XP Pro? I have been working on my image for
this laptop and just noticed that it is almost 7GB! Interestingly,
there is nothing really special on here - XP, Office 2003, and the
other "usuals"...Firefox, Adobe Reader, Flash Player, Shockwave,
Windows Media Player, etc. Seems like it doesn't add up.

I would also love to know what other SW you install on your
refurbished computers that go to classrooms--any special freeware that
you like?

Thanks as always, Brian