Windows 7 Migration (USMT)

[5n4p]

Basically considering doing a large deployment of tower upgrades on ~300 machines... Win 7 => Win 7

Using a base images for OS + Applications.

Considering using USMT for the user state.

Anyone have any suggestions or what to watch out for in regards to problems?

Any further information/discussion on the topic is appreciated.

 

[fowang]

use an imaging tool and multicast it, easier and quicker

 

[5n4p]

use an imaging tool and multicast it, easier and quicker

I should note that the plan is to only upgrade the machines while keeping the user state + data in tact.

So I do not see how using an imaging tool, lets say Norton Ghost, and multicasting it will help in this situation. It will help when distributing the base image, but that is about it.
Unless I am completely missing something here.... I have not done much imaging, does this maintain user settings, application settings? Otherwise we would have to deploy ~300 images... as each computer has unique settings.
I mean if you could elaborate a bit on how this would be beneficial I would greatly appreciate it.

USMT is the only thing I can really find that will help compliment this project.
Does anyone have some knowledge on USMT? My goal is to try and automate the process as much as possible... but not much time to really train on MDT or similiar GUI based deployment tools atm.

Does anyone have hands on experience with USMT and care to pass down some knowledge?
Such as automating the process and using it remotely? Otherwise we are just in testing stages right now... taking awhile.

But anyones knowledge on the tool would be more than appreciated and if they want to shoot me a PM that would be great!

 

[fowang]

Are you talking about sending this User information all the time to keep the machine the same?

Taking an image of the one computer will have the same software and settings, it also depends on how its sysprep'd, as far as i know the only hurdle with using the USMT is that you will have to do this 300+ times are far as i am aware.

Were as taking an image and sending it over the network will mean it will be done once and sit back and wait until they complete.

 

[5n4p]

Maybe I am misunderstanding.

An image is a standardized snapshot of the system. Sending x1 image out would make each machine the same (like a base image).

Each x1 of the x300 computers have unique application and user settings.

If you multicast an image across 300 machines they will all be standardized user and application settings, not unique.

So to get the results I am looking for (maintaining previous user and application settings) our plan is to multicast a base image and then use USMT to transfer unique settings.

Otherwise it would be the same process 300+ unique images to maintain the unique settings, would it not?
Sorry, maybe I am misunderstanding some things. I appreciate your conversation though.

As of now I see it as 300 unique images for the project OR 1 image and 300 user migrations.
Could you point out the flaw in my logic? I feel like I am missing something here.