I have around 30 laptops to set up for an exam, and I need to lock them down and prepare them accordingly. I'd like to get one configured and then create an image to deploy onto the others. Ideally, I want to use free solutions since there's no budget for this project. What tools would you recommend?
4 Answers
If you're using Dell machines, don't forget about Dell Image Assist—it's free and tailored for their hardware. But if you want something more general, Clonezilla works well too, especially if you can manage multiple laptops at once using a switch!
If you're looking for something simple, using an image on a USB stick with Rufus is an easy route. Just make sure you're ready to set up that first laptop before cloning the image to others! It's pretty straightforward even without a big budget.
Clonezilla or FOG are definitely your best bets. Clonezilla works well for USB-based setups, while FOG is better if you're looking to set up a network where you can boot straight from it. Either option should work well for imaging multiple laptops!
For free tools, Clonezilla is a solid choice if you're planning to use USB sticks. You might also consider using FOG if you can set up a server for network imaging. Just remember to handle sysprep and randomize unique IDs as needed. It's crucial for deployments!
Yeah, FOG is great for PXE booting! If you go that route, you won't even need to mess too much with USBs.
True, Dell Image Assist is excellent for those machines. But for a more versatile approach, you might want to stick with Clonezilla.