Perfectly clone Windows XP+SP2 with Ghost

        New installation of Windows XP (with the latest patch SP2) and the most basic application software, at least it takes about 2 hours. Then, a GHO file can make the computer quickly and completely install the new system. This is the clone installation we are going to say today.

Usually, we say that the Ghost clone is only for the system backup of this machine. If you directly restore the cloned image file of Windows XP system to other computers, it will not work properly. So how do we solve this problem?

We can install Windows XP and application software for a computer (master). Then use the tool to package the motherboard and manually clear the hardware drivers on the motherboard. Then use Ghost to make the C drive of the parent machine into an image file, and finally use this GHO image file to install Windows XP directly on other computers.

First, you can go to the Microsoft official website to download a toolkit for packaging Windows XP SP2.

First, the optimization of the clone system

In order to make the GHO image file after the mother machine system is cloned smaller, we must first optimize the system of the parent machine.

1. Move the page file to another partition. Right click on "My Computer" and select "Settings" → "Advanced" under "Properties → Advanced → Performance". The default page file is located in the system partition (usually the C drive). Move it to another partition.

2. Turn off the hibernation feature under Power Management. Right-click on the blank space on the desktop and choose Properties → Screen Saver → Power → Hibernate to cancel the hook before Enable Hibernation.

3. Delete the alternate dynamic link library file. Enter cmd under "Run" to open a command prompt window, enter the following command:

sfc /purgecache

Second, uninstall hardware information

It is to clone an image file without the hardware information of the parent machine. When the GHO file is used to recover other computers, the system can automatically retrieve the hardware configuration information of the corresponding computer.

1. Uninstall network adapters, universal serial bus controllers, sound cards, video game controllers, monitors, graphics cards in Device Manager.

After uninstalling some hardware devices, the computer will ask for a reboot. In this case, please select "No" to prevent the computer from restarting. Only after waiting for Ghost to clone can the system be restarted, otherwise everything we do will be scrapped.

2. Change the "ACPI Uniprocessor PC" property of "Computer" to "Standard PC".

Click on "Device Manager → Computer → ACPI Uniprocessor PC". Change the driver manually and select "Standard PC" from the list. The computer cannot be restarted after the change.

3. Change the "Intel(r) 82801BA bus Master IDE controller" under "IDE Controller" to "Standard Dual Channel PCI IDE Controller".

Third, run the installation manager

Double-click "setupmgr.exe" in the toolkit, click "Next" in the welcome screen that appears, there are more steps here. See Table 1 for the steps and operations that should be performed.

After each operation is completed, the installation manager will automatically create a directory named sysprep in the system partition (the default is C drive).

Double-click sysprep.exe in the toolkit, and select "Use Minimal Installation" under "Options" and "Restart" under "Shutdown Mode". After setting these two items, click "Repackage" and the computer will restart.

Tips: 1. Do not click on the "factory" and "audit", because as long as you click on it, the computer will press the setting under "Shutdown Mode" to take effect, and it will be too late to regret it.

2. When the computer restarts, be sure not to let it boot from the hard disk. Please modify the BiOS settings in time to let the computer boot from floppy or CD to DOS.

Fourth, generate image files and install

In GSS, use Ghost to make the contents of the parent machine C disk into GHO image files. Due to the large size of the file, consider saving the image file on your hard drive or making a DVD disc. After the image file is finished, let the parent machine boot from the hard disk. During the startup process, it will automatically retrieve the hardware driver of the machine.

Install GHO files on other computers, let them boot from the hard disk, the computer will automatically install all the hardware drivers, up to 20 minutes, this computer can be used normally.