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Settings to back-up before wiping machine on Windows Server 2003 domain/network?

  • Can you recommend a guide for and/or some details about backing up all the necessary network settings to get a Windows XP machine back onto a Windows Server 2003 server/domain after a wipe? At work, I have four Windows XP Professional machines and a Windows Server 2003 for Small Business server. The workstations are logged on to a local domain and access shared files and some applications from the server via a few mapped drive letters. The workstations are all exactly what you would expect a Windows box to be after being used indiscriminately by a rotating assortment of people with no regard for security or maintenance. I want to wipe one of these machines and use it to build a nice, tidy image that includes all the standard programs and settings we need. But when Windows boots up for the first time after a re-install, I'll need to be sure I can get the machine back on the network and behaving the same way with it without any fumbling. So, basically: What settings should I be aware of/making note of in order to make sure I can configure a fresh Windows XP install to duplicate the network/server/domain connectivity of an existing install? I haven't worked with XP in any in-depth way for awhile, but I used to be pretty into it, and I have a lot of (rusty) experience with the control panel, the registry, command line, etc. If you have any tips or advice to share, you can jump right in, I won't need a primer on how to find anything. Thanks in advance for any help you can offer!

  • Answer:

    I use the http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc785383(WS.10).aspx command to save network settings as well as set network settings on new installs. I'm not sure if you can save the 'joined to domain' status, but its a fairly simple Vbscript to rejoin.

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Your network should be setup using DHCP -- so manually setting the configuration shouldn't be needed. Then once it boots up, enter the domain name (corp.mycorp.com) when it asks. Then find what another machine has for shared drives, browse to the server, and map them. Its not as hard as you are making it sound. Autojoining the domain would involve a Sysprep file -- overkill for 1-5 (really, under 20 machines concurrently).

SirStan

I agree with SirStan. It takes one reboot to add it back to the domain. You would be better off putting in login scripts for mapping shared drives. Then when you wipe a machine, add it back to the domain, and login to the domain, it will map them for you each time.

Climber

Slightly off topic: as noted by SirStan, Sysprep may be overkill for so few machines, but you'll want to make sure each machine doesn't wind up with the http://windowsitpro.com/article/articleid/14919/what-are-the-problems-with-workstations-having-the-same-sid.html. You can generate new SIDs for your machines using the http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897418.aspx tool from Microsoft. You can also grab yourself a copy of http://ss64.com/nt/netdom.html (from the XP support tools) if you want to write a basic batch file to join the domain.

JaredSeth

If your account is a domain administrator then it's a cinch to just re-join the machine to the domain. How is that not what you need? Be aware that if you're building "one image" for multiple machines (all having EXACTLY the same hardware) there are steps you need to take to configure the actual boxes as individually unique. You can't just rename them. The newsid or sysprep tools MUST be used properly.

wkearney99

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