One size fits all imaging for multiple ThinkPads

Is something like this possible?

I have a bunch of T61 and incoming a bunch of T420s. The T61 are a mix of Intel and nVidia machines, and the T420 all have Intel.

Currently I have two XP images for the T61s only, one for the T61s with Intel and another for the nVidia ones. I'm looking to create a new Windows image for the machines (either 7 or 10, but likely going 10), preferably one image that works on all of them. Is it possible to create a Windows image (either 7 or 10, but 10 likely) that boots on all machines after wiping out activation, or do I still have to keep them separate by graphics and series?

 

You're looking to create a deeply unstable mess. The two architectures involved are different enough to cause trouble if the same image is used.

 

I highly agree with ajkula66, what are you using to deploy the images, SCCM? You are talking about 965 mobile chipset that launched in 2007, and T420 with Sandy Bridge, something that came out 4 years later. If you want less IT headaches, I'd create 2 separate images.

 

If you are planning on win 10 then one image is fine. You hardly need any driver/software other than maybe the modem. For win 7, the main problem probably would be the graphic driver. If you can load whql drivers into the system without the bloat from nvdia or Intel, it should be fine aswell.

Sent from my 306SH

 

I kinda figured T420+T61 is not possible, too many generations behind, but just throwing it out there if anyone has ever done something like this.

I do want to consolidate the T61 Intel+nVidia though, maybe just run through the setups in Audit mode.

I'm not automatically deploying the images, just generalizing them and making Ghost images via USB to I don't have to install the same software a bajillion times on a bunch of laptops.

 

That's perfectly doable. Create a base image with Intel graphics and just add nVidia driver once deployed. You'll have no issues in W7, can't say much about W10.

 

Just an update...

So I ended up going with two separate images for the T61 and T420. Not because of the drivers, but rather one is MBR and other is GPT. However I did manage to salvage the T420 image. Copied the Windows partition from the T420 to the T61, ran fix boot, boot into audit mode and run sysprep generalize. Surprisingly Windows 10 is very tame with the two sets of hardware, boots right in. Only thing I had to do was run Windows Update in audit mode for it to re-download the patches and drivers and the image was complete.