Can I install 3 identical PCs by cloing the HD? Win 7

[Koharski]

I am installing windows 7 on 3 identical PCs for an office environment. Assuming I just skip the part where I enter the serial number, can I install the computer, configure it the way I like and then clone the drive to the other 2 pcs? I am assuming that after I boot the PC with the new drive I can change the computer name and activate windows. I am hoping this could also save me time doing windows updates.

 

[corkyg]

It can probably work, but not legal. That violates the EULA. You may need to think about an Enterprise edition that is made for that purpose.

 

[Koharski]

Is it still illegal if I own separate licences of windows for each PC? I am not trying to make one licence work for all 3, I just want to make the install a little easier.

 

[hennessy1]

You can always load the image on all three pc's then remove the license key for 2 of them and put in the 2 other keys you have little more work but still easier then a start from scratch install.

 

[corkyg]

Agree with Hennessy1. You didn't mention 3 licenses.

 

[Matt1970]

They need to all have the same southbridge or you will just get blue screen reboots. If you do get it to work. right click the "My Computer" and down on the bottom will be "Change Product Key"

 

[tcsenter]

Try it and let us know how it goes, how you did it.

 

[Geofram]

This should work.

I used to work at a place that did displays for trade shows; we'd rent out PCs as part of the display for people. Generally, we'd get a bunch of them with the same model number and hardware configuration, set up one of them the way we wanted all of them, then I'd make an image of the one (using Ghost), followed up by blasting that one image out to all of the computers they'd need.

Only thing I had to do after that was re-name the other computers (if they were going to be networked) so they wouldn't have the same computer name. Worked like a charm.

Doesn't work as well if they have different motherboards or hardware, however.

There's nothing wrong with imaging out a cloned drive if you have licenses for all the computers.

 

[DrGreen2007]

Yep, should work fine, thats what I do for customers...load any app that doesnt need a CDkey to install, make an image, then image the others, then input the keys and activate

 

[stlcardinals]

If you are using the same image for multiple PCs, the proper way is to sysprep the base computer before you image. Not using sysprep could cause problems down the road with computers having the same SIDs and being on the same network.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Umm...use Sysprep. That's what it's for

 

[RU482]

each PC, event he same model, will have unique serial number identifiers in the BIOS. This is what will hose you up..

EDIT: if you have three COA codes, and enter them individually (1:1) on your 3 PC's then yes, this will work.

If you fully build PC #1, activate the OS, and then pull the image, and deploy it to the other two PC's, Windows 7 will detect this. It will likely give you 30 days (not always, but sometimes) before it starts prompting you at boot to activate your product key. Even then, it just puts up the nastygram at the beginning, and occasional pop ups. The OS will still be functional.

 

[skyking]

Sysprep rocked for me back in the win2k days. Should work now.
If I were doing it OP, I'd get all the default software in there too, that which does not require a license. It will save you that much more time.