Another alternative to creating images is to use the Remote Installation Preparation (RIPrep) image. Like Sysprep, RIPrep can be used to not only image an operating system but applications and configuration settings can be included in the image as well. In terms of TCO, RIPrep provides an efficient and very fast way of deploying a fully configured desktop onto a workstation.
To use RIPpre, two computers are required: a reference computer that you intent to image and a Remote Installation Server (RIS) to host the images. Once the reference computer is configured, the RIPrep utility is used to image the computer and copy the image to a RIS server on the network. Images are then deployed from the RIS server to the target workstations.

Before you decide to use RIPrep to image a computer, keep the following points in mind:

• RIPrep can only image a single disk and a single partition so the operating system and all required applications must reside on one partition.

• None of the files on the reference computer can be encrypted.
• Once an image has been created and copied to the RIS server, it can not be modified.
• The images created using RIPrep can only be deployed from a RIS Server, unlike Sysprep which uses third party software for deployment.

So with that in mind, you’re first step in creating an image is to configure the reference computer exactly the way you want on the target computers. After the operating system is installed configure any components and settings and install any service packs and applications. Before running RIPrep make sure you copy the local administrators profile into the default user profile so all the settings you’ve just configured are applied when a user logs on to a target computer.

As with any images you create, its generally good practice to test the computer before creating the image to make sure everything works as its supposed to. Imagine deploying an image to several target computers only to discover that settings are incorrect or applications don’t function as they are supposed to.

Your next step, once the reference computer is configured to your satisfaction is to begin the imaging process which entails running the RIPrep utility. Unlike Sysprep, this utility is run across the network from a RIS server, which obviously means a RIS server must be installed and configured before any images are created. You can run the utility by typing in the UNC, for example, \RISserverREMINSTAdminI386RIPrep.exe. The RIPrep wizard will walk you through the process of creating the image and accomplishes the following tasks:

• It removes all unique settings such as the SID and computer name.

• It copies the image to the RIS server.
• It creates an answer file called RIPrep.sif and associates it with the image.

Once the image is copied to the RIS server it can be deployed to the target workstations.
The disk capacity of the target computer must be equal to or greater than that of the reference computer. If the disk capacity is greater, RIPrep will by default format the entire volume unless you change the RIPrep.sif so that the usewholedisk parameter is set to “no”.