Comments on: Ghost vs. RIS Server http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server My random mumblings about web development and PC hardware. Fri, 30 Apr 2010 13:53:04 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: Suicidal http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7230 Suicidal Fri, 02 May 2008 23:55:12 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7230 I have used both. I prefer RIS RIS only needs 1 image per OS. you can use adminstudio to make MSI installers I had an entire high school set up to install via ris all software was installed via GPO all printers were installed via logon script If you are looking for quick and dirty use ghost, but it will always feel a bit off kind of like the clones in multiplicity I have used both. I prefer RIS

RIS only needs 1 image per OS.
you can use adminstudio to make MSI installers

I had an entire high school set up to install via ris
all software was installed via GPO
all printers were installed via logon script

If you are looking for quick and dirty use ghost,
but it will always feel a bit off kind of like the clones in multiplicity

]]> By: Rudy http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7175 Rudy Fri, 15 Feb 2008 14:32:10 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7175 I have used RIS now for over 6 years, and yes it does have it's down sides (network drivers) but like raymond said, once you have a working image of the PC you want...it's that simple, F12 and come back to it in 20min's and it's all ready to go. Sure it takes a little longer than Ghost, but it costs less at the end of the day. If you have a WS2003 already up and running and have AD, DNS and DHCP then it's just a case of adding the RIS or WDS component. I have used RIS now for over 6 years, and yes it does have it’s down sides (network drivers) but like raymond said, once you have a working image of the PC you want…it’s that simple, F12 and come back to it in 20min’s and it’s all ready to go. Sure it takes a little longer than Ghost, but it costs less at the end of the day. If you have a WS2003 already up and running and have AD, DNS and DHCP then it’s just a case of adding the RIS or WDS component.

]]> By: Jeff http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7150 Jeff Wed, 09 Jan 2008 08:20:50 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7150 I set up RIS and wasted a ton of time. I support about 300 pc's and was looking for a time saver. After a considerable investment of time, I tried Ghost and it works WAY better overall. PXE boot and select the ghost image from the server, that part is about the same as RIS. The only positive note about RIS is it takes less disk space (It throws away duplicate files in multiple images.) Don't waste your time on RIS. I set up RIS and wasted a ton of time. I support about 300 pc’s and was looking for a time saver. After a considerable investment of time, I tried Ghost and it works WAY better overall.
PXE boot and select the ghost image from the server, that part is about the same as RIS.
The only positive note about RIS is it takes less disk space (It throws away duplicate files in multiple images.)
Don’t waste your time on RIS.

]]> By: Max http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7138 Max Sat, 08 Dec 2007 18:49:28 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7138 hey guys i'm currently looking into RIS for xp deployment at work - how does it handle product keys (refurbished pc's that need to be activated)? At the moment we manually install windows per computer (need product key, drivers, open office, activation). hey guys i’m currently looking into RIS for xp deployment at work – how does it handle product keys (refurbished pc’s that need to be activated)? At the moment we manually install windows per computer (need product key, drivers, open office, activation).

]]> By: raymond http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7117 raymond Tue, 18 Sep 2007 20:03:45 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7117 Hi, one comment; you dont use RIS to deploy software, you use GPO via AD. But you can use RIS combined with RIPREP. You then set up a template PC with all the settings, software etc. you want, you then run RIPREP, this image is now copyied to the server. If you boot up a pc with pxe know, you get the option to choose this image. Tje PC is know ready to use with all setings, software etc. Hi, one comment; you dont use RIS to deploy software, you use GPO via AD. But you can use RIS combined with RIPREP. You then set up a template PC with all the settings, software etc. you want, you then run RIPREP, this image is now copyied to the server. If you boot up a pc with pxe know, you get the option to choose this image. Tje PC is know ready to use with all setings, software etc.

]]> By: Andy http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7097 Andy Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:43:43 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7097 ... or in the case of 60 computers and 1 desktop tech I'd like to reimage a computer and walk away w/o installing all the apps. Most of my installs don't come as msi packages anyways so RIS can't push apps easily that way … or in the case of 60 computers and 1 desktop tech I’d like to reimage a computer and walk away w/o installing all the apps. Most of my installs don’t come as msi packages anyways so RIS can’t push apps easily that way

]]> By: Andy http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-7096 Andy Sat, 07 Jul 2007 04:42:12 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-7096 I like aman's answer. For mass deployments ( I mean 1000's of computers) I really dont have time to sit and install oracle9i (which can take an hour) on particular systems. The prep may be quick with RIS and you have less images to store but on the desktop tech side I'd rather take 15 minutes imaging w/ Ghost than image prep time being reduced w/ RIS. Plus, sysinternals PageDefrag can defrag the MFT- which I've read is a problem w/ ghost imaging as far as the MFT becoming fragmented I like aman’s answer. For mass deployments ( I mean 1000’s of computers) I really dont have time to sit and install oracle9i (which can take an hour) on particular systems. The prep may be quick with RIS and you have less images to store but on the desktop tech side I’d rather take 15 minutes imaging w/ Ghost than image prep time being reduced w/ RIS. Plus, sysinternals PageDefrag can defrag the MFT- which I’ve read is a problem w/ ghost imaging as far as the MFT becoming fragmented

]]> By: aman http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-3357 aman Tue, 12 Dec 2006 23:59:28 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-3357 I liked the concept of pee. but i still prefer ghost. use factory on sysprep and repair on windows install and u dont have to worry about different drivers I liked the concept of pee. but i still prefer ghost. use factory on sysprep and repair on windows install and u dont have to worry about different drivers

]]> By: Antony http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-599 Antony Mon, 08 May 2006 14:41:09 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-599 Your Poor Poor server, it must be feeling a little skizophrenic at the moment. So exactly why have you decided that you needed a RIS Server? I know you have 3 XP Machines at home (Each that you already have an Ghost Image for)but it seems like quite a lot of work, and for you that seems somewhat unusual. :D Your Poor Poor server, it must be feeling a little skizophrenic at the moment. So exactly why have you decided that you needed a RIS Server? I know you have 3 XP Machines at home (Each that you already have an Ghost Image for)but it seems like quite a lot of work, and for you that seems somewhat unusual. :D

]]> By: David http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server/comment-page-1#comment-594 David Sun, 07 May 2006 09:37:55 +0000 http://www.hddkillers.com/2006/05/ghost-vs-ris-server#comment-594 I'm sensing that you only read the excerpt. I’m sensing that you only read the excerpt.

]]>