Build a 'reinstallation library' for common laptops, desktops, servers I work with

[brxndxn]

I want to build a reinstallation library for common laptops, desktops, and servers I work with at my company (and for customers). For the past few years, I have pretty much saved all reinstallation media that comes with the various systems. However, it seems the Dell labels give me little information..

For example, a Windows XP Pro SP2 reinstall CD is labeled 'P/N U957G.' Is there a way to know what Dell models this would cover?

Or.. does any Dell XP SP2 work with any Dell system created before that date?

 

[rasczak]

ghost?

 

[metalmania]

Yes, a Dell Windows XP CD will work on any Dell machines.

 

[rasczak]

If you've got servers and whole bunch of workstations, it would behoove you to look into an imaging solution. Ghost or Acronis True Image would be good places to start. This way you have a computer image already built, and when a workstation or member server goes down, it'll take you 30 mins to an hour to rebuild the machine from scratch. take your backups and restore to the latest date available and you have a working system again.

It would help though to know what exactly you do.

 

[Modelworks]

Really you need to do a hardware inventory to see what physical hardware is in the machines. You can do it with a lot of free utilities that will save a file. Then just compile that file into a list and get the drivers straight from the manufacturers sites not dells.
http://www.hwinfo.com/

 

[Nocturnal]

Yup, the Dell CD covers all Dell computers. Although you'll have to install drivers and I used to just go straight to Dell's site using a USB Ethernet adapter if it didn't already have the driver installed.