Windows Xp/7 Image Mod/deployment Tools

I do a lot of Windows Installations on friends and relatives machines, even my own setup gets re-installations every now and then... so i figured i would create some Windows ISOs that already have latest service packs, updates, patchesAny recommendations on tools for this purpose? Mainly just to add updates/sp onto my original Windows 7/XP ISO/DVD I have played around with nlite before but that was sometime ago, just wanna see what you guys use or have in mindcheers

I do a lot of Windows Installations on friends and relatives machines, even my own setup gets re-installations every now and then... so i figured i would create some Windows ISOs that already have latest service packs, updates, patches
Any recommendations on tools for this purpose? Mainly just to add updates/sp onto my original Windows 7/XP ISO/DVD

I have played around with nlite before but that was sometime ago, just wanna see what you guys use or have in mind

cheers

nlite is the best solution. You can do it manually if you want, but that'll take you a lot of time.
You'll need some tool to download the patches manually: http://www.wsusoffline.net/

You could also do a fresh install then use a program like Acronis True Image to create an image of the drive prior to installing any software. If you want an image with software installed then you can image after you install, though that image will be a heck of a lot larger.The last version of True Image I used allowed images to be burned to CD/DVD, and large ones I had stored on external drives.

You could also do a fresh install then use a program like Acronis True Image to create an image of the drive prior to installing any software. If you want an image with software installed then you can image after you install, though that image will be a heck of a lot larger.
The last version of True Image I used allowed images to be burned to CD/DVD, and large ones I had stored on external drives.

size don't matter for me as i no longer use DVD/CD... i rely more on external HD or USB sticks these days...

In that case, as long as your computer will boot from USB, I think you should be good to go. I'd stick with the Acronis True Image program I suggested and get your image set up. After that, your system reinstalls should go a lot easier then they currently are.

In that case, as long as your computer will boot from USB, I think you should be good to go. I'd stick with the Acronis True Image program I suggested and get your image set up. After that, your system reinstalls should go a lot easier then they currently are.

I'll give Acronis a go.. thanks

Just be careful on a small detail. Acronis, as other system backup softwares, create a backup image on your current system. This backup is designed for being reinstalled one the same computer. In most of cases it will not boot on a different computer (different processor, different devices).If your second computer is not exactly the same as the first one, you should not choose a backup/restore method, you should stick to fresh install methods.

I think i'm more interested in creating images with customizations... for exmaple: a Windows 7 Image with all the latest patches/updates and plus additional softwares that i would normally install like VLC, MS Office, 7zip, Paint.NET, Flash, Firefox, Opera, Filezilla etc...

I think i'm more interested in creating images with customizations... for exmaple: a Windows 7 Image with all the latest patches/updates and plus additional softwares that i would normally install like VLC, MS Office, 7zip, Paint.NET, Flash, Firefox, Opera, Filezilla etc...

I would just keep the installation files of these programs on a USB stick or some other media and launch the installers after you do a fresh install of Windows. The latest patches and updates are downloaded automatically through Microsoft Update anyways and I don't really see a problem with that unless you're installing on a computer with no Internet connection (or a dial-up connection, which may take days to download).

yea i just realize that every installation i do usually involves installing these programs which are a must in a lot of desktop systems now a days