The best method to prepare Windows XP and Windows Vista Images is to use Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (or the Business Desktop Deployment 2007 Toolkit). I have had customers ask a lot of question in regard to installing Windows Keys in the images and then activating them after the desktop image is deployed. These toolkits cover the best method to do this. If a Desktop Specialist is building images for Windows and not using these tools, I am almost certain that time is being wasted and best practices are not being used.

In one of the deployment scenarios I ran into a company has several lab PC’s spread throughout the organization at different sites. The workstations are kept in a workgroup for the training and are regularly re-imaged with Windows Vista to prep for the next set of classes, etc. The machines are all identical.

The desired solution is to add the MAK key to the Windows Sysprep Image. This can be done, however the machines will still require Activation. If the machines do not have direct Internet connectivity, as may lab machines do not, the VMAT too is ideal to handle the machine activation. A benefit of using VAMT is the ability to save the Activation information, so when the machines are re-imaged the same activation ID can be pushed back to the machine – given there are no hardware changes.

Download the Volume Activation 2.0 Technical Guidance.

Download the VAMT Tool.