FOG reapply Windows Setup
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Hey, I want to use FOG for my Home Network, I want to image a Windows machine after it being OBE (Open Box Experience) I want it to reapply the Name, The Domain, the policies, applications, etc. I’m new to FOG so I don’t know how to do it. Does anyone know how to do this?
I’m running FOG Project 1.5.8 -
@FuriousGamer065 To rename und join to the domain we use the fog-client software. With policies you mean GPO that would be applied after domain join anyway? For software you can use any means of deployment, through GPO, fog-client snapins or other deploy tools.
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I see a paradox in your request in that home network and domain do not typically go together. Also the reapply name, policies, application, etc. are not typically used with FOG. FOG’s intent is to take one golden image and apply it to many clone systems. Is this what you are planning on doing? If so how many clones can you see you might make. The reason why I ask is because there are different ways to do what you want. Some decisions are made based on the number of target computers you want to image.
Give us a bit more on your end goal here. Is your fog project for less than 5 computers or more than 10?
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I want FOG to join the workstation to the Domain after being deployed (In my case Windows 10) When it gets to the part where you fill out your information, I want it to be filled out automatically so I don’t have to go to each system and install my Software and disabled applications, and apply the Domain policy to my system. I don’t know how to do it. I have tried Sysprep before, it causes my virtual workstation (My testing system) to have a regenerated Computer name, it’s not applied to the domain, and it doesn’t have my apps or programs installed, or my policies.
I want to see if I can get FOG to do that after it being deployed if possible.I have 4 systems I am going to deploy the image to.
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@FuriousGamer065 Just a few more questions before we move to a solution.
- Do you have an AD domain at home or are you applying local gpo policies to the target computers?
- The “and disable applications”, part is that window preinstalled applications?
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- I have a Active Directory domain, yes.
- Disable applications like, Xbox, Microsoft Edge.
I have a command prompt that removes Xbox and Internet Explorer 11 but not block Microsoft edge.
I would like it to install Google Chrome.
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@FuriousGamer065 OK good, so lets start with the easy bits. Understand that if you are only imaging < 5 systems you can use this method because of the amount of setup time to do it the other way. If you were going to image 50 systems this year I would recommend you go with the fat windows install route.
So for the GPO policies, let AD manage them. That is the easiest route and what its there for.
Now for naming the computer and connecting it to AD, use the FOG Client service. Install that service onto your golden image before image capture. There are a few prerequisites so make sure you follow them. https://wiki.fogproject.org/wiki/index.php/FOG_Client#FOG_Client_with_Sysprep
FOG has an application deployment system called snapins. From snapins you can install application using the application’s unattended install command switches. Each application is a bit different but if you search for the application’s name and “silent install” you should be able to find the command line switches. For google chrome, search for “google chrome for enterprise” to get the proper installer. It will be in a zip file. That zip file will come with some admx files if you want to manage chrome via GPO. But there will also be a .msi you can use to install google chrome.
For removing the applications you can either write a powershell script for removing the selected applications or use an already built powershell script. Search for “spiceworks decrapifier” to get this PS script. Both a hand built PS script as well as the decrapifier script can be deployed via a FOG snapin. I use the decrapifier script on my builds to remove the unwanted packages. Just note there are other decrapifier scripts out there, some are not what they seem. I would recommend that you only get it from the spiceworks site.
Lastly Win10 likes its setting a certain way so even if you customize your golden image the way you like it when you sysprep and clone it windows 10 will reset everything for you. If you are running a volume licensed media you can use the setupcomplete.cmd file that windows OOBE will run at the end of WinSetup to customize your installation.
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@FuriousGamer065 Now if you were going to do 50 or more per year I would recommend a bit different approach in that you will create a fat image and include all of the applications you need right in the golden image. You would only install applications post imaging that require a system unique ID like enterprise virus protection. You would also use the unattend.xml file to answer all of the preinstall OOBE questions so the deployment is completely lite touch. https://forums.fogproject.org/topic/11920/windows-10-1803-sysprep-problem?_=1584219461172 You would also create a post install script to install the system specific drivers etc.