Hi!
This works fine initially - we load the image, customize the machine
name, etc...Then we have to activate Windows... This all went at
planned - however - being in a school, things get trashed from time to
time
Something that might help is to make the user accounts for your students
restricted rights ("non-administrator") accounts. In that way, the only
thing they could really trash is their account. Set a strong password for
the administrator, and configure the systems so they try to start up from
the hard drive first. Consider setting a password to access the system setup
program.
These things aren't bulletproof, but they'll deter those who don't want to
go to a lot of effort and run a higher risk of discovery to cause problems.
For example, it's not hard to sneak a startup CD into the computer room to
reset an administrator password. Few people would likely notice. It's also
not hard to open the cover of a machine to attempt to clear the system setup
password, but it is more likely to be noticed and called into question.
(Many of Dell's system cases have a place to put a padlock if need be.
Removing that is bound to cause all kinds of bells and sirens to go off if
anyone else is around.)
What is the correct method to accomplish this many times....
I'm surprised that you do have to activate Windows on these systems, if
you've installed Windows from the Dell supplied media. Dell typically ships
their copies of Windows in a pre-activated state so long as you're using the
appropriate version of Windows for your Dell system. Are you sure that you
used the correct installation media when setting these up?
That said, I have computers that are nothing more than "testing grounds" for
software projects. Some of them are Dell systems, and of the ones that
shipped with Windows XP in some release, I have not run into this problem.
However, I do have specific disk images to restore for each unique system,
as they are all of differing models, ages, hardware design and processor
type. I don't think one image would work in that case. These systems haven't
prompted for activation after being restored, but I did set each one up with
its factory-provided Windows XP installation disc.
I did find that Microsoft restricts at least server product keys, as I once
had a hard time getting a Windows Server Enterprise Edition "test bed"
system up and running. I kept messing it up from inexperience with the
platform and doing the wrong/stupid things. I had to reinstall several times
from scratch over a period of a few hours. As you can imagine, activation
failed because of this, and I had to telephone Microsoft. Eventually, they
did have to give me a new product key. I don't know how closely this would
relate to a desktop version of Windows, but it does suggest that after some
point a product key is "no good" and a new one must be issued when you
telephone.
Later on, when I went to reload Windows Server 2003 on that system (about
three and 1/2 years later) I found that the original, bundled CD key worked
once again for the purpose of activating Windows Server. I had written down
the one I was given over the phone, but I couldn't find it and grew
impatient looking for it. So I said "what the heck, no harm in trying" and
was delighted to find it worked.
And since it's Microsoft you call to activate, I don't think you'll get far
by calling Dell with this question. Dell is obligated to handle bundled
Windows software support issues, but product activation *always* goes
directly to Microsoft.
William
