That's what a GPO is used for in a domain environment. You can modify a
domain Group Policy Object to specify service startup configurations (a
domain has 2 GPOs by default: one is domain wide and the other covers Domain
Controllers only). The same can be said about an OU container + GPO link
with computer objects. Any member of the OU inherits the GPO's security
configuration.
If you aren't in a domain environment and you are installing and configuring
unique, idependent stations, you should be using ghost imaging + Sysprep 1.1
to distribute standard images or RIS to deploy a standard operating system.
There is quite a learning curve involved in distributing using either
procedure, specially RIS, but well worth the effort. Sysprep is used for
similar hardware (same mobo usually) and RIS for dissimilar hardware.
My suggestion: Configure a test system to distribute, run Sysprep 1.1, and
ghost it to a slave drive. The Ghosting utility must be W2K compliant. Ghost
it back with floppy and reboot (note the results).
Slap the new image on a ghosting computer or Server, then whenever a new
system that matches the hardware for the created image comes in, just remove
HD, install it as slave on distribution station, ghost and off you go...
Label the image to identify the motherboard. Remember that Sysprep is for
similar hardware.
