Deployment Solution

We are upgrading from Altiris 6.9 SP1 to Altiris 7.1 and also upgrading computers from XP 32-bit to Win 7-64 bit.

Regarding PCT, is this compatible between XP and 7? If so, do we need to create a new template file, or can we use the existing one?

Can we back up profile settings from XP and import them to 7? If so, what is transferrable?

Is template.exe different for XP and 7 or the same?

Thank you!

It works, but there are limitations.  Wallpaper transfers, other settings transfer, but not all settings will.  For files, you need to make sure that you're redirecting any gathered folder to a new location.  If you gather C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\My Documents, you need to tell it to redirect to C:\Users\<user>\Documents on the Windows 7 computer.

I would clone Default.pbt and then modify it for your use, starting simple, testing, and building more into it as you go.  The capture personality task will gather the personality on XP, and the distribute personality task will deploy the personality on Windows 7.  I just run template.exe on the NS to create the new template. Does this answer your question?

When setting up the Capturing Personality task there is a check box that says Create Vista compatible package file (.pkg). Do you need to check this if you are going to distribute the personality to Windows 7? Also what if you have admins that don't have access the the NS how can they build there own templates? We have over 20 locations all with thier own site server and I am the lone Altiris Admin and I really don't want them all to have access the NS.

We used the personality capture tool for our win7 upgrade pretty successfully.  We only captured anything locally saved to Desktop or My Docs as well as Favorites.  I don't remember setting up any redirection - but when restoring to the new computer you have to point it to the correct user (or have the tool create the user profile on the new computer).

I did test capturing/deploying printers through the tool as not working very well.

Hey Jason.  I should really make Joe Zeles answer this one, huh?  If you check the box for Vista compatible, most things will work for Windows 7.  You may need to redirect folders so that items end up in the right place on a Windows 7 system.

If you don't want 20 admins to access the NS, you should create the templates for them.  This is a great opportunity to standardize (everybody uses the same migration template) or centralize (everybody puts their requests in to HQ and they are processed according to Jason White's 2-week SLA for templates, etc).