Hi You sould create this thread on the Deployment forum.

https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/endpoint-m...

I've moved this to the Deployment Solution forum for you.

Good luck!
Cheryl

Thank you very much mclemson. That makes sense. One quesition. I assume i would need to keep creating a backup image everytime i update. Correct? so sequence would be:

1) Same as yours

2) Same as yours

3)Restore initial backup image using Restore image task and update

4) Create a backup Image then apply sysprep using the Prepare for image Capture task

Is this correct?

Yes you would need to do the backup image prior to doing the SYSPREP Image capture and then restore the backup image after capturing the SYSPREP Image.  That is the procedure I have been using for months.

When you do sysprep your computer make sure you instruct it to shutdown.  Do NOT reboot into windows and then image, you must boot into your imaging process and then take the image.  Then when you deploy your image it will be as if sysprep is running for the first time.

Hopefully I explained the well enough.

Thank you everyone for your input. I think i got a clearer picture of the whole process.

There is a way to reset the 3 limit sysprep. google is your friend with that one.

I see this asked quite frequently, and many people are aware of the 3-sysprep limit.  What I am suprised about is that not many people know about the other side to this.

There is a counter that keeps track of and limits the number of times you can sysprep a machine.  When you sysprep a machine, the counter is decremented by -1.  But when you ACTIVATE windows, the counter is incremented by +1.  Not many people seem to realize this.

You do not need to mess around back-up images, and constantly reverting back in order to re-apply all of your updates and capture new again.

I've created a capture job in Altirs, part of this job is to ACTIVATE windows.  This ensures that Windows is activated before I begin the sysprep and capture process.

I've sysprepped and captured the same image about 30 times now without any issue.

Jason Rottman

Scripted OS Install. Make a brand new image every time. I can have a brand new Scripted OS install with all service packs and updates up in 30 minutes. Make whatever minimal changes you require, and you have a new image to deploy in 60 to 90 minutes. The Scripted OS install process makes your imaging process self-documenting, so no need to spend additional time documenting your changes - they're there in your script.

Why bother with making a backup image when you can create a brand NEW image in the same amount of time? The 3-strikes rule becomes irrelevant.