Essentials Seven essential tools for deploying Windows 7

If you are preparing to upgrade from XP or Vista to Windows 7, you will need these utilities; they can help you plan your deployment, ensure application compatibility, and manage your images.

After Windows 7 was released on October 22 last year, many companies should at least start thinking about deploying Windows 7 to their environment. Whether you're excited about Windows 7, or hate the fact that XP won't last forever, you're likely to need to deploy Microsoft's next-generation operating system for Windows users in the near future.

When it comes to upgrading the Windows client, it is a terrible experience to prepare for a smooth upgrade for you and your users. To this end, blogger Ron Barrett has produced this short list of the seven necessary tools to help you deploy Windows 7.

First, verify that your application is compatible

Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) is a free tool provided by Microsoft to help administrators deploy Windows 7 Before, check if there are any application compatibility issues. This tool also determines what happens when you run an incompatible application.

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/DownLoads/details.ASPx?familyid=24DA89E9-B581-47B0-B45E-492DD6DA2971&displaylang=en

Second, verify that all hardware is compatible

Microsoft Evaluation and Planning Toolkit (MAP) This toolkit is used to evaluate and inventory hardware and devices on all computers on your network. It then reports which system hardware is in good condition and is suitable for installing Win7. Device drivers have always been the crux of Windows upgrades.

Download: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb977556.ASPx

III. Migrating User Settings

User State Migration Tool (USMT) This tool helps you migrate user settings and features from your old PC to a new computer with Windows 7. This scriptable command line tool is easy to use.

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.ASPx?FamilyID=799AB28C-691B-4B36-B7AD-6C604BE4C595&displaylang=en

IV. Automating Deployment Tools

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) for Windows 7 is a set of tools and documentation to help administrators automate the deployment of Windows 7. It can configure answer files, get Windows images, and then configure or modify them.

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.ASPx?familyid=696DD665-9F76-4177-A811-39C26D3B3B34&displaylang=en

5. Promote automation to the next stage

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a command-line tool that combines some of the management features of WAIK to give you the entire lifecycle of your image. During the period, you can configure the feature package and updater for the image. It is Microsoft's previous deployment tools: Package Manager, PEimg and Intlcfg's next-generation products.

Download address: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/Windows/dd320284.ASPx

Six, ignore the client

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) This toolkit provides a deployment workbench for configuring operating systems, applications, and user settings. When combined with System Center Configuration Manager 2007, it enables fully automated deployment.

Download: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.ASPx?familyid=3bd8561f-77ac-4400-a0c1-fe871c461a89&displaylang=en

VII, you deploy Windows 7 while sleeping.

Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is a server role that allows you to automatically deploy Windows 7 from a centralized location over the network. WDS supports multicast deployment and unattended installation. However, not all clients are compatible with WDS.

Download: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd348502%28WS.10%29.ASPx