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For the final year project of the Computer Applications degree at Dublin City University, students may work individually or in small groups to develop a software application which addresses some real practical or research problem.
I decided that for my final year project I would like to develop a System Re-Installation tool that would incorporate various features that I feel are laking from existing utilities. Please allow me to introduce...
#Vista - System Re-Installation Tool
Pronounced: Sharp Vista
Installing a fresh copy of an operating system can be cumbersome and time consuming. In addition, people generally want to customize their operating environment in a unique way. These customizations range from installing operating system updates, user specific programs, integration of device specific drivers, and custom registry entries. I propose to design a system which will create a unique installation image based on the users options, which can be used to re-install an entire computer in a matter of minutes.
The application I propose is different from most other "ghosting" applications as the System Re-installation Tool would not simply copy files directly off your computer (including any corrupted or modified files) but create an installation image based on your individual preferences from the original software installation routines (i.e. Original CD-Roms etc.)
I have chosen to design this system around the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. Microsoft Windows accounts for the majority of the PC market and Vista is the latest edition to the Microsoft Windows collection. The system I propose should allow the user to integrate operating system updates, device specific drivers, and user-specific programs into the image. This allows a machine to be ready for use as soon as the user sees the log on screen, with all their usual programs already in place.
In addition to producing a unique installation image, the system should also allow the user to specify individual files or directories which would also be included in the final image produced. This will enable the user to, for example, preserve the 'My Documents' folder of their existing system in their new operating environment.
A further use of this application could be to create an installation image which could be deployed on many machines which are networked together. This facility would allow network administrators to install a fresh installation of each users operating system and programs in one swift motion.