techwiki.lowellschools.com

Imaging

FYI: Any LAS owned equipment is subject to imaging at any time. Never save important documents or files to the local computer, instead, ALWAYS save to your Google G:\ drive.

What is imaging?

• It is how we can setup a computer from a blank slate to a working fully functional computer in about an hour.
• An image includes an operating system (Windows) and network software used at LAS.
• We have images for every make and model of computer in this district.
• It is the only way we can support 1100+ computers with a limited staff.

What happens when my computer is imaged?

1. It completely erases any information and files currently on the computer by doing what is called a disk “Format”, which is why we recommend saving all documents to your H: drive.
2. We then copy the master image that we have created, tested and has been approved for the upcoming year.

• An image is based on the model of computer, for instance, all staff district-wide use HP 5850 model. This means that any building specific items (like printers) and any user-specific software (like publisher) is not included on the master image, for licensing reasons.

1. After the imaging is complete, we install any user specific licensed software on the workstation (Like publisher) If it is specified on our master user-specific software document.
2. Printers are expected to be installed by the person using the computer (using iprint from the application launcher) As we are unable to anticipate who uses which printer and what the default may be.

*If you find you are missing software after the imaging process, please let us know so that we can add it to our master user specific software document.

Why do we image computers every summer? (This is standard practice at an k-12 school district)

1. Updates! Windows updates, Novell updates, network updates, software updates, Bios updates, driver updates.
2. Fixes! To problems that have arisen from Tech. request over the year that we have identified and resolved.
3. Speed and stability! As computer get used, they store temporary files, cache files, cookies, user profiles, viruses, malware, adware, spyware, which gradually slow the machines down.
4. Features! to add software or features that could benefit people or generally make life easier. Such as VLC media player, Office, and Adobe Acrobat Reader.
5. Uniformity! Having the same image on all of a specific model of computer makes a diagnosis of problems faster and more predictable.