how to make a custom .iso image for server 2012

xexcutionerr

Commendable
Sep 22, 2016
6
0
1,510
how do i make a custom image for server 2012 r2 .the image should include all the applications i have installed on the server . if i have 2 machines with the same hardware how do i shift everything as a bootable image .iso so i just install windows server on the other via usb or harddisk .so my drivers,settings,policies,firewall options and my applications will also get copied
 
Solution
It may not work as an .iso (such a image would be too big to fit on anything but a very large flash drive or external HDD). What you can do is use the Windows image backup tool (built into Windows) which creates an image in a format a Windows installer will recognize. This image won't be bootable itself, but using a Windows install disk you can find the option to restore that image to a new disk as opposed to doing a fresh install.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17127/windows-back-up-restore
It may not work as an .iso (such a image would be too big to fit on anything but a very large flash drive or external HDD). What you can do is use the Windows image backup tool (built into Windows) which creates an image in a format a Windows installer will recognize. This image won't be bootable itself, but using a Windows install disk you can find the option to restore that image to a new disk as opposed to doing a fresh install.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17127/windows-back-up-restore
 
Solution

USAFRet

Titan
Moderator


Multiple ways of doing this, depending on exactly what realm this is in.

Easiest way is to create an Image of System A.
Macrium Reflect, Acronis TrueImage, EasusToDo...All can do that easily.

Of course, licensing issues come into play with two systems. You need licenses for the OS and applications for both systems.