Software Deployment

You can use either....I tend to have my clean build machine connected to the network but not a member box so that I don't pick up any GPO's by mistake.

I create a local admin account and use that.

I suggest you download the eval edition of VMWare and try repackaging in that, you can turn the network right off, you can revert in seconds to before the install if you screw up, it has been by far the best purchase I talked my boss into (aside from adminstudio)[:)]

I suggest you package as a Local Admin otherwise you might have GPOs applied to a network user account which may be applied.

You should run a dummy package with a Local Admin as well as a Network User with Local Admin rights and see for yourself the areas of the registry changes do occur after you have finished your package

I also suggest the use of VMWare or MS Virtual PC to work on. Its really a painless way of utilising a great technology.

Here at home I have setup a Windows 2003 AD Server + a Wise Server + a LAN Client and a Clean build machine. All of them are MS Virtual machines and I can capture, repackage and deploy with AD all from one desktop.

This allows for instant changes and edits and redeploys to my network.

After I'm done, I close them down and can choose whether to save the system config or delete it. The servers are mostly saved, but the workstations are reset to default again.