I install Windows *very* often. First, I use frequent reinstalls as a way of keeping my machines “light” – only the applications I need. No excess. Second, I cycle through a lot of hardware at work. And lastly, I help a lot of people at work get their workstations installed.
Complete reinstalls – wipe the hard drive, install OS, install all apps, configure hardware, personalize settings – have so many steps to get the machine in the exact configuration I desire that I use a “checklist” to help move me through the process and make sure I didn’t leave anything out. Below is the checklist with a link to the original Visio file.
Unlike a true checklist – there’ aren’t any checkboxes. And certainly it isn’t very detailed, just the high level items and from these I remember the detailed steps.
Link to the Visio file: http://skydrive.live.com/?cid=1ff099edb1c7ebfa&sc=documents&id=1FF099EDB1C7EBFA%211592
Note that this is still a work-in-progress and that I view it on another machine instead of printing it out – the bright saturated colors don’t show up so well.
Anyone have interesting examples of their own setup checklists? I’d sure like to see them.
Click the image below to see a larger PNG version