• Dealing with more than one computer makes Windows XP installations much more complex.computers network image by Orlando Florin Rosu from Fotolia.com
  
  Deploying Windows XP to a number of different systems at the same time can prove challenging, especially when each computer needs to communicate effectively with the others and operate immediately in a business environment. Microsoft and other companies offer deployment tools for use before installation of XP to ensure the process goes smoothly and without error--no matter how many systems you need to upgrade or install.
  
  

System Preparation Tool

• Microsoft offers the official System Preparation tool as part of Windows Server 2003 or as a download from Microsoft's website. The tool runs before an installation of XP or a major update and prepares the system for duplication onto another computer while still allowing unique user identification information. This allows businesses to create many installations of XP with the same settings. The System Preparation Tool comes in different versions, depending on which version of XP you wish to deploy.
  
  

NLite

• NLite is another pre-installation utility, used for customizing which features of Windows XP you want installed. Users can create installations of XP without Media Player, Internet Explorer or other unwanted components. This gives business operators a trimmed-down version of the operating system or a system free from distracting or otherwise useless options. Users can choose which version of XP they wish to install and integrate it into the software.
  
  

User State Migration Tool

• Large-scale deployments often interrupt the normal operation of many business computers and require users to reconfigure their accounts and permissions after a new installation. Microsoft's User State Migration Tool copies user accounts, files and application preferences for use on newly deployed systems. This tool minimizes the amount of downtime by giving users easy ways to restore their workstations.
  
  

Windows Deployment Services

• Once called Remote Installation Services, Windows Deployment Services helps businesses with XP installations at every step of the process. Primarily, it distributes virtual copies of the installation files so individual systems can upgrade by connecting to the server rather than upgrading from a disc. Windows Deployment Services is not a stand-alone product but comes with installations of Windows Server 2003 and as a portion of the downloadable Windows Automated Installation Kit.
  
  

ImageX

• ImageX is another part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit. It creates virtual copies of Windows install discs for deployment in a server environment. With virtual images, you no longer need physical installation copies and it can feed these images to Windows Deployment Services or save them as backups. It comes with downloads of the Kit or as part of Windows Server 2003.