Desktop Services

PC Transplant from Altiris

PC Transplant is a software application that captures a PC's personality - user accounts; desktop, network, and application settings; files directories; and personal data - and transplants that personality to new PC or new OS through a self-extracting executable file called a Personality Package. PC Transplant makes upgrading to a new PC or the newest DSS easier. This software is available on-campus only. The following instruction is intended for ITCs.

What do you need to use PC Transplant?

1. Account in local workstation administrative group.
2. The folder for each ITC on the hydepark server for temporary Personality Package storage.

How to use PC Transplant?

1. Log on the workstation using account in the local administrative group.
2. Connect to the network share with PC Transplant software and temporary Personality Package folder. Open My Computer or Windows Explorer. From the menu, select Tools / Map Network Drive...
3. Select a Drive letter, (example, P:). In the Folder: field, type "\\hydepark\pct" for all ITCs. If you are not logged in with your NIS or CSLA account, click different user name and enter "NIS\userid" or "CSLA\userid", (example, NIS\jdoe or CSLA\jdoe) and your password. Click OK, and Finish.
4. After network drive mapped, check to make sure the there is a folder named as your NIS or CSLA userid and only you can access it. Please contact us if you have problem.
5. Open the \PCT folder and find the file "PCTWiz.exe". Double click on it.
   
6. Now, you have launched the PC Transplant Wizard. Select "Don't remind me again" and click OK.
   
    
7. Select "Create a new package" and click Next
   
    
8. Check the box for the User Name you want to transplant (or migrate), example, apesich. If the workstation is a shared computer, check the multiple boxes for other users. Click Next
   
    
9. Select Use the default build template. Click Next
   
    
10. From the Desktop tab, you can select what desktop setting  you want to transplanting. Please note that when transplant between different version of Windows (example, from Windows 2000 to Windows XP), some settings can't be transplanted. When you done, click on the Network tab.
    
     
11. In the Network tab, you can select network settings to transplant. Since network settings are done with post configuration after download new image, you don't need to select any item. Only select additional mapped network drives if needed. Click Applications tab.
    
     
12. In the Applications tab, you can select applications settings that need to transplant. We have selected most common applications. You can make change and select only applications you used before. This way will make the transplant process faster. Please note, when transplant between different versions (example, from Word 97 to Word 2000) some settings can't be transplanted, but all files associated with the applications will be transplanted. When done, click Next.
    
     
13. In the following three tabs, you will need to select files that were not included in the Applications tab. In the Files tab, you can add files that is not selected from Applications tab, like SPSS files. If there are a lot of files in a directory or folder, We suggest select the folder in Folders tab. That way you don't have to add files one at a time. Click Folders tab.
    
     
14. Select the directories with data you want to transplant. Please don't select application directories, applications can't be transplanted, only the data directories. Click File Types tab.
    
     
15. In this tab, you can add more File Types you want to transplant by click Add New... and select from the list. When done, click Next.
    
     
16. In the four Options screens, you can select how PC Transplant will act when implementing the Personality Package. Our setting is that it will Always Replace existing files with your file. You could add passwords to the Personality Package, so it will prompt for password before allow to run or edit it. Uncheck "Prompt First" if you want to speed up the restore process. Click Display tab when ready.
    
     
17. In this screen, you can select how PC Transplant will look when the user applies the Personality package. Click Next.
    
     
18. In this screen, you can de-select compressed files. Otherwise, just click Next.
    
     
19. In this screen, you need to specify spanning media in case of a problem. Click on 640MB (CD) for spanning media. Usually, you can ignore cleanup package settings. Click Next.
    
     
20. In this screen, enter the filename where your PC Personality Package will be save to, P:\GROUP\USERID\filename.exe. (TIP: If there are lots of free hard disk space, you can have it created on local hard disk first and move to P: drive before shutdown. This increases speed.) Click OK.
    
     
21. The PC Transplant will start create the Personality Package. Depending on the amount of data, it could take a few minutes to a few hours to finish.
    
     
22. When done, Personality Build Summary appears. It shows what items are captured and what are not (in Error.log file.) Some files might need manual backup. Click Finish.
    

Prepare the new PC or new image

Bring in the new PC or install new DSS image. Please have the faculty logon once before apply the Personality Package. This make sure the user's local profile is there.

Apply the Personality Package

1. Before applying the Personality Package, it is a good idea to reload any programs not installed in the new image. This way settings will be available prior to migration of the unique data.
2. After the new PC or new image is ready, logon using the administrator account and map the network share again as above (step 1 and 2 in "How to use PC Transplant?" section.). Locate the Personality Package file under your folder and double click it. Example,
   
   (TIP: Again, if there is lots free hard disk space, copy the Personality Package to local will speed up the process.) If you set a password, you will be prompt to enter the password.
3. In the new revision an initial page appears to show you have started the extraction utility. Click Next.
   


4. In this screen, make sure both Source and Destination have the faculty's UserID selected. If you don't see the right user name in the Destination field. click Create to create the destination. Otherwise, Click OK.
   
    
5. Select the categories you like to install. The default setting is "Select All". Click Begin. You might be prompt to enter a new folder name because the new PC or new image doesn't have drive D: or E:. We suggest enter a new folder name on the C:. Example, c:\oldedrive or c:\oldddrive.
   
    
6. If you click Next, it takes you to the following page. You can still click Begin to start the process.
    
7. The Personality Package is now being applied to the new PC.
   
    
8. Continuing...
   
    
9. When the process completed, you will see a log listing items that can't be applied. Please make a note and install or copy those files manually. Click OK.
   
    
10. Click Finish to create Undo file.
    
     
11. After the PC reboots, the PC Transplant is complete. 

For more information please read the PC Transplant User Guide. The filename is pctuserguide.pdf and it can be found on the same network share in \PCT folder.