You can save a backup copy of a Windows Embedded (WES7 or XPe) device in order to restore the same device. Another option is to save a copy in order to clone the device firmware and its configuration on other devices. You can also use a factory firmware image to restore the thin client as it were out-of-the-box.
Warning for all Windows Embedded Devices
Before use a Windows Embedded device for extracting its image and use it for cloning be sure to enable the write filter on the device (e.g. see documentation Using the Write Filter). Restore a device using a cloned image without write filter protection enabled conduct to failure and problems when the new devices are restored using that image.
Warning for all Windows Embedded Devices
Before using a Windows Embedded device for extracting its image and use it for cloning be sure that the Master device is not joined to a domain (because it could receive policies that could affects its behavior). Otherwise the Target devices will not work properly. After the cloning process the Target devices could join the domain.
ThinMan allows to execute these operations over the network using the PXE Boot. Consult the ThinMan Guide under the Contextual Menu - Device Update (Windows Devices only) paragraph in order to backup, restore or clone a device. This operation is possible only when the network gives DHCP address to the thin clients.
TIP
Because this operation is based on broadcast messages be sure that all network infrastructure support broadcast messages. It these prerequisites are not met (e.g. typically in WAN environment) it is better to use the Praim Toolkit software to generate USB Mass Storage key for recovery (see below).
Another tool that allow to execute the same operations using a USB Mass Storage key is the Praim Toolkit software. Consult the Praim Toolkit Guide for detailed instructions on how to create a USB Key. When ready the USB Key inserted in the thin client will rewrite down the entire DOM (Disk on Module) with a new firmware.
Pay Attention
Using a backup copy to execute a cloning will produce unwanted results. In this case the new thin client is an exact copy of the first one (it means, the same hostname, same ip address (if static), etc.) and this will conduct to possible problems in network. Use a "copy for backup" only to restore the same thin client.
Restore a device with cloning backup only after it has contacted the ThinMan Server
If you plan to clone a device to a new one, let the new thin client contact ThinMan for al least one time. Doing so the ThinMan will save the Microsoft license of the thin client and, after the thin client is restored, it will give back the correct license to the thin client. If the ThinMan did not save the license you are requested to provide a correct license on the thin client startup (in this case you have to contact the Praim Support team).This suggestion is really important especially if you are restoring a device using a USB Mass Storage key created by Praim Toolkit software.
All these operations (backup, restore and cloning) will involve a lot of data. The DOM (Disk on Module) mounted on the device may vary from 1 GB to 8 GB of data. All these data need to be transferred using the LAN, whether you are using ThinMan, or using the USB Key. Pay attention to which procedure you will use because the duration will depend on how much data you are transferring and can be very long, especially in networks with low bandwidth availability.
Depending on this factors you may decide, for example, that is convenient to prepare and configure a single thin client and then copy all its DOM to others to have all the thin client aligned. Other possible options is, instead, to prepare a single installation file and then to propagate it to all the thin clients using the ThinMan feature "Third party software installation". It depend on many parameters like network speed, possibility of physical access to the thin client, number of devices to update, complexity of the installation files and so on.