2008 R2: How to image/deploy Win 7/8 systems?

Question

This was originally posted on Windows Server forum, not knowing there was a forum more specific to my need. 
Hi all. This is a rather broad question.  On the Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 platforms, what is the simplest but most effective set of technologies from Microsoft to enable me to simply re-image a Win7 client machine in situations where it needs to be
refreshed? 
A common scenario is that a person's computer contracts a virus or they otherwise screw it up so badly it needs a clean start, and rather than spend 3-4 hours rebuilding the system manually, I'd like to be able to simply re-image the machine - most ideally
from the Win 2008 R2 server.   
However the environments I work in typically have a variety of hardware mixes - various Dell, HP, Lenovo laptops and desktops.  I don't know if one single image per organization would do, or if I have to create an image for every type of computer. 
Also how are these images deployed, is it done over the network, or am I to create a bootable disc, or do I attach a USB external hard drive since I imagine the image is bigger than a 4.7GB DVD?  Given that I don't have a background in doing this, I
am hoping to find all-inclusive prescriptive guidance on how to go about this system imaging process.  I work in IT, but am new to this particular aspect of things.  Thank you

Answer 1

Hi viProCon,
Consider your different hardware you can sysprep different system image then you can deploy them. The WDS include the following general knowledge point, you can refer the
following article to get more detail steps.
Deploying Windows 7 with SCCM 2007: How Microsoft IT deployed…
http://blogs.technet.com/b/jeffa36/archive/2010/09/06/deploying-windows-7-with-sccm-2007-how-microsoft-it-deployed.aspx
Windows 7 Deployment Using SCCM 2007 SP2
http://blogs.technet.com/b/birojitn/archive/2010/01/20/windows-7-deployment-using-sccm-2007-sp2.aspx
Capture and Apply Windows Images
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744389(v=WS.10).aspx
 Windows Deployment with the Windows ADK
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd744389(v=WS.10).aspx
 Windows Deployment Services Getting Started Guide
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771670(v=WS.10).aspx
 Deploying Windows 7
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/video/Deploying-Windows-7.aspx
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