Windows Installer and Custom Images

Question

If I understand correctly, the Windows 7 installer engine's Windows Imaging Format is partially designed to make it easy to do deployment to multiple computers using an image. I have a scenario where I would like to deploy Windows 7 onto 5 identical computers and was wondering if this might be a better option than, say, Ghost since it is built into Windows 7.

Here's what I have at my disposal:

1. 5 identical HP desktops with OEM Windows Home Premium license keys.

2. A Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit retail disc that I converted to allow me to select editions, so that I could select Home Premium and not just Ultimate.

3. 5 brand new Microsoft Office Standard license keys via Microsoft Open Licensing.

Can I somehow (relatively easily) do a custom image using the WIM tools to install Windows 7 (with the latest updates), Microsoft Office, Microsoft Security Essentials and, perhaps, a few other tools such as Firefox?

Answer 1

I found a step by step tutorial on how to create an image including helpful screenshots along the way: http://www.petri.co.il/creating-an-image-with-sysprep-and-imagex.htm.