Efficient Laptop Cloning: How We Used FOG to Clone 2 Laptops in Under 10 Minutes

hanro440
Jan 24
3 min read

Introduction

In the fast-paced world of IT, time is money, and nobody’s got time to sit around waiting for hours while setting up laptops. Whether you’re kitting out a new office, setting up machines for a school, or just need a quick refresh, cloning is the way to go. And when it comes to cloning, FOG is the boss.

We put FOG to the test by cloning two HP Laptop 15-fc0001ni machines with AMD Ryzen 7 7730U processors— and let’s just say, it was bliksem fast! We even made a bet: if we could get both laptops cloned in under 10 minutes, we’d treat ourselves to a lekker braai with a cold brandewyn & Coke. And guess what? We did it! Here’s how we pulled it off.

Understanding FOG

For those who don’t know, FOG is an open-source imaging solution that makes laptop cloning a breezy experience. No more manually setting up each machine from scratch — just image one, push it to the rest, and you’re sorted, my bru.

Why FOG is a Game Changer:

Remote Deployment: No need to plug in USBs or external drives. Just boot via PXE and let FOG do its magic.
Automation & Efficiency: Once your master image is prepped, cloning new laptops takes minutes.
Scalability: Whether you’re doing two machines or a whole fleet, FOG handles it effortlessly.

For IT admins and techies, having a reliable imaging tool like FOG means less time doing donnerse repetitive tasks and more time focusing on the important stuff.

The Cloning Process

Getting these HP laptops up and running was a smaaklik experience. Here’s the breakdown of how we did it:

Step 1: Prepping the Setup

Before we even touched the laptops, we made sure our FOG server was running soos ‘n bom and the master image was ready to go.

Step 2: Booting into FOG PXE Menu

We connected both laptops to the network, booted them into PXE, and selected FOG from the boot menu.

Step 3: Selecting the Image

From the FOG interface, we selected our pre-configured image and kicked off the cloning process.

Step 4: Sit Back & Relax

Within a few minutes, both machines were cloned and ready to roll. We checked the clock – under 10 minutes! Time to fire up the braai, pour a brandewyn, and celebrate a job well done.

Time Efficiency: Why FOG Beats Traditional Cloning

Cloning two laptops in under 10 minutes is impressive compared to traditional methods like manually installing Windows, drivers, and software— which can take hours! FOG eliminates the admin-heavy process and gets the job done mos vinnig.

Initial Impressions of the HP Laptop 15-fc0001ni

Now, let’s talk about the HP Laptop 15-fc0001ni. This machine packs some serious punch for its price.

Specs Rundown:

Processor: AMD Ryzen 7 7730U (8-core beast!)
RAM: 16GB DDR4
Storage: 1TB NVMe SSD
Display: 15.6” Full HD
Battery: 41Wh, decent for day-to-day use

Performance & Usability:

Speed: The Ryzen 7 7730U handles multitasking like a boer on a bakkie. No lag, no delays.
Build Quality: It’s lightweight but solid— decent for a mid-range work laptop.
Battery & Thermals: It runs cool under normal workloads, but under heavy use, it gets a bit warm soos a kar se bonnet in die son. Battery life is okay but nothing crazy.
User Experience: The Windows setup is smooth, and everything runs soos stroop straight out of the box.

Final Thoughts

Between FOG’s cloning speed and the HP Laptop 15-fc0001ni’s solid performance, this was a winning combo. Whether you’re an IT admin rolling out new machines or a techie looking for an efficient way to clone laptops, FOG is the way to go. Quick, easy, and efficient— just how we like it.

And the best part? Braai + Brandewyn = Success! 🍻🔥

If you need help setting up FOG for your business or school, give Pro-IT a shout. We’ve got the skills to make your IT life moerse easier!