Method of automated operating system deployment for a network of multiple data processors

A method of deploying a new operating system on a plurality of data processors. Hardware and driver information is determined from the data processors. A general disk image for all of the data processors is prepared in a preinstallation environment. Hardware and software components for a specific target data processor are added to or associated with the preinstallation environment to create an installation operating system for that data processor. The components of the installation operating system are installed on the target data processor, thereby replacing the data processor's operating system with the new operating system of the preinstallation environment.