Cloning Windows 7 PCs

[John Gray]

Yesterday I came across something which I found quite unusual.

A chap is using a Windows 7 backup "system image" to 'clone' a number of PCs of the same make and model number.
There is no problem with the Windows product key, since the organisation has a volume licence.
After restoring the system image to a tarhet PC, he changes the computername of this PC BUT doesn't seem to do anything about the machine SID.
He has a Windows 2008 R2 server used at a file and print server, but does not have a Windows domain and does not use a Windows Workgroup (or so he says).
Each PC can see a common share on the server and print via the server, but presumably cannot see any of the other PCs on the subnet.

Has anyone come across such a thing, and could explain why such an unusual implementation can work?
To me it seems to be easy to create new PCs, but a pig to maintain!

Thanks"

[StuartR]

If he doesn't have a domain then I don't think there are any circumstances where the SID would be passed from one PC to another.

[DaveA]

He just may be using a "HomeGroup" with the Libraries.

If the local PC's have not added their folders to the "Library" then they will not see each other.