Abstract: A new and useful method is provided, for harvesting drivers for deployment in an operating systems environment.

Abstract: A new and useful method is provided, of organizing and automating a hardware independent disk imaging deployment process, e.g. for Windows PC and other Server operating systems, that uses a server that both has a database of computer PC hardware data that can be electronically analyzed. a. electronically analyzing the database of computers, and grouping the computers into Compatibility Classes, each compatibility class having like model systems that also have been analyzed to have exactly and only the same hardware in common, thus accounting for hardware variance within model groups, b. electronically identifying candidate computers that will serve as collection targets for gathering (remote collection performed over the network) of device drivers for each compatibility class group, c. electronically extracting device drivers and other hardware related data from a selected candidate computer, and d. electronically configuring deployment jobs that will first perform a disk image of the computer.