I haven't tried this myself yet with XP, but with Windows 2000 you can use MS Sysprep. What I have done is take a new machine, install all of the software that is needed, change all needed settings, and then ran Sysprep.exe. After running Sysprep,I use PowerQuest's Drive Image to create an image that I spread out onto 3 cds and then burn them to disks.
Sysprep removes all SID dependent components and when the machine is ran again those SIDs are created for that machine. You use an OEM disk to create the actual image the first time through. You can get an OEM disk when you buy a new hard drive from several companies, just search for it.
Once the image is created like you like, just "restore" this new image to whatever computer you need it on. The one big pitfall is the licensing issues. Ensure that you have enough licenses, for both the OSes and software, that you are installing for the number of computers that you are "restoring" this new image on. On my new computers,I repartition and format the hard drives without even starting the computers up the first time. I register and use the OS key that comes with the computer once this new image is on the computer.
Since XP is built on the 2000 foundation, I would think that Sysprep should work, but again, I haven't tried it. I really like this utility for creating my computers. You can get a detailed as you like, just by creating the sysprep.inf file. This file contains all of your company specific information such as computer name, which can be hardcoded or done on the fly, WINS server if used, DHCP and settings, etc.
The nice thing about XP and 2000 is that both are PnP for devices. My one image will work on just about all of the computers that I have in my office, not just the same make, model, and internal components of the system that I originally made the image from.
