38 Microsoft OEM Partner Must-Watch YouTube Videos for System Builders

System builders and computer resellers take note. The Microsoft OEM Partner channel on YouTube can help you get up-to-speed fast on pre-installing various Microsoft Windows operating systems and related software applications on the systems that you assemble.

The OEM Partner YouTube Video Channel was launched in June 2010. Since that time, a variety of tutorials, walk-through demonstrations, video podcast recordings, and video blogs have been posted. Throughout these video titles, you’ll see references to the acronym OPK, which is short for OEM Preinstallation Kit.

The top 38 must-watch Microsoft OEM Partner videos on YouTube for system builders are broken down into seven categories:

• Express Deployment Tool Videos (4)

• Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency Podcast Series Videos (5)

• Microsoft OEM Partner Video Blog Series Videos (5)

• System Builder Basics Videos (10)

• Windows 7 OPK Videos (7)

• Windows 7 XP Mode Videos (3)

• Other YouTube Videos on the Microsoft OEM Partner Channel (4)

Express Deployment Tool Videos

In this series of videos, Craig Hyde, a partner technology manager, introduces the Express Deployment Tool

1. Express Deployment Tool - Installation and Setup (Part 1)

2. Express Deployment Tool - Installation and Setup (Part 2)

3. Express Deployment Tool - Capture and Deployment (Part 1)

4. Express Deployment Tool - Capture and Deployment (Part 2)

Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency Podcast Series Videos

This series of videos are presented by Melissa Dismuke, Susan Pera, and Greg O’Connor from the Microsoft Partner Network. They cover the intersection of Microsoft OEM Partner system builder issues and Microsoft Partner Network requirements, programs, and benefits.

1. Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency: Benefits and Resources (First Half)

2. Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency: Benefits and Resources (Second Half)

3. Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency: Requirements and Enrollment Process (First Half)

4. Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency: Requirements and Enrollment Process (Second Half)

5. Microsoft OEM Hardware Competency: Managing Your Membership

Microsoft OEM Partner Video Blog Series Videos

The Microsoft OEM Partner Video Blog Series is a series of short, information-packed video blogs (“vlogs”) with Jeremy Klein from the OEM Partner Center. Unlike most of the other videos on the Microsoft OEM Partner YouTube channel, this video blog series is not only in English, but also in English with subtitles in Arabic, Chinese (traditional and simplified), Dutch, French (native and Canadian), German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.

1. OEM Partner Video Blog Episode 1

2. OEM Partner Video Blog Episode 2

3. OEM Partner Video Blog 3

4. OEM Partner Video Blog 4

5. OEM Partner Video Blog 5

System Builder Basics Videos

This is a ten-part series on system builder basics with James Kahle, who’s been working with the OPK for ten years. Parts 1-7 walk through a full pre-installation with Office 2010 and hard-disk recovery. Parts 8-10 are more admin-oriented, covering image servicing, interpreting OPK logs, and deploying via a USB key.

1. System Builder Basics - Part 1: Introduction to the Windows 7 OPK

2. System Builder Basics - Part 2: Preinstallation Scenarios

3. System Builder Basics - Part 3: Preparing Your Technician Computer

4. System Builder Basics - Part 4: Designing a Windows 7 Image

5. System Builder Basics - Part 5: Building A Reference Computer and Recovery Image

6. System Builder Basics - Part 6: Preinstalling the Windows 7 and Recovery Image

7. System Builder Basics - Part 7: Introduction to Windows Recovery Environment

8. System Builder Basics - Part 8: Servicing the Windows Images

9. System Builder Basics - Part 9: Understanding the OPK Logs

10. System Builder Basics - Part 10: Deploying a USB Key Deployment Solution

Windows 7 OPK Videos

While it’s just coincidental that there are seven videos in this series of videos on the Windows 7 OPK, the video series introduces the steps necessary to build a customized Windows 7 image.

1. Introduction to the Windows 7 OEM Preinstallation Kit

2. Create an Answer File

3. Add OEM Customizations to Windows 7

4. Create a Bootable Windows Preinstallation Environment CD-ROM

5. Create a Reference Computer

6. Service a Windows 7 Image Using DISM

7. Deploy a Customized Windows 7 Image

Windows 7 XP Mode Videos

This short series of videos introduces the backward compatibility in Windows 7 that allows for the installation of applications that worked successfully on Windows XP.

1. Windows 7 XP Mode Introduction

2. Windows 7 XP Mode Installation

3. Windows XP Mode Application Installation

Other YouTube Videos on the Microsoft OEM Partner Channel

These videos, although useful, just didn’t seem to fit in any of the above categories.

1. Microsoft 2010 Office Story (Also see the related blog post on How Microsoft System Builders Can Add Office 2010 (Video Review.))

2. OPC at WPC

3. Using the Office 2010 OPK

4. Windows 7 Small Business Upgrade

In this post, we’ve highlighted 38 videos on the Microsoft OEM Partner YouTube Channel that are of particular interest to system builders and computer resellers.

If you’re new to being a Microsoft system builder, spending a few hours going through these videos can be a great way to jump-start your training and get you up-to-speed on the technical side of being a Microsoft OEM Partner.

Which video series above have you found most helpful on the Microsoft OEM Partner YouTube channel? Is there anything that you think is missing or could be improved on? Where else do you get this kind of training? Please share your thoughts in the comments section below.

And to follow through on the concepts introduced in this post, especially if your business now includes SaaS or IaaS, be sure to enroll now in our free 7-day eCourse: Go-to-Market Strategy 101 for B2B SaaS Startups and Scaleups.

Image Source: Screen Shot of Microsoft OEM Partner YouTube Video Channel