Scuba Steve

I already have a Windows 2000 or 2003 Server with plenty of space to host the distribution shares. What do you use for your network boot disks? Do you use WinNT.exe or WinNT32.exe to do the unattended setup? I need to use WinNT32.exe so I can get aroung the 64 character file path length restrictions placed by MS-DOS when using WinNT.exe. BUT, in order to run WinNT32.exe you need to be running in a 32-bit OS. I have done a little research and found Bart's PE that is free, or Win PE that is outrageously priced. I am not sure that Bart's PE will allow you to run WinNT32.exe, I posted on the message boards there and we'll see what comes of it. Can you give me some pointers for using Windows 2000 or 2003 Server? Thanks, Justin

WEBMEDIC: Is the New Version Finished Yet? Or did you solve the two cd problem using some other method?

Ok, so a network install is the best method to do this. Is there a site as good as this one to help me figure out how to do it? I am new to the unattended setup and could really use some help getting started. Let me know, Justin

Do you have to buy anything additional software components to do a network install? What is better CD or Network? Thanks, Justin

Is it possible to convert the unattened installation methods learned here into a network installation where you put a network boot disk in the computers and they pull the files off the server? This would make it eaiser to install lots of applications with the unattended installation becuase we wouldn't be limited on 700 mbs on a cd. This would just make it easier and FULLY automated, because I wouldn't have to go around and swap the cds during installation. Let me know if you can help me in this matter. Thanks, Justin

Is there a way to use two CDs and still Use RunOnceEx? I have Windows Xp Pro Sp1 on one CD and it is too large to fit on 1 cd with the other applications I want to install. What would be the methods to use two cds and still utilize RunOnce?

Well i don't know how to set the description of the Computer but I took the above VBS file and edited it to return only one dialog. In my limited experience, the three items are either null or return the same value. (The three items i am talking about is: objSMBIOS.PartNumber, objSMBIOS.SerialNumber, objSMBIOS.SMBIOSAssetTag) So I basicly added some if tests to see if they had anything in them and if so, I set strSerial to whatever is in it. This is all great and all, but now that I have this vbs script, how do i use it to make the mostly automated install set what ever strSerial is to the computer name? Details are great and much appreciated.

I was wondering if anyone ever tried booting from a external usb dvd writer and got it working. None of our systems have dvd drives in it and our XP corporate images is too large to fit on a cd. I was wondering if its better to use a dvd or is it better to use several cds. Since I only have 1 external dvd drive, it wouldn't be the most efficient way to install the load to several systems. Is it hard to use multiple cds? Thanks, Justin