[Boot Menu for WinPE 2.1 + DOS + PXE + TFTPD32]

thanks for the info Tripredacus. My question about 'why we need a pxe server' was based on kyor's reply where he says:

understand that you can boot most of your tools via pxe when it run's

under winpe, or when it can boot from a dos floppy disk.

you don't need a pxe server.

You need a tftp Server and a dhcp Server

I am not sure but maybe he was trying to say that "I do not need a pxe server when I boot from a floppy disk"

Although I do understand the "basic" concept of using a pxe media is so as to not having to carry around boot medias and instead make use of network boots. From what I understand so far, clients make use of the pxe protocol, hard coded into the nics and boots off a pxe master image stored on the server such as WDS, 3com pxe server - these are the only pxe options I know so far. And as I was looking for a solution to simultaneously run (as a choice, of course) other pxe boot images which also supports the older DOS-16 & related tools (eg., ghost.exe instead of ghost32.exe). Infact, Ghost was actually the main reason for me to look for something like a multi-boot pxe solution, since I have heard that ghost-32 using winpe has been found to be slower for imaging compared to the ghost-16 via DOS. And then came along the ideas to have the other "Support" tools for troubleshooting along with ghost. And as result of searching, I landed on this thread.

However, I am still all ears to anything & everything related to Deployment technologies (turning out to be a favorite subject of mine). So thanks so much for your information. Keep posting & I will try to do the same

[Boot Menu for WinPE 2.1 + DOS + PXE + TFTPD32]

Thanks kyor. Eventually, my idea is to have a point of network access for all the clients, where they can be booted into the network and get a screen of choices for running all possible helpdesk & admin tools - ghost, recovery tools, antivirus for boot sectors, etc, etc. - and to make all this possible without the help of any CDs, floppies or other removable medias. I really would not mind using any network/server method available for the whole setup, as long as it isn't too complex

you don't need a pxe server.

This is what I am trying to figure out, so why exactly would I need to use a "PXE" server - would one reason be that some of older machines do not support pxe boot? Or any other advantages in using a pxe server?

Sure kyor, anytime you are able to reply. Thanks.

Meanwhile anyone else feeling like adding some knowledge to the topic, please do so! Much appreciated.

[Boot Menu for WinPE 2.1 + DOS + PXE + TFTPD32]

hello kyor

This might be something similar to what I have been looking for but please tell me if I have understood this correct.

- So using this guide, I could have a pxe boot image which gives menu choices of DOS, Linux, WinPE, Ghost (?), etc., when I a client is booted to the network via pxe, correct?

- And I could have a choice of ghost32.exe OR ghost.exe via DOS at the bootscreen, possible?

- And also I could add any other programs to the menu if I wanted to such as recovery softwares, antivirus, repair tools, etc. - can I have all these at the boot menu?

- which one is acting as the pxe server in this setup?

Thanks in advance.

[A Step by Step guide to setting up WDS for PXE]

hmm thats strange ...I just tried now. seems like it is working. try this one again

http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums...49-dc3fef3b75b4

[A Step by Step guide to setting up WDS for PXE]

Thanks for the reply Tripredacus. Yes I understand that now. After this post, I found another thread about the dhcp server whch explains - social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/itprovistadeployment/thread/ec8723d5-653b-4914-8649-dc3fef3b75b4

thanks again for the reply.

[A Step by Step guide to setting up WDS for PXE]

hi Tripredacus

this is a nice guide for someone new to the to the WDS/PXE setup. Thanks!

I was wondering about the DHCP server setup - can we just an existing one since we already have one. So I can skip 'Step 2' ,correct?

And I have ghost & AIK already setup on a different standalone server (have been using it as a ghostcast server and also for making Win PE boot disks), so I could just install WDS component on this server itself and follow the rest of your instructions, yes?

Thanks again for the nice guide!