woodsman707 Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Good afternoon, it's my first day here and my first post - I have searched the forum, but don't see anything like my issue being mentioned...maybe I am just too n00b .Here is what I am trying to accomplish: I want to deploy Unattended installs of Windows XP using PXE and RIS (WDS) throughout my domain from different sites that require no user intervention outside of renaming the PC once it is up and running (will use dameware to do so) I want to use the Universal Imaging Utility to build the final image, so that it is hardware independant. All of my sites are connected via an internal network cloud.Here is how I see it happening in my head:End user boots into PXE by pressing F12, PXE boots, user selects DEPLOY from the PXE menuThe master image deploysThe PC boots up and is prenamed and joined to the domainThe user logs on, and has the PC name and IP address (using BGINFO on the desktop), which he/she gives meI dameware into the PC, rename itAfter rebooting, I move the PC to the correct OU (can this be automated based on IP or something else?)Here is what I have in place:Windows 2003 AD, etc...I have a Windows 2003 SP2 server running Windows Deployment Services (WDS), I have never had RIS installed, nor have I ever set up RIS. I pulled the boot files I needed for PXE to work from a Vista DVD. I built a master PC by installing windows XP from a CD, Office, configured the system to our standard, etc. My test desktop boots to PXE, and I can capture and deploy my master PC image to and from the WDS server. What is missing:I cannot figure out how to get the imaging to work unattended. Once Windows is deployed, it goes through the process of asking for the license key, etc... I have used the setup manager to create answer files, but cannot get them to work. Any thoughts on what I am missing? I have read tons of documentation and some of the suggestions don't work for getting XP to deploy unattended. Thanks, Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geezery Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 (edited) You have a lot of work to do, for all of those things you mentioned. I think you should propably watch this little video tutorial about sysprepping first.http://www.vernalex.com/guides/sysprep/video.shtmlWhen you have been able to make that "universal image", then you should continue to next step for developing the unattended image apply system. Edited July 12, 2007 by geezery Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsman707 Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 Thanks for the reply. I pretty much have everything working EXCEPT the unattended part of the process...any help on that would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tap52384 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 (edited) This link will pretty much cover it; I followed this example for Sysprep and it works just fine.http://academics.memphis.edu/aatech/Imagin...ated-042407.pdfThis is the link to download Sysprep for Windows XP SP2 (requires validation):http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details...;displaylang=enWhere did you find documentation on setting up installation via PXE? Edited July 12, 2007 by tap52384 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsman707 Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 (edited) Where did you find documentation on setting up installation via PXE?Thanks for the reply Tap52384, I'll check out the link and see if it helps. I got the directions for getting WDS PXE working from the WDS documentation that Microsoft provides. Basically, you install WDS and tell it to authorize itself in AD. There are some settings specific to installing WDS on the same machine as your DHCP server. Once you authorize it, it's done. I'll look for and post the exact link if I can find it again... Edited July 12, 2007 by woodsman707 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telnetmanta Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 Were you able to get UIU to work with WDS? I'm getting stuck when trying to redeploy a UIU image.Thanks!Ben in SCGood afternoon, it's my first day here and my first post - I have searched the forum, but don't see anything like my issue being mentioned...maybe I am just too n00b .Here is what I am trying to accomplish: I want to deploy Unattended installs of Windows XP using PXE and RIS (WDS) throughout my domain from different sites that require no user intervention outside of renaming the PC once it is up and running (will use dameware to do so) I want to use the Universal Imaging Utility to build the final image, so that it is hardware independant. All of my sites are connected via an internal network cloud.Here is how I see it happening in my head:End user boots into PXE by pressing F12, PXE boots, user selects DEPLOY from the PXE menuThe master image deploysThe PC boots up and is prenamed and joined to the domainThe user logs on, and has the PC name and IP address (using BGINFO on the desktop), which he/she gives meI dameware into the PC, rename itAfter rebooting, I move the PC to the correct OU (can this be automated based on IP or something else?)Here is what I have in place:Windows 2003 AD, etc...I have a Windows 2003 SP2 server running Windows Deployment Services (WDS), I have never had RIS installed, nor have I ever set up RIS. I pulled the boot files I needed for PXE to work from a Vista DVD. I built a master PC by installing windows XP from a CD, Office, configured the system to our standard, etc. My test desktop boots to PXE, and I can capture and deploy my master PC image to and from the WDS server. What is missing:I cannot figure out how to get the imaging to work unattended. Once Windows is deployed, it goes through the process of asking for the license key, etc... I have used the setup manager to create answer files, but cannot get them to work. Any thoughts on what I am missing? I have read tons of documentation and some of the suggestions don't work for getting XP to deploy unattended. Thanks, Justin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woodsman707 Posted February 18, 2008 Author Share Posted February 18, 2008 Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get it to work, but have sort of shelved the project in lui of more pressing items at the moment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Telnetmanta Posted February 18, 2008 Share Posted February 18, 2008 I contacted UIU today to make them aware of the problem. Zach said that they were looking into the problem to see if they could find a solution for us. This is only going to become bigger as more people move to WDS.Ben in SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meeuws Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 (edited) I'm playing with WDS for winxp for a couple of days and this are my findings to make it unattended.There are 3 major parts:1) Unattend the WinPE so you don't need to choise your language and the partitions are made automaticly.This is done via the WDSClientUnattend.xml file.2) Unattend sysprep so Winxp doesn't start a Welcome setup. This incluce the winxp licence key...My major error was that I used factory and then reseal in sysprep. You should only use reseal with the option 'use mini-setup' on.3) Specify a machinename and ou so the is joined to the domain.I have 1 and 2 working. If wanted I can write something more about 1 & 2.3 is in 'try & error' phase. I'm experimenting with 'notify admin for unknow client' but I'm getting strange things.The client is showing up in my wsd console, I can give his a name (after I needed to solve a stupid access denied error)and the computer account is made in the OU I specified in WDS.But for some strange reason the clients now want a x64 boot image insteat of x32. If I uncheck 'notify admin' they take the x32...Oh of course there was a 'zero phase' the get my optiplex 755 nic's working with the boot.wim.The key there was to use the vista nic driver instead of the winxp. That alone took me couple of hourse to figure out... Edited April 16, 2008 by meeuws Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smiley357 Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 Just a few questions: 1) Are all the machines the same model or will there be a variety of drivers? 2) Have you made an unattended install image?3) Have you looked at the nLite software to help make the unattended image? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiners_68 Posted April 17, 2008 Share Posted April 17, 2008 Woodsman707, from what Ive read your are using a RIS setup image not a WDS WIM image. With XP RIS Setup images are the best to use as they are fresh installs so they are not restricted by HAL. Any image of an XP machine is limited on what machines it can go on due to the HAL.Ive got around 10 different RIS Setup images so i can help you. I do recomend this Forum if your using RIS it has some very useful resources & tools & can help you with your questions. Autoimage on this site can help you integrate drivers, & windows updats into your RIS images.Here is one of my sif unattended files for you to copy & mod as necessary. I know this works. ive removed my paswords & license key but the rest remains in tacked.[data]floppyless = "1"msdosinitiated = "1"OriSrc = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"OriTyp = "4"LocalSourceOnCD = 1[setupData]OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect"SetupSourceDevice = "\Device\LanmanRedirector\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%"[unattended]DriverSigningPolicy=IgnoreNonDriverSigningPolicy=IgnoreUnattendMode=FullUnattendedOemPreinstall =yesFileSystem = LeaveAloneExtendOEMPartition = 0TargetPath = \WINDOWSOemSkipEula = yesInstallFilesPath = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"LegacyNIC = 1[userData]ProductKey=FullName="Name"OrgName="organisation"ComputerName=%MACHINENAME%[GuiUnattended]AdminPassword=EncryptedAdminPassword=YesOemSkipWelcome = 1OemSkipRegional = 1TimeZone =85[Display] BitsPerPel=32 Xresolution=1024 YResolution=768 AutoConfirm=1[Networking] InstallDefaultComponents=Yes[NetServices]MS_Server=params.MS_PSched[TapiLocation] CountryCode=44 Dialing=Tone AreaCode=0208[RegionalSettings] Language=00000809 LanguageGroup=1 SystemLocale=00000809 UserLocale=00000809 InputLocale=0809:00000809 UserLocale_DefaultUser=00000809 InputLocale_DefaultUser=0809:00000809[identification]JoinDomain = %MACHINEDOMAIN%DoOldStyleDomainJoin = Yes[RemoteInstall]Repartition = yesUseWholeDisk = Yes[OSChooser]Description ="XP Base Install - Workstation (Auto Partiton)"Help ="Automatically installs Microsoft Windows XP Professional without prompting the user for input."LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"ImageType =FlatVersion="5.1 (2600)"[Components] msmsgs=off msnexplr=off zonegames=off[iEPopupBlocker] BlockPopups=No[WindowsFirewall] Profiles = WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall[WindowsFirewall.TurnOffFirewall] Mode = 0 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FthrJACK Posted April 26, 2008 Share Posted April 26, 2008 i just started playing with WDS today since im considering sending the servers at work off to the retirement home and upgrading to 2008.how do you get RIS images to work with WDS chiners? from what ive seen WDS only looks for *.wim images, and while playing around with it i thought the same thing as was mentioned earlier in this thread.. HALs are going to cause a headache. My network has about half of it on Fujitsu desktops, and then the other half is a mix of older Fujitsu Atx machines, and custom built grey boxes with allsorts of bloody hardware in them (legacy from previous employee)what i read in the WDS help docs was basically a how-to for making snapshots/riprep images of machines, which wont work for my client machines since they are all blumin different... i need a universal image (or one slim one for the fujitsus and a fatter one for the rest)howd i import an exisiting RIS image to WDS then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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