Full unatendded win xp installation

[Tsotsi]

Hy, here is my problem :

I have 10 workstations and i want to make unattend instalation of windows xp using Windows Deployment Services on a Windows Server 2008 R2.

Everything it's working but i want to know if there is a way for every workstation to have a different unnatend file with the same Image in WDS.

For example...computer name's must be different for every workstation, if i use the same unnatend file i can't manage this ( i suppose ).

I want something like this : WDS to recognize the workstation which access the image ( by MAC address or something else) and assign it the computer name accordingly. This is just an example, i hope i maked myself clearly enough.

Thank you.

[Guest]

Have you considered the following solution which yields a unique computer name for each install?

WinNT.sif / unattend.txt

[UserData]
ComputerName=*

[Tsotsi]

As i know in WDS, for each Image i can assign an unattend file. In that file i can configure ComputerName.

I could change that file everytime i need to install a computer, but if i want to install 2-3 or more computers in the same time? let's just suppose that on a night there is a power failure and in the morning a need to install as soon as possible all workstations. I don't want to wait until first one is installed, modify the unattended file and start the second installation.

Have you considered the following solution which yields a unique computer name for each install?

WinNT.sif / unattend.txt

[UserData]
ComputerName=*

Edited February 23, 2011 by Tsotsi

[Guest]

Do not replace the asterisk (*). It specifies that Windows should generate a random computer name based on the FullName field. Suppose we use the following:

• FullName="User"

The computer name becomes "USER-????????", where the question marks are a random eight-digit hexadecimal number, such as "7890abcd".

[Tsotsi]

I could do that but this will not mean a full unattend because after installation i should rename the computer. I have a "computer name policy" and i'm not allowed to use other names.

So, i want that computer name to be set automatically during the deployment, not after.

Do not replace the asterisk (*). It specifies that Windows should generate a random computer name based on the FullName field. Suppose we use the following:

• FullName="User"

The computer name becomes "USER-????????", where the question marks are a random eight-digit hexadecimal number, such as "7890abcd".

Edited February 23, 2011 by Tsotsi

[Guest]

For that you'll likely need a custom script to run automatically after the T-13 phase of the install, or at first logon. Said script would need to compare the machine's network MAC address (or other unique hardware identifier) against a list, then assign the correct computer name. The specifics of that script are beyond my expertise.

I am not aware of any built-in Microsoft mechanism to do exactly what you need without a script.

[Tsotsi]

I will use a script for what i need if there is no other way to automate this during the deployment.

Thank you for your time and answers.

For that you'll likely need a custom script to run automatically after the T-13 phase of the install, or at first logon. Said script would need to compare the machine's network MAC address (or other unique hardware identifier) against a list, then assign the correct computer name. The specifics of that script are beyond my expertise.

I am not aware of any built-in Microsoft mechanism to do exactly what you need without a script.