Install from WebDAV / FTP site

[blabley]

I've looking at options now that it's time i automated my Windows 7 installs. I had done a lot of XP but only just getting round to doing 7 UA.

One of my thoughts is to use a FTP or WebDAV site to host the application install files, scripts etc and just have the bare-bones on DVD. Like many had with the application disk for XP.

What do people think of this idea?

From what i've started looking at, I would need to install an app (like FtpUseInst for ftp) then start the install... I know the most major issue would be speed, but it would mean things would always be up-to-date and anyway it's an auto install disk so it'll be started then forgotten about...

[Tripredacus]

Have you looked into using MDT and a deployment share?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd407791.aspx

[blabley]

Have you looked into using MDT and a deployment share?

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd407791.aspx

Yeah, that's what got me onto the idea... For good size roll out's of many pc's i could use that in a VM.

But i'm thinking of just the one and two installs

[Tripredacus]

Well you can definately use it for onsie-twosies... plus then you'd already have the ability to scale up your operation in the future.

[jaclaz]

JFYI, new approach in the works:

http://reboot.pro/17520/

(boot a PE through iPXE + http - FAST - and from it do "whatever you want")

or possibly this thingy:

http://reboot.pro/16967/

http://www.toolwiz.com/products/toolwizremotebackup/

might be suitable (this is more like a Remote Control, you can do *whatever* from the "server" side, you only need to PXE boot the client)

Otherwise the "normal" RIS/WDS deployment can be made through this other newish kid on the block:

http://www.vercot.com/~serva/

http://www.vercot.com/~serva/howto/WindowsPXE1.html

See also:

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/serva

jaclaz

[blabley]

JFYI, new approach in the works:

http://reboot.pro/17520/

(boot a PE through iPXE + http - FAST - and from it do "whatever you want")

or possibly this thingy:

http://reboot.pro/16967/

http://www.toolwiz.com/products/toolwizremotebackup/

might be suitable (this is more like a Remote Control, you can do *whatever* from the "server" side, you only need to PXE boot the client)

Otherwise the "normal" RIS/WDS deployment can be made through this other newish kid on the block:

http://www.vercot.com/~serva/

http://www.vercot.com/~serva/howto/WindowsPXE1.html

See also:

http://www.rmprepusb.com/tutorials/serva

jaclaz

Nice one cheers jaclaz! Will see what i can sort out

[WinOutreach4]

I agree with Tripredacus, the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) will do exactly what you are looking to do. Using the 'bare-bones' DVD is the ultimate 'Thin image', and MDT can manage hardware drivers, Windows updates, and applications separately. This short video will show you how to get started with MDT: Part 1: Building theDeployment Environment. In the video, they demonstrate how to build the media to put on a USB drive, but you can also make calls to the deployment share to distribute the images, device drivers, and applications across the network. While MDT is a stand-alone deployment solution, if you also have theWindows Deployment Services (WDS) running on a server, MDT can make use of the WDS services so that you can PXE (network) boot and deploy completely across the network.

There is a great video series covering MDT in great detail on TechNet. The first video is: DeploymentDay Session 1: Introduction to MDT 2012. These videos show that MDT acts as a common console for many of Microsoft's free deployment tools, such as the User State Migration Tool (USMT), the Windows System Image Manager (WSIM), the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT), Security Compliance Manager (SCM) and more. If you have the ability to use WDS, the 3^rd session video will be beneficial.

MDT can be easily setup for simple scenarios and has built-in templates for common deployments, or you can create your own task sequences for more complex situations. You can easily call shared network locations to install software using the Post Installation task, and if this software has a new version released, you simply change the files on the network share. Windows updates can be either downloaded and installed during the deployment, or you can download them manually and add them to the packages node to be installed during the deployment.

MDT can be downloaded here, and there are many articles and videos to help you on the Deliver and Deploy page of the Springboard Series on TechNet.

Hope this helps,

David

Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro