installing Win 2012 Server remotely

[Najd]

Hi

i have a client in another city i was wondering if i can install Win 2012 server remotely without going to his city and then install win 7 as well on the clients pcs, what is the best method for doing this ?

Thanks in advance.

[Tripredacus]

I am not aware of a way to install the OS remotely, that is without an existing server in place already. However, it would be possible if the client can install the Server OS for you and enable RDP, you can use RDP to do just about everything else. For example you could enable WDS and install MDT which then can deploy Windows 7 to the computers on the server's network.

[MrJinje]

Easy way, Fedex them an installation disk and walk them through it on the phone.

Hard way is to set up your network to perform a wan install. At my office we use Altiris and PXE boot to push images, but you can probably make do with WDS. The trick is that a client machine on each lan runs a dhcp or "pxe relay service" to push the PXE request across the router fabric to the remote altiris server (or WDS, or TFTPD32, or GRLDR or any other remote install method i've missed, like iscsi or ccboot). We do this because 'usually' a PXE request from bare metal doesn't leave the lan segment it is on. Note: It takes longer over a VPN/wan connection but it can be done.

@Jaclaz, How do we do this without using any costly softwares. I seem to recall DHCP option 66 or 67, but it is late, maybe the op should google that for me.

Edited August 30, 2013 by MrJinje

[Najd]

Thank you guys for your answers , i think i will go try with PXE boot first and if it will be hard i will fedex them a ready image .

[WinOutreach4]

Tripredacus is correct… the server needs to be setup before you can do anything remotely. Even then, unless you are using System Center Configuration Manager, someone would have to hit F12 to start the PXE boot process. Please see the TechNet article ‘Zero-Touch, High-Volume Deployment’. If Configuration Manager is not an option, you will have to go with a 'Lite-Touch deployment'.

It would be possible (using MrJinje’s easy way) to setup the server image in MDT, then mail a bootable USB key with the media that MDT creates loaded on it, then walk them through booting to USB and anything that you are not able to automate. In the Video ‘Deployment Day Session 2: MDT 2012 Advanced’ at about the 27 minute mark, using a UFD (USB Flash Drive) is discussed.

Hope this helps,

David
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet

[MrJinje]

It would be possible (using MrJinje’s easy way) to setup the server image in MDT, then mail a bootable USB key with the media that MDT creates loaded on it

On second thought, Windows To Go would be less work. Create a custom image, clone it to some eSata drives and you are done.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_To_Go

Edited September 2, 2013 by MrJinje