Installing Unattended XP via LAN

[Pete_]

Hi!

Is it possible to install unattended XP from .iso file via LAN to another PC? I guess I need to make some kind of start disc or CD to the target PC and then write some commands, that it connects to right ip and share folder where the iso file is and then it should go normally unattended the setup just the same as from CD or DVD?

Thanks in advance! You guys are great

[songokussm]

i would love this to.

[CoffeeFiend]

Usually, people don't use iso images for that. You just put your files on any network share, then boot using a dos (well, win98) floppy that has your network card's drivers (or use winpe/bartpe if you prefer), map the share, and install right from there.

[DRauch]

Crahak is correct.

Only thing I would change would be the .iso part. I'd have it use a shared DVD-Rom Drive running off the (Server?) (Other Computer?).

It's the same steps as mapping a shared.

[mmarable]

Take a look at either Microsoft's Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) v 2.5 or DiegoStart. Both are free, and while BDD relies on WinPE, DiegoStart uses BartPE. Either way, both have a lot of thought put into installing Windows over the network with many scripts and logic in place to configure and customize the entire installation process including applications.

It surprised me how quick it was, but using DiegoStart I was able to install XP over a wireless connection.

Regardless of if you use them or not, a great deal of knowledge can be learned from the documentation and the scripts used.

[Pete_]

Take a look at either Microsoft's Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) v 2.5 or DiegoStart. Both are free, and while BDD relies on WinPE, DiegoStart uses BartPE. Either way, both have a lot of thought put into installing Windows over the network with many scripts and logic in place to configure and customize the entire installation process including applications.

It surprised me how quick it was, but using DiegoStart I was able to install XP over a wireless connection.

Regardless of if you use them or not, a great deal of knowledge can be learned from the documentation and the scripts used.

Which one of BDD do you recommend Standard or Enterprise? I guess Standard is good enough for home LAN http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/results...;DisplayLang=en

[Pete_]

Can't i just use the image that i have now (or it's contents) and install with that source, only making the disc for starting the process in the target pc. If it just asks the partition and then the setup source ip and share folder =)

[mmarable]

In its simplest form, you're going to need two parts to make this work.

First, you're going to need some sort of network share with at least the contents of the i386 folder available. Remember, the $OEM$ structure will go INSIDE the i386 folder, not parallel to it like on a CD.

Second, you're going to need some kind of boot media with the NIC drivers required to get your target box onto the network.

With those two pieces the rest is simple. You will just need to execute the proper setup command line options and off you go.