WDS/WAIK for Windows XP Installs

[paper]

I'm confused. Been using RIS to install Windows XP. Now they want to switch to WDS. We do not have Vista and probably won't be using it for a while. I'm trying to learn all I can, but it gets confusing. I have been only working with RIS a few months (the guys who set it up and everthing left) and have just started getting "somewhat" comfortable, but now we need to switch to WDS. So.. a few questions I really need clarification on.. I'm a real noob with this so bear with me..

1. What's the difference between WDS and WAIK? Is WDS = "Newer RIS" while WAIK is just extra tools to help do the process?

2. When do I exactly use ImageX to create the WIM? After the sysprep?! And where do I do this, on the reference computer or the server?

We have an existing RIS Server, but will not touch that. Instead we put up a test wds server. Installed RIS, then installed WDS (along with WAIK) on top of it. I RIS'd a reference computer (workstation) and attempted to sysprep it (my first time doing this) by extracting Windows XP deploy.cab to c:\sysprep

Copied a SIF file from the original RIS server and saved it as sysprep.inf. Ran it under setupmgr.exe and *hoped* it cleaned it up doing it that way. Once that was done, I ran:

sysprep -bmsd

sysprep -clean

sysprep -reseal -mini -pnp -reboot

It reboots, I hit F12.. goes to boot menu

I select the NIC option.. it fails..

3. What does sysprep actually do? (i know they say it "preps" the image.) And why (when F12 fails) when it reboots, it goes to the Windows Installation Menu and asks for product key and all that (Even though I have it specified in the sysprep.inf file) and then when I click done, it just loads the normal Windows Environment (it doesn't actually do a reinstall of windows, just the initial windows install screens).. And why does it KEEP doing it everytime it starts up?!

What exactly is supposed to happen after this? And when am I supposed to start using ImageX to create the WIM and where do I even GET ImageX?! Is that included in the WAIK install? (Meaning I need the CD on the reference computer to do it?) And because it failed to PXE boot to WDS - does that mean I have some settings wrong on the WDS Server, which prevented it from connecting?

Help, please!

[Hayward1983]

need help also with previous ask questions, somebody has some answers?

[little_alien]

try this site

explains quite a few things and the order to do them

http://www.oakdome.com/lab/?page_id=78

should help did for me anyway..

Edited August 14, 2008 by little_alien