WDS or MDT & Deploying W7

[djh]

Hi All,

Just looking into setting up a test network of windows 7, we've managed to setup a few images and deploy a few images. We've got an issue setting WDS setup to regosinise any locale settings- en-GB/en-uk etc etc.

The thing i'm wondering is what's the difference between MDT and WDS... Obviously we will have a base image and a few other images for staff with SIMS & Adobe etc already installed with a capture image.
But whats the advantages/differences of both?

Cheers,

Dan

[GoldenWonder]

I was just about to post a very similar question!

I'm using WDS for XP images and would like to use it to deploy Windows 7 images. MS mention a lot about MDT 2010 and WAIK etc but I'm not sure how to tie them together with WDS

[jsnetman]

Waik is basically a way for you to make edit and check imageunateend.xml files. These files set system local, adding driver paths and almost anything else concerned with the image. WDS is basically your capture and deployment tool. Never used MDT so cannot comment on it, but it looks good.

The xml files do your head in if you try and do them yourself or download examples from the net. Its much better to use WAIK to create and check them for you.

[Tricky_Dicky]

As jsnetman said, Windows Deployment Toolkit is purely a way of setting everything up, such as image properties and unattend.xml files so you can do unattended installs. The Windows Deployment Service is the service which allows you to then deploy said images onto various machines.
From what I can figure out the two work together and if you can realise the full potential offer a very impressive way of mass deploying Windows 7 exactly the way you want on to lots of different machines.
Rich

[djh]

I have used WAIK to create the unattend files (unsuccessfuly for the language) but Apparently this new BDT 2010 will deploy the images from a network share... Meanign WDS in redundant.
Also it states you can put driver files into the wim image.... Also making WDS redundant.....

[jsnetman]

I think MDT just has WDS built into it when you install. As with most MS solutions there is always more than one way to do things. I looked at MDT and it looked very difficult to setup and learn about. I already had WDS I just installed WAIK and off I went installing WIN 7 machines.

[djh]

If you look on windowsnetworking.com. In deploying Vista he gives a really good guide on WDS. But then at the end/with the deploying Windows 7 Series he mentions BDT....
Why can't Microsoft jsut give ONE deployment method and stick to it. Theres no 'right' way to deploy windows 7!!!

[jsnetman]

There is also a very good tutorial on WAIK at windowsnetworking.com also. I also remeber reading somewhere that MDT is designed for very big organisations (thousands of machines), I think a school would be classed as small to medium and WAIK and WDS is targeted toward those

[jsnetman]

WAIK at first seems very complicated but in a nutshell all you are doing is loading an image into it, it then indexes the image automatically, you then start creating an answer file, or you can load one in that you have copied from the net. You then save the answer file and unload the image. I don't think or I have never reloaded the image back to WDS. You then copy the answer file into WDS where the image is located and in WDS you right click the image and assign the answer file.

[GoldenWonder]

WDS doesn't seem to work with any Windows 7 image I try - I always get the error:

"Windows could not apply unattend settings during pass (null)"

This is whether I use a blank Windows 7 image from the DVD, or a prepared and sysprep'd version.

I've tried creating a unattend.xml file using the System Image Manager and attaching it to the image in WDS but it makes no difference.

[djh]

I've got all the bits working for WDS and followed to WindowsNetworking guide for AIK but I can't get the keyboard language to come as en-gb. I was just wondering what was better to use in the long run. we've got roughly 1200 machines...

[jsnetman]

I can't get the keyboard language to come as en-gb

Are you talking about the imageunattend answer file or the WDS pre environment awnserfile?

[djh]

The WDS answer file asks for language and 'keyboard locale'. I've tried so many options. I'm ignoring the imageunattend.xml for now because if I sort the first i'll most likely sort the second....

[jsnetman]

Ok yes, if you don't specify an account name, domain and password it will always prompt for language input, I think that is by design but not sure on that and as you are only deploying one or 2 images it doesnt really matter. When we do mass deployment its normally after school or in holiday periods, we input the acount details into the answer file as mentioned and it does not ask for language settings and goes straight to deploying the image. You must remember to remove the account password after you have mass deployed or you will end up with the pupils pressing F12 and deploying images automatically

[Dave84]

I ran into the same problems making a WDS answer file with the Languages . I found that WDS doesnt work fully with en-GB so you have to keep some bits as en-US. I managed to get it working using the following:

            <SetupUILanguage>
                <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            </SetupUILanguage>
            <InputLocale>en-GB</InputLocale>
            <SystemLocale>en-GB</SystemLocale>
            <UILanguage>en-US</UILanguage>
            <UserLocale>en-GB</UserLocale>

Hope that helps
Dave