Windows Deployment Toolkit joining domain

[Jambo_C]

Hi,

I've configured my Server 2008 R2 with the Windows Deplyment Toolkit. I can successfully capture an image and distribute the image.

I want the installation to be as automated as possible. I can automate the WDS bit (ie. logging onto the server and selecting the image and hard drive) but I would like to automate the actual installation (language selection, time and date etc.) I'd like to have it so all I have to do is to go round each machine and give it a name, and for it to then automatically join my domain.

At the moment they seem to be automatically joining my domain with a random name.

Could anyone let me know how I go about doing this?

Thanks in advance.

J

[randle]

You'd have more control if you used MDT2010 along-side WDS. with MDT you can specify all these settings to be set automatically and also make the deployment process ask you for chosen details like the computer name etc.

[cpjitservices]

I agree with Randle, we had endless amounts of fun with WDS on it's own trying to get machines to join the domain, but using the Deployment Work Bench or MDT as it's also known we could edit the unattend file very easily and all machines now join the domain with out bother and also a little tip : we couldnt get office 2010 to rioll out over the network and had endless amount of problems BUT with MDT you can add applications so I added Office into the Applications and it now rolls out with the Image of Win 7 Pro - everything works a treat. So add any apps in there you want to rollout like Office.

[Jambo_C]

Thanks.

I've already built my reference machine, installed all the software etc and taken an image in WDS. Can I use this image with MDT and just use MDT to fill in the domain etc?

[randle]

MDT would take over the process of capturing/storing images and deployment control using WDS simply as a means to PXE boot the MDT created images (boot and OS).

[cpjitservices]

Randle is correct use MDT to deploy your build images and just use WDS to boot into MDT.