How and what software to use Imaging Computers.

[tmcd35]

yuo only need to fiddle with dhcp setting if the wds server is the same box as dhcp otherwise it should just work but check see if option 60/67 have anything against them.

 

AFAIK you do have to put entries against DHCP Server or Scope Options 66 and 67 in order to direct the client to the PXE boot server. Option 66 should be the IP address of the WDS server. Option 67 tells the client what file to boot off that server (a basic OS in effect). Ours is set to - boot\x64\wdsnbp.com - this might be wrong as we are using SCCM now.

 

Otherwise, yes the WDS server does need to be told to respond to PXE requests.

[sted]

no options set in dhcp here and its working fine with wds not being on a dhcp server

[tmcd35]

I'm guessing the default action is for a client to broadcast a PXE boot request and see what responds. Might open a network security hole if someone puts a rogue PXE boot server on the lan?

[fiza]

no options set in dhcp here and its working fine with wds not being on a dhcp server

 

same here.

[abillybob]

Ok so to answer all of your question, as always I appreciate your support. I found out the technician before me must have tried setting up Windows Deployment Services on another server, but didn't add any boot.wim's so my computer was actually connecting to that. I have since uninstalled all the WDS content and Role from the server in question.

 

Now that's uninstalled I checked my settings on the other server, I have got the client machine to boot into PXE, I then made sure that the server will allow all PXE incoming connection from any computer. Options 60/67 don't have any ticks by them! The client won't find my WDS server at all and eventually times out of PXE and boots from the hard drive.

 

I will try re-uploading the image, strange as the image is working for me...

[sted]

you dont have any vlans or other network config do you?

edit

is the wds servers firewall set to allow wds to work (turn it off see if that helps)

[abillybob]

you dont have any vlans or other network config do you?

edit

is the wds servers firewall set to allow wds to work (turn it off see if that helps)

 

No VLAN's it's a flat network with everyone on the same subnet. My firewall was on so I've turned it off I'll see if it makes any kind of difference!

 

EDIT: Turning the Firewall off didn't change anything it still won't find the WDS server

Edited May 1, 2014 by abillybob

[abillybob]

WOO Ok so I now have it booting from the server in PXE, I found out that the old server running WDS which was also a DHCP server had an entry in DHCP specifying that server was a PXE, I deleted the entry and PXE Booted! All working well now, just one last question (here's hoping you haven't all got bored and will still help me ) but when I select the OS to boot from it gives me this error message:

 

I have tried adding the Ethernet driver for the computer but it's still showing this error message any ideas?

 

Cheers

[rich_tech]

you need to add in the drivers for the NIC manufacturers (you can create an image with all different makes in, it doesnt need just one) and you then need to create a boot image with those drivers in WDS for that to work, make sure the major manufacturer drivers are in there for all the NIC types you have on your network machines i.e. Realtek, Intel, Broadcom to ensure that you can reimage the machines easily enough

 

Deployment Fundamentals, Vol. 1: Migrating to Windows 7 using MDT 2010 Lite Touch and WDS: Johan Arwidmark, Mikael Nyström: 9781451570038: Amazon.com: Books

 

Thats the book we used here to deploy windows 7 to our site, I would recommend buying it for a good "MDT" Manual for your site, we reimage all ours using MDT with lite touch.

Edited May 1, 2014 by rich_tech

[fiza]

Where did you add the Ethernet Driver? It has to be in the boot image

[abillybob]

you need to add in the drivers for the NIC manufacturers (you can create an image with all different makes in, it doesnt need just one) and you then need to create a boot image with those drivers in WDS for that to work, make sure the major manufacturer drivers are in there for all the NIC types you have on your network machines i.e. Realtek, Intel, Broadcom to ensure that you can reimage the machines easily enough

 

I have added the NIC driver to WDS and then installed that to the boot.wim in the WDS console, are you saying I need to do the same with my install images aswell to get rid of the message? Also is there anywhere I can download a bunch of common drivers from those manufacturers?

 

Where did you add the Ethernet Driver? It has to be in the boot image

 

I used this video and followed it to the letter

 

I only had a 64bit driver for the NIC (this dosen't bother me as the computer is 64bit) but when booting from the boot image I installed the driver on it still shows up that message?

Edited May 1, 2014 by abillybob

[fiza]

In MDT - What I do is create a folder in Out of Box drivers called "Windows PE" and add in all the drivers I need for PXE booting. I create a selection profile called "Windows PE" under "advanced Configuration" and point it to the drivers folder.

When I right-click my deployment share and look at properties I click on Windows PE tab and then the Drivers and patches tab. I point the selection profile here to the one I just created. and then tick Include only the drivers of the following types and tick the first 2 boxes.

 

This has worked for me every time. When I need a new driver I just add it into the Windows PE folder.

 

Edit : I also have driver folders for each model I image to.

Edited May 1, 2014 by fiza

[tmcd35]

The NIC drivers needs to be in both. WDS uses a two-part boot process. Part1, the boot.wim, loads up the initial WinPE environment for you to choose which image to install. Part2, hands over to the install.wim to actually install the OS. If the correct NIC drivers aren't available to either .wim then it will fail. If you're getting as far as choosing the image then it's part2, the install.wim, that's missing the drivers.

[fiza]

@abillybob - Are you only using WDS or MDT too?

[abillybob]

@abillybob - Are you only using WDS or MDT too?

 

Only using WDS, I was trying to use MDT but got side tracked after watching all the tutorial videos. They have the same outcome don't they and I can't see much more advantage of using MDT or am I missing something?

 

The NIC drivers needs to be in both. WDS uses a two-part boot process. Part1, the boot.wim, loads up the initial WinPE environment for you to choose which image to install. Part2, hands over to the install.wim to actually install the OS. If the correct NIC drivers aren't available to either .wim then it will fail. If you're getting as far as choosing the image then it's part2, the install.wim, that's missing the drivers.

 

Ah ok I haven't put the drivers on the install.wim so it may have a problem (It's reimaging a computer now), how do I import a driver to install.wim files as I can't see an option to do so in the WDS console?

[sted]

Only using WDS, I was trying to use MDT but got side tracked after watching all the tutorial videos. They have the same outcome don't they and I can't see much more advantage of using MDT or am I missing something?

 

 

 

Ah ok I haven't put the drivers on the install.wim so it may have a problem (It's reimaging a computer now), how do I import a driver to install.wim files as I can't see an option to do so in the WDS console?

 

well yes they have the same outcome but in the long run imo mdt is easier. With wds you will forever be adding drivers to images just to get them to boot and then unless you install ALL the pcs drivers to teh install.wim installing video card etc drivers once booted etc afterwood. If you only have 1 or 2 types of pc on campus then wds is possibly the way to go if you have lots of disparate pcs then its not. with mdt you add the drivers and when you roll the pc out it will setect and install the eequired ones so you can have one image for all pcs and it will just install teh drivers for the pc that you happen to be rebuilding. Mdt is more flexible than wds imo.

 

Ah ok I haven't put the drivers on the install.wim so it may have a problem (It's reimaging a computer now), how do I import a driver to install.wim files as I can't see an option to do so in the WDS console?

from what i remember using dism at the command line so you

mount the image to a folder

install the drivers to that offline copy

unmount/commit the folder

Edited May 1, 2014 by sted

[abillybob]

Juts like to thankyou all for your help it's working like a dream now Sorted!

[sted]

bit late and a work in progress but would this of helped?

Installing wds-mdt.pdf

[lionsl2005]

Great video

[abillybob]

bit late and a work in progress but would this of helped?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]24166[/ATTACH]

 

That would have helped a lot! GOD

 

Cheers buddy, all sorted anyway now though that guide will come in handy for someone with the same questions I'm sure!

[cpjitservices]

In your guide, youc ould maybe add that IF your DHCP is coming from another DHCP server/router other than the one thats used in Windows you may need to add the following line for network boot.

 

boot\x64\wdsnbp.com

[sted]

In your guide, youc ould maybe add that IF your DHCP is coming from another DHCP server/router other than the one thats used in Windows you may need to add the following line for network boot.

 

boot\x64\wdsnbp.com

its unfinished and ive since discovered dont use 8.1 u1 as a boot image if you want ANY capture images to work even win7 ones fail after adding a 8.1u1 boot image

 

and its just something ive never needed to do. You have go make xome assumptions when doing anything and one im making is its an all ms network