Scripting mass deployment on-demand using WDS

[OllyM]

Hi all

 

We have several classrooms of Windows machines which are set up so that we can deploy specific Windows images using network boot and Windows Deployment Services. There are 50+ of them so, even with the time saving of using WDS to re-apply images, it takes a while to go and do each one.

 

Can anyone think of a cunning way to script the deployment via PXE? Is there a way to reboot a PC in such a way that it boots in to PXE boot mode using a command line?

 

You can do something similar with Dell hardware using a Bios image, but alas these machines are all custom made ones (not my idea).

 

Any suggestions?

[snagrat]

Look at MDT or SCCM. Both would be able to do this for you

[LytchettNM]

Yes but not with cmd.

Set the bios to boot from PXE first and assuming you have setup the option the remote wake these PC's and you MDT setup with the MAC address of each PC you can deploy which ever image you have within your MDT solution.

Plus you can deploy other software like office within a task sequence and install all the drivers for each machine type.

When your going to deploy set PXE option with WDS to always respond and during normal operation you set PXE to not respond.

It will take a little time to setup MDT but it's worth the time if you have a lot of computer to service.

We are rolling out the whole site this summer, it's going to be busy.

 

BTW MDT is free.

[markwilfan]

If you have an ees licence sccm is free too unless you want to manage servers

[sted]

If you have an ees licence sccm is free too unless you want to manage servers

 

it is however not the easiest thing in the world to setup/use theres a few gotchas in the install like installing sql in roman mode iirc (may not now be the case but was last time i tried it)

[markwilfan]

Yeh you are right but tons of guides out there. I was lucky enough to blag an sccm course. Cost around 800 quid I think