[wds] WDS USB Bootable media

[Jawloms]

I've just bought a lot of laptops and we always build them using WDS. Now they have been delivered I have found they don't have Ethernet ports! Yes I probably should have checked, but I am where I am now.

 

I have done some Googling and am struggling. Can I make a USB bootable drive which includes the wireless drivers of the laptop so I can boot using the stick, but then still connect it to WDS and download the image? It appears I can, but I can't get it going properly.

 

Thank you

 

Stuart

[LeMarchand]

I've:

 

 

1. Used a USB ethernet adapter, though some have reported problems with this (WDS doing stuff based on the MAC address of the adapter)
   
2. Created a bootable USB of the appropriate image (you can optionally merge in drivers) and used that - not a quick job, but if you've got loads to do it is a time saver
   

[Jawloms]

I've:

 

 

1. Used a USB ethernet adapter, though some have reported problems with this (WDS doing stuff based on the MAC address of the adapter)
   
2. Created a bootable USB of the appropriate image (you can optionally merge in drivers) and used that - not a quick job, but if you've got loads to do it is a time saver
   

 

I was hoping to avoid the first of those as I have 130 to do. Wanted to get them all fired up and multicast it. I have 10 USB sticks, but no USB/ethernet adapters so would have to buy a few.

 

How did you create a bootable media with the image on it? This may be an option if I can't get my plan working as the image is only about 25GB and I have 32GB sticks.

[LeMarchand]

How did you create a bootable media with the image on it? This may be an option if I can't get my plan working as the image is only about 25GB and I have 32GB sticks.

 

 

Ah! Just re-read my notes (I actually made some!) but it still uses a USB/Ethernet adapter. Given that the drivers are injected into the bootable USB it may still be worth a go if you don't get a better/quicker solution. Goes on for 6 pages (including screenshots), so I'll PM it to you. It creates a custom ISO that Rufus can then install onto your USB sticks.

[computer_expert]

It appears you can do something similar with MDT (here), maybe you can use some of the steps to get it going properly with plain WDS/WinPE Edited August 12, 2020 by computer_expert

[bassnote]

Hello,

 

Just had the same - responded to another post with my issue - I couldn't even get the laptops to boot with a USB to Ethernet adapter - but made a litetouch image following this guide onto a USB drive: http://www.sysadminlab.net/deployment/create-bootable-usb-for-mdt then it talked to the WDS server through the adapter and everything is happy - only have 8 laptops in this batch with no network port so have done option 1 - you could use a USB drive with enough space for your whole image if you have a load.

[Jawloms]

I saw you'd done that. I've read it through and got a working bootable USB, but I still can't get it to see my Wi-Fi adapter, and I haven't used MDT before so know nothing about how to make it then talk to the WDS server to download my image. Or do what LeMarchand suggested either. I think I'm going to have to use Acronis and do them one at a time from an HDD or something. I can't spend much more time trying to get this to work or I'll simply run out of time. Thanks for your help everyone though, much appreciated.

[computer_expert]

I would highly recommend looking into MDT. Makes things so much easier and more streamlined all for the great price of nothing. MDT only really uses WDS for PXE booting the litetouch WIM it creates.

[samct6]

Do they have Windows 10 already installed on them? If so, we just set up over 100 W10 devices using Configuration Designer. That worked really well - rather quick too.

[chazzy2501]

You can do it as I have done it! I can't remember how but I have the usb pxe boot for tablets and what not.

 

what model are these laptops, if they have a dedicated docking station they may support mac address passthrough and of course pxe boot. (I used a hp usbc dock for my latest imaging)

 

MDT was confusing to me so I gave up I didn't use it to create the key.

 

EDIT: I found it, if you want the files. It was setup to look for any wds server.

Edited August 14, 2020 by chazzy2501

[Jawloms]

You can do it as I have done it! I can't remember how but I have the usb pxe boot for tablets and what not.

 

what model are these laptops, if they have a dedicated docking station they may support mac address passthrough and of course pxe boot. (I used a hp usbc dock for my latest imaging)

 

MDT was confusing to me so I gave up I didn't use it to create the key.

 

EDIT: I found it, if you want the files. It was setup to look for any wds server.

 

Hiya,

 

Thanks for this but I'm not after a PXE boot via any method, I'm after a WinPE boot disk which will connect to my wireless network. I may look in to docking stations though, that's not a bad shout!

[chazzy2501]

as the HP had mac address passthrough (I think the Dell ones do as well) I could use a single dock for all 20 laptops.. if you don't mind doing them 1 at a time.

 

An imaging tool over wifi is a big ask.. I assumed you'd still use a usb ethernet adapter.

 

Good luck.