[wds] Just started with this and I'm confused.

[Stuart_C]

I've just been looking into this and there is something I don't get.

I'm managed to set up my server, set up and XP image, get it onto the server and then deploy it to a machine. Now looking at getting it to work unatended.

 

I've created a sysprep.inf but I don't understand where i leave it so that the image pick is up. Do I just leave it where it's created on the C: drive and re-image my master or does it go on the server?

 

MS say "Save Sysprep.inf files. Save these files to the $OEM$ structure of the image (for example, D:\RemoteInstall\Images\Windows XP\winxpsp2\$OEM$\$1\sysprep\sysprep.inf). Now when you deploy the image, Setup will automatically locate and use the Sysprep.inf file."

Which kind of implies the server but after I look ant what I assume I get as far as :\RemoteInstall\Images I've got my group name, then just the image files.

 

What do I need to do?

[computer_expert]

Just had a little play with WDS and it seems as though you need to create the folder manually with the same name as your image.

 

eg: if your image is called XPProSP3.wim, you'd need to create a folder called XPProSP3 so that the path looks like this - D:\RemoteInstall\Images\Windows XP\XPProSP3\$OEM$\$1\sysprep\sysprep.inf

[ChrisH]

Do yourself a favour, look at MDT to make your life easier for making automated deployments etc.

[strawberry]

Yup, MDT FTW!. Only thing you seem to lose is the ability to pxe boot and multicast, but with a decent network you'll barely notice.

[Jon_boy1984]

Definetly use MDT,

My Colleague and I put together a guide for how to install and configure it, specifically for our county, but it may be useful to you, I'll have to dig it out and make it more generic (i.e. remove sensitive info). Although I must warn you that our guide is written with a single image install in mind. By that I mean we have 1 base OS image, which gets configured and customised during each install, rather than an image with everything in, that we then have to keep upto date.

 

You seem to lose is the ability to pxe boot

We use PXE with MDT to load our task sequences, so I'm not sure thats correctly stated. I'm also not sure you lose the ability to multicast, but as I have never got it working successfully (faster) than unicasting, I haven't really used it.

[DrCheese]

Only thing you seem to lose is the ability to pxe boot and multicast

?? If you put the boot.wim that MDT creates into the "boot images" folder on WDS, it will boot from PXE

[Hightower]

Take a look at this: Link

 

That should show you want you need to do on the server side of things

[strawberry]

?? If you put the boot.wim that MDT creates into the "boot images" folder on WDS, it will boot from PXE

 

Sorry, I meant MDT alone , Sans WDS.

[Stuart_C]

Thanks for all the responses. it looks like I need to learn how to use WDT then

 

Before I leave WDS for the minute I have two questions. First is there a way to automate the first part of the deployment? (disk partitioning etc). When I try to create an unattended.xml for my .wim file using SIM it tells me it can't create the catalogue.

 

Second how do I get an XP image to automatically update drivers not stored in windows? My install copies the files to the disk but then doesn't update the drivers for unknown devices. When it boots i can go in and manually update them but I wanted to not have to do this.

 

I should mention I've got

DriverSigningPolicy=Ignore

OemPnPDriversPath=\Drivers\Chipset;\Drivers\VGA;\Drivers\LAN;\Drivers\Audio

under the Unattended section of my Sysprep.inf

 

The devices were in System Manager as unknown devices prior to installing the image should I remove them (so they are uninstalled) then sysprep it?

Edited June 14, 2011 by Stuart_C