Windows Deployment Services and Windows 7 Professional

[sultan966]

Windows Deployment Services on Windows 2003 Server - Domain Controller

Clients - Windows 7

Windows AIK installed on Windows 7 Machine

Answer file created using Windows SIM

Two answer files: wdsunteend.xml and imageunattend.xml

wdsunattend.xml applied to the server properties on the client tab

imageunattend.xml file applied to image properties.

WDSunattend.txtImageUnattend.txt

Unattended installation is working fine.

 

Problems: Can not control Machine name.

On Server properties -- Directory Services tab -- Machine naming policy -- Format -- Laptop%03#.

 

I want the laptops to get names like Laptop001, Laptop002, etc...

 

Its not happening for me. Laptops are getting name like: Administrator1.

 

Note: In creating the answer files I have taken help from this site. There is sample answer file on this site.

 

Hope someone can help me out.

 

Regards,

SU

[meastaugh1]

Have you considered MDT2010? This will prompt for a computer name at the start of the installation process.

[Stuart_C]

Have you prestaged the device? There's a command line you can use or created the computer account on the server input the GUID/MAC and specify the managing server and away you go. Worked ok on my xp/wds on 2008 trial.

 

Now playing with MDT 2010 to see how I get on for any win7 deployment.

[Gatt]

Other option is to set WDS to Prompt for admin approval for unknown devices

This will then place the Machine the the Pending Devices node and give you an ID number with its MAC Address

this will then allow you to rename that PC and add it to AD

The deployment pauses until the device has been authourised and then continue with the name you just gave it

 

More info here -> Windows Deployment Services (WDS) « Information Technology Blog

[sultan966]

Thanks for replying. Today after trying many combinations it worked at last. I deleted the laptop account from AD and tried again. It worked. It has taken the name from WDS server properties. I did not have to change anything in the answer file itself.

 

Regards,

SU