Comments on: Installing and Configuring WDS (Windows Deployment Services): Full Images Deployment (Part III)

By: Jeroen

Jeroen — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:25:51 +0000

I really have problems with this. can someone post a more detailed walkthrough especially of the last bit.

By: Bala.k

Bala.k — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 18:40:55 +0000

Hi Augusto ,

1000 time thanks for this article .

Bala – Qatar

By: Eric

Eric — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 15:01:02 +0000

Hi Augusto,

I have followed this tutorial and have everything setup perfectly except for naming the computer. I orginally had the WDS setup to name my computers the MAC address of each system. Since I switched to the OOBEUnattend file, this does not happen and I only get a random comuter name during setup.
Is there a string to input in the unattend file that will produce the same result without having to prestage the computer accounts?
Thanks a bunch!

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 12 May 2011 15:12:11 +0000

Hi Augusto,
Thanks for the quick response!!! I currently have the machine pre-staged in AD, but for some reason it is not pulling the prestaged name from AD. Since I added the unattend files after I prestaged, I deleted the machine from AD and re-pre-staged it with a new name using the GUID. I will post to let you know if this fixes the problem or not. I am just in the “testing” stage to see if WDS is a good solution for us. So far so good, but if I can get this figured out it will be great!

Also, do you have any guides for XP images with WDS?
Lastly, do you have any guides for driver packages with WDS?

Thanks a ton!

By: Augusto Alvarez

Augusto Alvarez — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:55:16 +0000

Hello Tony,
That is correct, the “*” gives a random name to computers. The two ways to assign automatically a computer name in a WDS deployment are: 1. unattended file; 2. pre-stage computer in Active Directory.
For this, take a look in this link: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc770832(WS.10).aspx
Hope it helps,
Augusto

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 12 May 2011 14:49:14 +0000

More Information —-
I added an asterik (*) to the computer name field in the answer file and it named the machine and joined the domain successfully – however it gave it a random name and did not give it the prestaged name. Any ideas?

By: Tony

Tony — Thu, 12 May 2011 12:38:31 +0000

Hello,
Thanks very much for all of your WDS guides, Augusto! However, I do have a minor question I would like some help on. All of my unattend has worked, but now the computer is not being named. I left the unattend file answer blank for computer name as I have prestaged the computer in Active Directory. Before using these unattend files it would work great renaming it and joining it to the domain. However, now it is not successfully adding to the domain or changing computer name. It shows the logon screen like its in the domain but gives an error message anytime you try to use a domain account to logon. Any thoughts on this? Any help is appreciated.

By: Augusto Alvarez

Augusto Alvarez — Sun, 08 May 2011 20:58:11 +0000

Hello krishna,
Natively Windows XP does not provide any WIM file, you can deploy XP using WDS but you must first create a WIM file from the OS. Remember also that Windows XP is a HAL dependent OS, meaning that if you capture an XP image to a WIM file you will only be able to deploy it in a machine with the same hardware.
Cheers,
Augusto

By: krishna

krishna — Sun, 08 May 2011 19:21:44 +0000

Hi,

Your article is verygood. only a problem is that i’m not able to do these for windows xp no wim. WDS pxe boot file name resides on where ?

Pls advise

By: Augusto Alvarez

Augusto Alvarez — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 15:08:20 +0000

Hello Edward,
No, WDS only understands WIM files. That means it will deploy the image as you’ve uploaded (with installed applications or not). For the purpose you are looking for is Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010, a free Microsoft tool.
I’ve prepared a set of posts for that technology as well, take a look in this section: http://blog.augustoalvarez.com.ar/category/microsoft-deployment-toolkit-mdt/
Cheers!
Augusto

By: Edward Mallett

Edward Mallett — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 10:39:13 +0000

Hello,

I was wondering, does the WDS install allow for specifying which programs are installed on the machines ie could we have an image of office in the install?

Thank

By: Augusto Alvarez

Augusto Alvarez — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 14:18:10 +0000

Hello Rajesh,
The process for adding an image into a WDS Server is pretty simple, just place the WIM file in the server (or share it in a network location); right click the Images Group in WDS and select import image.
Follow the wizard and after a few seconds you’ll have the image imported.
Cheers!
Augusto

By: Rajesh

Rajesh — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 08:19:36 +0000

Hi,

Isnt possible to Copy to image file form client to server with out connect Server.if its, how to add images in server?

Please let me know and how to set IP settings in WDS server.

Isnt Working in VLAN?

Regards
rajesh

By: Sybux

Sybux — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 11:02:32 +0000

I used your howto to try to debug my WDS install. I’ve done exactly the same thing as you but WDS never sent the unattend file for the specific image. It always send the WDSUnattend file.

For testing I’ve merge the both file, and my deploy went to the end, but I don’t know why it won’t use the specific file for my image.

Do you know where I should look at ?
Sybux

By: Donald

Donald — Sun, 25 Apr 2010 13:01:46 +0000

Thank you so much, this help me a lot.

Thank you
Donald

By: Deploying Windows 7 Using Windows Deployment Services (WDS): Step-by-Step – Part I « Augusto Alvarez

Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:51:38 +0000

[...] We had a good look about the possibilities about Windows deployment; regarding Windows 7 we’ve completed a guide using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 (MDT 2010 beta) to capture and deploy unattended installations of Windows 7 with Office 2007 (Post I, Post II and Post III). Also we’ve reviewed how to implement unattended installations of Windows Vista using Windows Deployment Services (Post I, Post II and Post III). [...]

By: Augusto Alvarez

Augusto Alvarez — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 12:03:07 +0000

Hello Thomas,
That is correct WDS by default do not accept anything else but an XML file for unattended options. To do that, you must use WDS in Legacy Mode, only available in Windows Server 2003; where you have to install and configure RIS prior than install WDS.
For more info: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766320(WS.10).aspx
Hope it helps,
Cheers!
Augusto

By: Thomas Catvit

Thomas Catvit — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 07:23:37 +0000

HI Augusto,

First of all thanks for this usefol howto, i have been able to roll-out wds and deploy w2k8 servers quicker than i thought.

I am kind of stuck right now trying to deploy w2k3 boxes unattended. The MS doc states that you should create an $OEM$ folder structure under your images folders on WDS to put the sysprep.inf file for example, D:\RemoteInstall\Images\Windows XP\winxpsp2\$OEM$\$1\sysprep\sysprep.inf. I am refering to this article: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766320(WS.10).aspx#BKMK_UsingUnattendFiles, obviously the GUI only accepts .xml typed files.
I did so but still after deploying images i am getting the Setup Wizard and my sysprep.inf file is ignored. Would you by any chance have any tips?

Best regards from Netherlands

By: Marcel Jeanneau

Marcel Jeanneau — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 19:23:04 +0000

Flaco, y cómo hago si quiero desplegar una imagen personalizada de Windows XP SP3? Cómo puedo hacer que el proceso sea desatendido? Debo generar un answer file con el sysprep para XP? O también lo hago con el Windows SIM de AIK, una vez capturada la imagen XP? Espero tu respuesta, mil gracias!

By: Augusto Alvarez

Augusto Alvarez — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 03:15:41 +0000

Hello Sive,
USMT can only integrate with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, that also works together with WDS.
Check my posts about deploying Windows 7 with MDT 2010 here: http://blog.augustoalvarez.com.ar/2009/01/31/microsoft-deployment-toolkit-2010-beta-1-using-mdt-to-prepare-install-and-capture-customized-windows-7-images-part-i/
Hope it helps!
Cheers!
Augusto