Image Windows XP using WDS

[Guest]

I need to do simple imaging using WDS. All I want to be able to do right now
is take an image of a WinXP machine and then be able to image other machines
with that image. I have WDS set up on a Win2003 Server but thats about as far
as I get before I hit a brick wall. The instructions are very muddy. When I
boot an existing Xp machine with PXE it does not find the WDS server. I get
PXE errors like tftp error and no file found. Can anyone point me to a simple
step by step document on how to get this working? We have used Novell
Zenworks for imaging for years but we are trying to get away from that.

 

[Ben]

I need to do simple imaging using WDS. All I want to be able to do right
now
is take an image of a WinXP machine and then be able to image other
machines
with that image. I have WDS set up on a Win2003 Server but thats about as
far
as I get before I hit a brick wall. The instructions are very muddy. When
I
boot an existing Xp machine with PXE it does not find the WDS server. I
get
PXE errors like tftp error and no file found. Can anyone point me to a
simple
step by step document on how to get this working? We have used Novell
Zenworks for imaging for years but we are trying to get away from that.

Steve,

Need to know a bit more about your setup! What version of Win 2003 server
are you running - Win 2003, or Win 2003 R2? What service pack is it? Have
you authorised your WDS server in active directory? Have you configured the
other tabs under server properties? i.e. PXE Response settings, Boot, DHCP
etc?

You _may_ need to add addition DHCP Scope options, specifically option 60 -
PXEClient, 66 - Boot Server Host Name & 67 - Boot File Name. Additionally
make sure you have the boot files referenced under the Boot tab, x86 -
Boot\x86\pxeboot.com, x64 - Boot\x64\pxeboot.com etc, and check those files
exist under <drive>\<Ris install>\Boot you should have at least x64, x86,
which need to have the boot files contained with in (there should be other
folders like fonts etc as well).

HTH

Ben

 

[Guest]

Steve,

Need to know a bit more about your setup! What version of Win 2003 server
are you running - Win 2003, or Win 2003 R2? What service pack is it? Have
you authorised your WDS server in active directory? Have you configured the
other tabs under server properties? i.e. PXE Response settings, Boot, DHCP
etc?

You _may_ need to add addition DHCP Scope options, specifically option 60 -
PXEClient, 66 - Boot Server Host Name & 67 - Boot File Name. Additionally
make sure you have the boot files referenced under the Boot tab, x86 -
Boot\x86\pxeboot.com, x64 - Boot\x64\pxeboot.com etc, and check those files
exist under <drive>\<Ris install>\Boot you should have at least x64, x86,
which need to have the boot files contained with in (there should be other
folders like fonts etc as well).

HTH

Ben

Hi Ben,

Thanks for helping me. Here is what I can tell you right now. The WDS server
is running on Win 2003 SP2. The server is in Active Directory but I am not
sure what you mean by authorizing it in AD. I have configured the tabs under
server properties.

When I do a PXE boot of a machine the machice does get a DHCP address form
my Netware DHCP server. (I know..Netware.. we are trying to move away
from it)

The files referenced under the boot tab x86 pxeboot.com are not in the
Remote install\Boot\x86 directory. There are some files and folders there but
the pxeboot.com file is not there. So this may be at least part of my
problem. Am I suppose to create these files manually somehow?

Sorry to seem dnese about this. We are just moving to Microsoft form Netware
so I'm trying to get up to speed.

 

[Ben]

Hi Ben,

Thanks for helping me. Here is what I can tell you right now. The WDS
server
is running on Win 2003 SP2. The server is in Active Directory but I am not
sure what you mean by authorizing it in AD. I have configured the tabs
under
server properties.

When I do a PXE boot of a machine the machice does get a DHCP address form
my Netware DHCP server. (I know..Netware.. we are trying to move away
from it)

The files referenced under the boot tab x86 pxeboot.com are not in the
Remote install\Boot\x86 directory. There are some files and folders there
but
the pxeboot.com file is not there. So this may be at least part of my
problem. Am I suppose to create these files manually somehow?

Sorry to seem dnese about this. We are just moving to Microsoft form
Netware
so I'm trying to get up to speed.

Steve,

Went through a similar process at my last company, Netware 5 to Win2000.

When I said authorise in AD, I of course meant DHCP ;-) This is under the
Advanced tab of the WDS server - DHCP Authorisation - Yes I want to
authorise the WDS server in DHCP. However, I don't know how Netware DHCP
works with this. Microsoft DHCP is Active Directory aware, and works with
other Microsoft products. Just looking at the DHCP tab of WDS it says
"Non-Microsoft DHCP servers require manual configuration of DHCP option tag
60."

Try adding the 3 DHCP scope options:
Option 60 - Client Identifier set to "PXEClient"
Option 66 - Boot Server Host Name set to server name i.e. WDSServer
Option 67 - Boot File Name set to the boot file name, for old RIS this is
\Oschooser\i386\Startrom.com for WDS this would be Boot\x86\pxeboot.com
(some Linux servers use / rather than \ not sure about Netware)

From what I remember, the files under the Boot\x86 and boot\x64 directory
were created automatically when I installed WDS, although it was nearly a
year ago since I did that so not 100% sure, but I don't ever remember having
to create the files. Try uninstalling + re-installing!

Also, what is the path to those files, I notice you said "Remote
Install\Boot\x86" does it actually have a space in between? I don't know if
it does affect anything, but I'd get rid of the space, just in case, we use
"RIS\Boot\x86"

HTH

Ben

 

[Guest]

Steve,

Went through a similar process at my last company, Netware 5 to Win2000.

When I said authorise in AD, I of course meant DHCP ;-) This is under the
Advanced tab of the WDS server - DHCP Authorisation - Yes I want to
authorise the WDS server in DHCP. However, I don't know how Netware DHCP
works with this. Microsoft DHCP is Active Directory aware, and works with
other Microsoft products. Just looking at the DHCP tab of WDS it says
"Non-Microsoft DHCP servers require manual configuration of DHCP option tag
60."

Try adding the 3 DHCP scope options:
Option 60 - Client Identifier set to "PXEClient"
Option 66 - Boot Server Host Name set to server name i.e. WDSServer
Option 67 - Boot File Name set to the boot file name, for old RIS this is
\Oschooser\i386\Startrom.com for WDS this would be Boot\x86\pxeboot.com
(some Linux servers use / rather than \ not sure about Netware)

From what I remember, the files under the Boot\x86 and boot\x64 directory
were created automatically when I installed WDS, although it was nearly a
year ago since I did that so not 100% sure, but I don't ever remember having
to create the files. Try uninstalling + re-installing!

Also, what is the path to those files, I notice you said "Remote
Install\Boot\x86" does it actually have a space in between? I don't know if
it does affect anything, but I'd get rid of the space, just in case, we use
"RIS\Boot\x86"

HTH

Ben

Hello Ben,

I reinstalled my server and brought it up as Win 2003 SP1 first. Installed
RIS. Then Updated to SP2 and configured WDS. I still do not have the
PXEBoot.com file. I was able to point the boot to
\OSChooser\i386\startrom.com and boot up with PXE and connect to the server.
But the only option I have once I connect to the server is client
installation. I need to be able to take an image of a machine I already have
configured. Then be able to use that image to image 80 other machines. So I
am still having a problem. I was able to set Option 60 on my Novell DHCP
server to PXEClient. I'm sure it is something I am doing wrong but I don't
know waht it is.

 

[Ben]

Hello Ben,

I reinstalled my server and brought it up as Win 2003 SP1 first. Installed
RIS. Then Updated to SP2 and configured WDS. I still do not have the
PXEBoot.com file. I was able to point the boot to
\OSChooser\i386\startrom.com and boot up with PXE and connect to the
server.
But the only option I have once I connect to the server is client
installation. I need to be able to take an image of a machine I already
have
configured. Then be able to use that image to image 80 other machines. So
I
am still having a problem. I was able to set Option 60 on my Novell DHCP
server to PXEClient. I'm sure it is something I am doing wrong but I don't
know waht it is.

Steve,

Not sure why those files aren't there, you could try running this at a cmd
prompt:

WDSUTIL.exe /initialize-server

Only other thing I can think it might be is that you may need to add a boot
image, you can get this from a Vista DVD. Under the sources directory will
be boot.wim & install.wim, add the boot.wim as a boot image. If you don't
have a Vista DVD you can download the Windows Automated Installation Kit
(WAIK) 992mb, which I believe has a Win PE boot image, try the link below.

www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=C7D4BC6D-15F3-4284-9123-679830D629F2&amp

Once you have the WDS boot options, you have to go into the WDS console,
then select one of the boot images, right click on it, and select 'Create
Capture Boot Image' this will create a boot capture image, so when you boot
your reference pc you select the capture boot option, and then capture the
image of your reference build (remember to run sysprep /reseal /min first),
then upload it to your server.

Ben

 

[Guest]

Steve,

Not sure why those files aren't there, you could try running this at a cmd
prompt:

WDSUTIL.exe /initialize-server

Only other thing I can think it might be is that you may need to add a boot
image, you can get this from a Vista DVD. Under the sources directory will
be boot.wim & install.wim, add the boot.wim as a boot image. If you don't
have a Vista DVD you can download the Windows Automated Installation Kit
(WAIK) 992mb, which I believe has a Win PE boot image, try the link below.

www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=C7D4BC6D-15F3-4284-9123-679830D629F2&amp

Once you have the WDS boot options, you have to go into the WDS console,
then select one of the boot images, right click on it, and select 'Create
Capture Boot Image' this will create a boot capture image, so when you boot
your reference pc you select the capture boot option, and then capture the
image of your reference build (remember to run sysprep /reseal /min first),
then upload it to your server.

Ben

Hello Ben,

Hope your weekend went well.

Here is where I stand as of now. I downloaded WAIK but I do not think there
is a boot image included in that. There are two .wim files but they are not
boot files. I used one of them to create a boot image and a capture boot
image but they do not work. When I PXE boot the machine I am not getting and
boot menu Other than a Vista PE Boot option or RIS option . If I choose The
Windows Vista PE Boot option it will eventually take me to X:Windows\system32
prompt and sit there.I am not presented with any capture options.

The good news is by creating the boot image I now have my PXEBoot.com files
where they should be.

 

[Ben]

Hello Ben,

Hope your weekend went well.

Here is where I stand as of now. I downloaded WAIK but I do not think
there
is a boot image included in that. There are two .wim files but they are
not
boot files. I used one of them to create a boot image and a capture boot
image but they do not work. When I PXE boot the machine I am not getting
and
boot menu Other than a Vista PE Boot option or RIS option . If I choose
The
Windows Vista PE Boot option it will eventually take me to
X:Windows\system32
prompt and sit there.I am not presented with any capture options.

The good news is by creating the boot image I now have my PXEBoot.com
files
where they should be.

Steve, when you boot into Win PE I think you should be able to type
WDSCapture (this works for the standard boot image, and I think it does for
Win PE), which will begin the capture process. If you want to boot and have
it capture automatically, then you need to create a capture boot image,
(again, this works for the standard boot image, and I think for Win PE), you
can do this by going into the WDS console, and selecting the existing boot
image, and then right click and select 'Create Capture Boot Image', once the
image is created, add it to the boot images list (right click and select Add
Boot Image), now when you reboot, you'll get an additional option, which
when selected, will automatically start a capture.

 

[Guest]

Steve, when you boot into Win PE I think you should be able to type
WDSCapture (this works for the standard boot image, and I think it does for
Win PE), which will begin the capture process. If you want to boot and have
it capture automatically, then you need to create a capture boot image,
(again, this works for the standard boot image, and I think for Win PE), you
can do this by going into the WDS console, and selecting the existing boot
image, and then right click and select 'Create Capture Boot Image', once the
image is created, add it to the boot images list (right click and select Add
Boot Image), now when you reboot, you'll get an additional option, which
when selected, will automatically start a capture.

Ben,

I used one of the .WIM files from WAIK to create a Boot image. I then used
the Boot image it created to create a Capture Boot image. But this still does
not allow me to capture an image from a reference machine. I am not given any
option to capture and I do not see anywhere that I can type in WDSCapture
after I PXE boot.

I have ordered a copy of the Vista DVD and I will try to use the Boot.WIM
from that to see if this makes a difference.

If there is anything else you see that I am doing wrong please let me know.
I truly appreciate your patience and assistance with this.

 

[Guest]

Steve, when you boot into Win PE I think you should be able to type
WDSCapture (this works for the standard boot image, and I think it does for
Win PE), which will begin the capture process. If you want to boot and have
it capture automatically, then you need to create a capture boot image,
(again, this works for the standard boot image, and I think for Win PE), you
can do this by going into the WDS console, and selecting the existing boot
image, and then right click and select 'Create Capture Boot Image', once the
image is created, add it to the boot images list (right click and select Add
Boot Image), now when you reboot, you'll get an additional option, which
when selected, will automatically start a capture.

Hello again Ben,

I finally got a the Capture Image to work. I am capturing an image as we
speak. As I thought I was doing something wrong during the create Capture
Image process. I truly appreciate all your help. If you are ever in Houston
Texas I will by you a beer.

 

[Guest]

Steve, when you boot into Win PE I think you should be able to type
WDSCapture (this works for the standard boot image, and I think it does for
Win PE), which will begin the capture process. If you want to boot and have
it capture automatically, then you need to create a capture boot image,
(again, this works for the standard boot image, and I think for Win PE), you
can do this by going into the WDS console, and selecting the existing boot
image, and then right click and select 'Create Capture Boot Image', once the
image is created, add it to the boot images list (right click and select Add
Boot Image), now when you reboot, you'll get an additional option, which
when selected, will automatically start a capture.

Next problem. I have sucessfully captured and image of one of my Windows Xp
boxes. It was uploaded to the WDS server. Now I am not sure how to use this
installation image to image other machines. When I PXE boot a machine that
has not been imaged I do not see an option to download the installation image
I created. I thought I might need to make my installation image a boot image
but it will not allow me to do this because the installation .wim is not a
boot .wim.
So I am confused now on how I deploy this image to other machines.

 

[Ben]

Next problem. I have sucessfully captured and image of one of my Windows
Xp
boxes. It was uploaded to the WDS server. Now I am not sure how to use
this
installation image to image other machines. When I PXE boot a machine that
has not been imaged I do not see an option to download the installation
image
I created. I thought I might need to make my installation image a boot
image
but it will not allow me to do this because the installation .wim is not a
boot .wim.
So I am confused now on how I deploy this image to other machines.

Steve,

You need to boot from your already installed boot image, not the capture
boot image, it will load the vista mini setup, then offer you a selection of
available install images, if you have setup the install image in the correct
install group, if not go to WDS Console > Install Images > Add an Install
Group if none exist > Add an install image to the group (Add Install Image >
find your captured image).

HTH

Ben

Ben

 

[Guest]

Steve,

You need to boot from your already installed boot image, not the capture
boot image, it will load the vista mini setup, then offer you a selection of
available install images, if you have setup the install image in the correct
install group, if not go to WDS Console > Install Images > Add an Install
Group if none exist > Add an install image to the group (Add Install Image >
find your captured image).

HTH

Ben

Ben

Hello again Ben,

I do have the install image in an image group. I was able to specify which
group to upload the image to during the capture process. I think my problem
is the boot image from WAIK is not a fully functional boot image. I found
other information on the web saying that the .WIM files in WAIK allow you to
capture images but you can not deploy images unless you use the boot.wim from
an actual Vista DVD. So I have ordered a copy of Vista and I will post the
results once it comes in and I change my boot image.

Once again I really appreciate all your help.

Steve

 

[Rick Snyder]

I am in the exact (nearly) situation as you. Looking forward to any help out there.



Stev wrote:

Image Windows XP using WDS
03-Oct-07

I need to do simple imaging using WDS. All I want to be able to do right now
is take an image of a WinXP machine and then be able to image other machines
with that image. I have WDS set up on a Win2003 Server but thats about as far
as I get before I hit a brick wall. The instructions are very muddy. When I
boot an existing Xp machine with PXE it does not find the WDS server. I get
PXE errors like tftp error and no file found. Can anyone point me to a simple
step by step document on how to get this working? We have used Novell
Zenworks for imaging for years but we are trying to get away from that.

EggHeadCafe - Software Developer Portal of Choice
ASP.NET DataList and DataRepeater Controls
http://www.eggheadcafe.com/tutorial...b2-a3db1af393f5/aspnet-datalist-and-data.aspx

 

[G Mail Account]

I think Server 2003 has to handle the DHCP assignments; so turn off any
other source, since it will lease IP address to the PXE card when that
boots.

Then you should get a blue screen similar to an XP install screen - and
then - it will give you some options....I did it once - and its great...to
get working - but I cant remember exactly what to do now.

Anyway it should start copying files across from the server; but the way I
had it working, it was not "Imaging" the HD back - the same as Ghost; it
merely copied files across.

Best I can do.


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