Chris Nackers Blog

SMS 2003 OSD from RIS/WDS

The information provided below is provided “as-is”.  Proceed at your own risk.

Initial Configuration Steps

I will not go into detail on these and will assume you have already completed these steps.

1) Install and configure RIS/WDS

2) Authorize server in DHCP and configure scope options

3) Configure Group Policy options –

a. Automatic setup is for flat files

b. Tools/Troubleshooting for RAMdisk

4) Your Windows PE version is 2005 based upon Server 2003 SP1 media

Deploy Windows PE from a RIS server by using a RAM disk

1. On the RIS server, locate the \RemoteInstall\Setup\Language\Images folder.

2. Create a subfolder for Windows PE. For example, type the following at a command prompt:

drive:\Cd \RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images md winpe

Note In this step, drive is the placeholder of the hard disk drive on which RIS is installed. Language is the language of the Windows PE image.

3. Create a subfolder in the \Windows PE folder that is named Platform, where platform is i386 or amd64. For example, type the following command at the command prompt: md winpe\i386

4. Copy the customized Windows PE .iso image file that you created earlier to the Windows PE\Platform folder, where platform is i386 or amd64. For example, type the following command at the command prompt:

copy drive:\Work\Winpex86.iso drive 1:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Winpe\i386

Note drive is the placeholder of the hard disk that contains the Windows PE image. Also, drive 1 is a placeholder for the hard disk partition on which RIS is installed.

5. Create a subfolder in the \Windows PE\Platform folder that is named Templates. For example, type the following command at the command prompt:

md winpe\i386\templates

6. Locate the Platform folder of the Windows PE image, and then copy Ntdetect.com and Startrom.com to the Windows PE\Platform\Templates folder. For example, type the following commands at the command prompt:

drive:\ cd \winpe\i386 copy ntdetect.com
drive 1:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\winpe\i386\templates copy startrom.com
drive 1:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\winpe\i386\templates

Note In this step, drive is the placeholder of the hard disk that contains the Windows PE image and drive 1 is a placeholder for the hard disk partition on which RIS is installed.

7. Copy the \Platform\Setupldr.exe (not Setupldr.bin) file from the Windows PE image to the \Windows PE\platform\templates folder, and then rename Setupldr.exe to Ntldr. For example, run the following command at the command prompt:

copy setupldr.exe drive 1:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\winpe\i386\templates\ntldr

.
Note In this step, drive 1 is a placeholder for the hard disk partition on which RIS is installed.

8. Create a text file that is named Winnt.sif in the \Windows PE\Platform\Templates folder by using the following text.

[SetupData]

BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"

BootPath = "\platform\System32\"

OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect /minint /rdexportascd /rdpath=%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\<bootimage>"

Architecture = "platform"

[RemoteInstall]

Repartition = No

[OSChooser]

Description = "brief description"

Help = "longer description"

LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"

ImageType = Flat

Version = "5.2 (0)"

9. Start a RIS client, and then select the operating system image that you created.

Notes from Microsoft:

· RAM disk method supports only x86 and x64-based Windows PE ISO images. For Itanium (IA-64)-based Windows PE ISO images use Method 2.

· You can put the i386 and amd64 folders within the same folder on a RIS server. For example, you can create the following folder structure:

\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Winpe\i386 \RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Winpe\Amd64

· You can give the Winnt.sif file any name that you want as long as the file name extension is .sif.

· The "Repartition = No" entry in the Winnt.sif file avoids a warning from the Client Installation Wizard (OSChooser) about the disk being erased.

· The text for the "Description" and "Help" entries can be any information that you want to include.

· The "LaunchFile" and "ImageType" entries must not change.

Restart the client, and then go into PXE startup. After you log on, select the Maintenance and Troubleshooting option in the Main menu. "Windows PE in RAMDisk," or whatever other description exists in the .sif file, appears as an option. Select this option, and then press ENTER.

Copying ISO

Copy SMS 2003 OSD ISO image to \RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\WinPE2005_OSD\i386

Sample winnt.sif

[SetupData]

BootDevice = "ramdisk(0)"

BootPath = "\i386\System32\"

OsLoadOptions = "/noguiboot /fastdetect /minint /rdexportascd /rdpath=%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\osd_image_install_mdt.iso"

Architecture = "i386"

[RemoteInstall]

Repartition = No

[OSChooser]

Description = "WinPE 2005 OSD Disk"

Help = "Windows PE 2005 OSD Disk"

LaunchFile = "%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%\templates\startrom.com"

ImageType = WinPE

Version = "5.2 (0)"