Distribution Share Question

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Hi All

Not been on the forum but now Im doing my XP/2003 stuff so i thought id find some help here.

Dunno if this question should be posted here and i apologise in advance

I am practicing unattended installs and want to install XP Pro over a network to clients that have no OS.

I know this can be done some how and here is info my setup.

Source PC: Windows XP Pro with distribution share connected wirelessly to netgear router using the routers builtin DHCP.

Target PC: No OS though it does have a PXE boot NIC though i understand this is mainly used for RIS. Connected to router via Ethernet cable. Recieves IP from router.

So will the above work or am i better using RIS for this?

All info greatly appreciated

 

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If I understand you correctly, you need a RIS server to accomplish that.

 

Hi There

Yeah i was thinking that though my 270 book vaguely mentions distribution installs for clients with NO OS. It does say this can be tricky though possible via PE disks.

I suppose what im asking is there any way to connect to the distribution share on a non OS client?

Can BartsPE does this etc?

 

Hi,

It might be possible, but as far as MS are concerned, (and the exams) RIS is a server feature that holds the set up files that can be *pushed* over the network to a machine with no OS that has a PXE compliant NIC.

Si

 

Like the guys have said RIS is the way to go... but like you i remember reading somewhere about being able to connect to a PC that has the i386 folder shared and installing it that way, but i cant remember where! For now look into RIS cause its 270 exam content i promise it will come up!

 

Yes any OS that can read the share could kick off the install - usually you would use a DOS boot disk, which has the NIC drivers on it to allow you access to the network. Then browse to the shared i386 folder in DOS and kick off the 16bit install ie WINNT.exe - bobs your uncle!

 

Yes thats what im looking for (i'll do RIS next). But its the accessing of the share via the network boot disk that im stuck at.

I have a universal tcp/ip disk and it does show my shares, after that im lost. I cant seem to navigate to the share (i386)

Sorry if im off topic here but i just wanna cover all install/deployment tactics for future reference.

 

I think MS recommends using a 3rd party utility to get the RIS running from the client side. Not sure if MS provide one themselves or where you'd get hold of one?

 

You're right Sparky, Chapter 3's the fella (but I had to skip over it because I don't have the resources to do it yet! )

 

You might want to try this..

http://www.netbootdisk.com/

And when you get to RIS this step by step looks good but I haven't read every word..

http://www.mcmcse.com/microsoft/guides/ris.shtml

Pete

 

I have just posted something about RIS myself.
Two things to add to this thread;

* I didn't realise it is best practice not to install RIS on the DC.

* The Network Boot disc you refer to Pete is great for connecting to a network share with no OS (as the original thread) but it will not connect to a 2003 Server due to the built in Security MS have designed for.

Si

 

Sorry, I was referring to my home domain environment. The server isn't doing any hard work- it is just for my learning. In a *real* network you would keep the DC as just that.

Si

 

Well, I am no Guru on Server 2003 but as I have said before, the security settings you refer to are default permission settings - as an administrator you can do as you wish. You can open the box up and allow every hacker under the sun in, if you like. Not that I would recommend that

 

Hi Buddy

Yeah thats what ive been using and i can see the shares etc but have difficulty actually accessing them. If anyone knows how to access shares on a Windows XP Pro PC from another PC with no OS via this disk then id love to hear a "how to".

I understand what RIS is and does but I'm not using a server yet. Just straight forward workgroup stuff then once i understand that, i'll move on to server stuff.

 

When you say you can see the shares, could you give more detail please? Are you now able to navigate to the i386 share and see the files contained in it?

Are you familiar with navigating through directory structures in DOS?

Are you getting an access denied message?

 

Hi Buddy

OK heres where im at with the universal tcp/ip disk. I can logon to the workgroup and navigate to the shares and the i386 folder. Then i start the winnt.exe which seems to start the copying of files, then it hangs.

Ive checked the share session details on the source PC which do show a connection etc but then it goes idle and drops.

Any ideas?

 

Hi Guys

What a nightmare i had with this. Couldnt get the combination winnt / 16 bit network drivers to work.

However I have a WinPE disk that allows CD booting empty systems and providing network access among other things.

Navigated to the i386 share and ran winnt32 with an unattended switch and now it all works great. Get yourself a WinPE disk today - absolutely amazing.

Thanks for all your help and comments on this.

 

Hmmm, I haven't actually tried this in XP but the default share permission is *read*, you might need to change this to *read and execute* as winnt.exe is an executable file which by default in XP cannot be run.