Windows Deployment Services / RIS / OSD

Windows Deployment Services

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) contains an update for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Remote Installation Services (RIS) servers that enables the new Windows Deployment Services technology that will be part of Longhorn server for the deployment of WIM images over the network. The update contains components similar to those of RIS, including a Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot service and a Trivial FTP (TFTP) service.

When you install Windows Deployment Services, you'll choose one of the following three modes of operation:

Legacy. Provides only the RIS-style functionality of RISETUP and RIPREP images; uses the old OSChooser-style boot menu and old RIS management tools

Mixed. Supports RIS-style images and WIM image formats using both the old OSChooser-style boot menu and Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE). It uses both the RIS-style tools and new Windows Deployment Services management tools. During PXE boot, the client can select to use the OSChooser or PE option, depending on the OS required

Native. Supports WIM images only via PE boot OS. This is the only option for Windows Deployment Services running on Longhorn Server

In all scenarios for Windows 2003 SP1 deployment, you must install RIS prior to applying the Windows Deployment Services "hotfix" (it's only 2MB in size and forms part of Windows 2003 SP2).

The Windows Deployment Services hotfix can be found in the WDS folder of the WAIK download image. To install it, execute the Windows Deployment Services update for the server architecture (e.g., x86 or AMD64). After accepting the license agreement, the update will install with no input required but will require a server reboot. You can also run the installation from the command line, passing the /quiet argument so that no progress is displayed to screen and no input is needed. After rebooting to enable the new functionality around WIM files, run the command by using this syntax: wdsutil /initialize-server /reminst: as the following example shows: C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>wdsutil /initialize-Server /reminst:"E:\RemoteInstall"

For RIS installations with RIS-style images, the server will be put in mixed mode; for servers with no RIS-style images, the server will be placed in native mode. Until you run the initialize-server command, you can't run the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) Windows Deployment Services snap-in.

The next steps include adding a PE boot image (which is supplied as part of the WAIK) and adding VISTA or Longhorn system images. Windows Deployment Services also has the ability to create a "discover" image, which is for computers that don't have PXE boot capabilities. It works in a similar fashion to the old floppy disk you used to use for RIS clients. This WIM image (which is then converted to an ISO file and burned to CD-ROM) contains the WinPE environment used by Windows Deployment Services, which, once booted, proceeds in the same manner as if you had obtained the WinPE over the network. You can also create a capture image that contains the Windows Deployment Services capture utility and can be used instead of the Imagex procedure.

-Paddy