RIS: Remote Installation Service for Windows

Text with a grey background will vary between users and systems.

Text in a Courier/Serif-type font is to be typed at a terminal/command prompt.

Text inside [square brackets] is optional to the command and can be ignored or changed.

"example.net" is a fictitious domain.

Introduction

The aim of this document is to enable you to build Windows client and server PCs with the minimum of time and effort.

The example in this document uses Windows XP Professional for the client and Windows 2003 Server for the server.

Distributions prepared so far are:

• Windows 2003 Server
• Windows XP Professional
• Windows 2000 Professional

Installation typically takes less than 60 minutes depending on the distribution, the speed of the client and network conditions.

Quick start guide

• Boot the computer using the network card PXE or boot floppy/CD.
• Log in to the domain.
• Choose the OS and options you want installed.
• Perform post-build procedures as necessary (set hostname, add to domain, add to correct AD OU).

RIS server

Prerequesites

• Set up a Windows Server 2003 server, e.g. ris.example.net

Server must have:

• Static IP address with correct DNS entries.
• Access as an Enterprise Administrator to a DHCP server
• Local disk with space for client OS installation files (dedicated partition for RIS)
• Installation CD (not iso image) for each client OS

Install RIS

• Control Panel | Add or Remove Programs | Add/Remove Windows Components | Remote Installation Services
• Install the service and reboot

Configure RIS

• Start | Program Files | Administrative Tools | Remote Installation Services Setup
• Choose a location to store the source files, e.g. R:\RemoteInstall (cannot be on C:)
• Tick "Respond to client computers"
• Insert the installation CD for an operating system
• Enter the folder name to which the files will be copied and a description - this information will appear on the client menu.

Operating system images

Making a new answer file

• Install \SUPPORT\TOOLS\DEPOLY.cab\setupmgr.exe from the Windows XP, Server 2003 or 2000 Professional CD. This allows you to make a ristndrd.sif file that can be applied to a new or an existing image.
• See this example

Update and add images

At the server:

• Start | Program Files | Administrative Tools | Active Directory Users and Computers
• Right-click the server and choose Properties | Remote Install | Advanced Settings | Images | Add
• Choose to add either an image or a new answer file to an existing image.

Adding application packages to the images

At the server:

• Add the folder structure below to the source files folder.
• cmdlines.txt is run during the Windows installation portion. The MS Office installation runs from here.
• build.reg is run from cmdlines.txt and runs before first logon so that all USER entries will apply to the Default User profile.
• BASE.cmd is run from cmdlines.txt and adds registry entries to HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx. Installations run from here will install at first logon. This method is used for installations that won't run directly from cmdlines.txt. Installation commands invoked from RunOnceEx cannot have spaces in the path or filename.
• CLEAN.cmd is run from BASE.cmd and runs after all installers have finished. It removes the installer files and various surplus shortcuts.

Folder strucure under \\ris-server\REMINST\Setup\English\Images\winxpsp1

Implementation

Impact on existing infrastructure

This graphic shows the process that happens at PXE/PXE emulation boot time:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/images/prodtechnol/windows2000serv/deploy/depopt/images/remote03_BIG.gif

Implementation plan

To prevent end-users installing from RIS, assign read permissions on ristndrd.sif only to the IT team.

Implement version control on the setup files: ristndrd.sif, cmdlines.txt, build.reg, BASE.cmd and CLEAN.cmd.

To ensure base software is always up-to-date, add a step to the software update procedure to copy/overwrite installers to $oem$\$1\Install\BASE and update BASE.cmd. Changes will be documented.

To stop the DHCP servers being overloaded, do not install the RIS service on the DHCP server.

RIS installation will be done using an Enterprise Administrator account rather than by delegated authority.

The RIS server will be backed up weekly.

The RIS server will have a minimum 1Gbps connection to the infrastructure.

A boot CD and 3Com 905x card will be available for client PCs that don't support PXE.

Sample files

• ris.iso: supports non-PXE network cards
• ristndrd.sif: answer file
• cmdlines.txt: installs packages during Windows setup
• build.reg: various useful registry settings
• BASE.cmd: adds entries to RunOnceEx and calls batchfiles
• CLEAN.cmd: cleans up, removes installation files and reboots the computer

References

Setup

• http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/sag_RIS_Default_topnode.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/deployguide/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/all/deployguide/en-us/acicc_ris_ymal.asp
• http://www.microsoft.com/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/Default.asp?url=/resources/documentation/WindowsServ/2003/standard/proddocs/en-us/sag_RIS_pro_Add_Custom_Templates.asp
• http://www.tek-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=950543
• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;239004&sd=tech
• Answer file: http://web.ukonline.co.uk/cook/answer.htm

Adding applications

• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/254078/EN-US/
• http://unattended.msfn.org/xp/applications.htm
• http://www.msfn.org/board/index.php?act=ST&f=80&t=23991

Implementation

• http://www.microsoft.com/technet/desktopdeployment/depprocess/depprocessris.mspx
• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;224294&sd=tech

Problems

• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q313818
• http://bink.nu/Forums/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=5952
• Debug mode: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;236033&sd=tech
• Groveler errors: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=247611

Drivers

• http://unattended.msfn.org/xp/drivers.htm
• http://greenmachine.msfnhosting.com/READING/addraid.htm
• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315279/EN-US/
• Problems adding network card drivers: http://www.google.com/search?&q=NTx86+inf+ris

Slipstreaming SP2

• http://www.helpwithwindows.com/WindowsXP/winxp-sp2-bootcd.html
• http://www.msfn.org/articles.php?action=show&showarticle=49
• http://vbdotnet.home.comcast.net/XP_SP2.htm

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