TFTPd32 and DHCP Server – Windows Deployment Services without WDS
In other words, I’ve wanted to install Windows 7 over network without relaying on DVD drives, but neither wanted to copy the ISO file to USB stick nor install Windows Deployment Services (WDS) because it would need my Server 2008 Workstation to become an Active Directory Domain Controller – what I don’t want.
So, here is how you can use WDS without using WDS, how to install Windows 7 via network with TFTd32.
Download following prerequisities:
- TFTd32 with WinPE x86, packaged up by Ryan T. Adams (download, mirror)
- Daemon Tools Lite – or an ISO image mounter of your choice
Extract TFTd32 to C:\, eventually by updating the executable by the one you can find at the TFTP site.
Then, configure TFTd32 and disable its DHCP Server – we will use your router’s or Windows’ own:
At this point, check whether you can boot e.g., your Notebook by PXE. Windows’ pre-installation environment should show up.
If it worked, proceed with next steps: (Remaining instructions are adapted from Ryan T. Adams blog.)
- Mount the Windows 7 DVD or insert it into any DVD drive,
- publish it by a share name, say “win7dvd” (works well under Linux with Samba!). The share can be on any computer, as long as it is accessible form the local network.
- On the PXE-booted computer mount the share by:
net use y: \\192.168.1.2\win7dvd– where 192.168.1.2 is the IP of the computer hosting the share - If prompted, enter credentials necessary to access the share.
Remeber to prepend your username the host’s name, e.g. provide uranium\wmark as username when asked - run setup typing
y:followed bysetup.
Voila.
You could mount all sorts of CD or DVD images on your server, including some with unattended install settings, and have TFTd32 run as system service (guide). It would be a cheap WDS replacement.
See also:
- TFTPd32 and PXE boot at the boot-land.net forums
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1. Thanks for the post, I’ve read Ryan’s post too.. Both are absolutely helpful..
2. Lets say, my “target computer” is on the different floor in the building, but there is lan and is booting through pxe boot.. So I would like to start the windows install on my “target computer” through my “host computer” itself. will that be possible ?
Not without any modification:
1. The target computer must be member of the same domain as the host computer. Then you could run commands by e.g., “beyondexec” and that way launch unattended installation.
2. Or, you modify the booted media. Replace the pre-installation environment by a disc imaging software of your own or add some autorun application to it.
The closest you can get with the existing PXE pre-installation environment is to run unattended installation by hand. From that on everything would be automated. See vLite and friends for this.
Would it work if i want to install 64bit OS? I tried Ryan T. Adams’ method to install Win7 x64 but was unsuccessful !
It will work. But you will need a 64bit WinPE image.
[...] of all, please see a former blog of mine how to configure TFTPd32. Most noticeably how to do so and still leaving your DHCP configuration (e.g. that of your [...]
i also want to install windows 7 64bit and i need winpe 64bit
from wher did i get it
You have to set
next-server 192.168.1.2; file "boot\\pxeboot.com";on some DHCP daemons under *nix.Hello,
I figured out how to get this running. Yet when i type setup – I get the response that “This program can not be run in DOS mode”.
how do I install Windows 7 – I’ve been googling for help all day.
Thanks in advance,
Jason.
Jason, assuming that you have started Windows PE over network as described above, where exactly do you get that response? What flavour is your booted WinPE and what the Windows to be installed? (x86, amd64, IA64? XP SP 1,2,3; Vista, Win7, Server 200x?)
The response of your “setup” (really, setup.exe from a Windows DVD?) is strange, I never experienced it and I have already installed about half a dozen PCs by the procedure.
[...] install Windows Server 2008 R2 – and a few days ago I found Mark Kubacki’s post about TFTPd32 and DHCP Server – Windows Deployment Services without WDS. Perfect! No need to install another role on my little Atom-powered server – particularly [...]
[...] install Windows Server 2008 R2 – and a few days ago I found Mark Kubacki’s post about TFTPd32 and DHCP Server – Windows Deployment Services without WDS. Perfect! No need to install another role on my little Atom-powered server – particularly [...]
[...] install Windows Server 2008 R2 – and a few days ago I found Mark Kubacki’s post about TFTPd32 and DHCP Server – Windows Deployment Services without WDS. Perfect! No need to install another role on my little Atom-powered server – particularly [...]
[...] install Windows Server 2008 R2 – and a few days ago I found Mark Kubacki’s post about TFTPd32 and DHCP Server – Windows Deployment Services without WDS. Perfect! No need to install another role on my little Atom-powered server – particularly [...]
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