create a remote installation preparation wizard image

8/3/2019 Create a Remote Installation Preparation Wizard Image

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Create a Remote Installation Preparation Wizard image

Updated: January 21, 2005

Applies To: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP1,

Windows Server 2003 with SP2

To create a Remote Installation Preparation Wizard image

1. Install the operating system on the client computer that you will use to create theinstallation image. You can install it using either Remote Installation Services (RIS) or

the product CD. For more information, see Related Topics.

2. Install any additional applications and modify the local configuration settings of thesource client computer.

Important

o Before starting the RIPrep utility, be sure to remove all confidential informationfrom the source client computer.

3. ClickStart, and then clickRun.4. Type the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path of the RIPrep utility, and then click

OK.

Example:

\\Server_name\REMINST\Admin\I386\RIPrep.exe

5. Read the information provided in the Remote Installation Preparation Wizard Welcomescreen, and then clickNext.

6. Type the server name to which this image will be copied, and then clickNext. By defaultthis is the current RIS server from which you are running the wizard.

7. Type the name of the folder on the RIS server to which this installation image will becopied, and then clickNext.

8. Type the friendly description and the Help text, and then clickNext. This information isdisplayed by the Client Installation Wizard when RIS clients request network services.9. After you type the friendly description and the Help text, a screen might appear showing

that multiple user profiles were detected, or that services are running that RIPrepdetermines should be stopped, but which it cannot stop. The screen lists the services that

are running and should be stopped.


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If this screen appears, do one of the following:

o It is recommended that you stop all programs or services on the source computerbefore proceeding. Review the list of programs or services that are currently

running on the source computer, close any running applications, and then clickNext.

o If you choose not to stop the programs, skip the screen; to do so, clickNext.10.Review the settings summary, and then clickNext.11.Review the information from Completing the Remote Installation Preparation

Wizard, and then, to replicate the source computer installation image onto the RIS

server, clickNext.

Important

y A 64-bit version of the Remote Installation Preparation (RIPrep) Wizard is included withthe 64-bit version of Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition. For more information

about using the RIPrep Wizard to create an installation image of a 64-bit operatingsystem, see article 891128, "Updated Remote Installation Service (RIS) functionality in

Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1," in the Microsoft Knowledge Base.

y You cannot use RIPrep to create an image of a Windows 2000 operating system ifInternet Information Services (IIS) is installed.

Notes

y To perform this procedure, you must be a member of the Administrators group on thecomputer where you create the configuration that RIPrep copies, or you must have beendelegated the appropriate authority. Members of the Domain Admins group might also be

able to perform this procedure. You must also have permission to write to the RIS folderson the RIS server (the default name for the folder that contains all the RIS folders is

RemoteInstall). One way of ensuring that you have permission to write to the RIS folderson the RIS server is to be explicitly assigned the permission. Another way is to have

membership in the local Administrators group on the RIS server. For more information,see Default local groups and Default groups.

y This topic does not apply to Windows Server 2003, Web Edition.y The source computer shuts down when the image replication process is complete.y The abbreviated Setup program runs automatically when you restart the source computer.

Complete the setup process if you want to use this client computer to create another

installation image.


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Information about functional differences

y Your server might function differently based on the version and edition of the operatingsystem that is installed, your account permissions, and your menu settings. For more

information, see Viewing Help on the Web.


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Step-by-Step Guide to Remote OS Installation

One of the most challenging and costly functions performed by IT staff today is deploying a newoperating system to client computers on a network. The Windows 2000 operating system

Remote OS Installation feature was created to meet this need to deploy an operating system

throughout an enterprise network without having to physically attend to each client computer.The Remote Installation Services (RIS) takes advantage of the new Dynamic Host ConfigurationProtocol (DHCP)-based remote boot technology to assist IT staff with deploying Windows 2000

Professional remotelyreducing and, in some cases, eliminating the need to visit the desktop.This document outlines the steps necessary to install, configure, and use RIS.

On This Page

Introduction

Installing the Windows 2000 Remote Installation ServicesAuthoring RIS within the Active Directory

Setting Required User PermissionsInstalling Client Computers Using Remote Installation

Configuring Remote Installation ServicesClient Installation Options

Remote Installation Preparation Wizard (RIPrep)Remote Installation Boot Disk Option

Remote Boot ROM PXE ArchitectureConclusion

Appendix A: Remote Installation Server and Workstation Hardware RequirementsAppendix B: Frequently Asked Questions

Related Links

Introduction

Remote Installation Services (RIS) ships as part of the Windows 2000 Server operating system.

This document outlines the steps necessary to install, configure, and use RIS.

RIS was designed to reduce the costs incurred by pre-installing or physically visiting each clientcomputer to install the operating system (OS). By combining RIS with other Windows 2000

IntelliMirror management technologies featuresUser Data Management, SoftwareInstallation and Maintenance, and User Settings Managementcompanies benefit from better

disaster recovery with easier OS and application management.

Prerequisites

See Appendix A below to ensure that both your server and client hardware meet the remote

installation hardware requirements.

The drive on the server where you choose to install RIS must be formatted with the NTFS file

system. RIS requires a significant amount of disk space and cannot be installed on the same drive


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or partition on which Windows 2000 Server is installed. Ensure that the chosen drive containsenough free disk space for at least one full Windows 2000 Professional compact disca

minimum of approximately 800 megabytes (MB)1 gigabyte (GB).

RIS requires several other services that also ship as part of Windows 2000 Server. These services

can be installed on individual servers, or all on a single server, depending on your networkdesign:

y Domain Name Service (DNS)Server. Remote installation relies on DNS for locatingthe directory service and client machine accounts. You can use any Windows 2000

Active DirectoryTM service-compliant DNS server, or you can use the DNS serverprovided with Windows 2000 Server.

y Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)Server. RIS requires a DHCP server tobe present and active on the network. The remote boot-enabled client computers receive

an IP address from the DHCP server before contacting RIS.y Active Directory. RIS relies on Windows 2000 Active Directory for locating existing

client machines as well as existing RIS servers. RIS must be installed on a Windows2000-based server that has access to Active Directory. This can be a domain controller or

a server that is a member of a domain with access to the Active Directory.

To ensure a successful installation, you must install and configure the additional services

described above in order for RIS to function. In addition, make sure that you have both theWindows 2000 Server and Professional CDs available.

Before beginning this step-by-step guide, you need to build the common infrastructure, which

specifies a particular hardware and software configuration. The common infrastructure iscovered in the Common Infrastructure step-by-step guide, "Part 1: Installing a Windows 2000

Server as a Domain Controller"http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/planning/server/serversteps.asp. If you are not

using the common infrastructure, you need to make the appropriate changes to this instructionset.

Although not required, we also recommend reading and performing the exercises available in the

Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding the Group Policy Feature Set. It addresses how GroupPolicy works and can be applied in the context of remote installations.

Prerequisites for Client Installations

Ensure that the client computer's network card has been set as the primary boot device within thesystem BIOS. When the client computer boots and is configured with the network card as the

primary boot device, it requests a network service boot from the remote installation server on thenetwork. Once contacted, the RIS server prompts users to press the F12key to download the

Client Installation wizard. Users should be instructed to press F12only if prompted, and only ifthey need a new OS installation or access to maintenance and troubleshooting tools. Once the OS

has been installed via RIS, the user can ignore the request to press F12during future clientcomputer reboots. If using the RIS boot floppy disk, simply insert the boot floppy into the drive


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and start the client computer. The computer boots from the floppy disk, and the user is requestedto press F12to initiate the network service boot. When the RIS boot floppy disk is used, the user

must remove the boot floppy at some point after pressing F12and before the text mode portionof setup completes.

Note: Compaq computer systems provide the ability to press theF12

key during power up onPC98 or Net PC-based systems. In this case, the user is required to press F12on the CompaqSplash screen, and then press F12again when prompted by the RIS server.

Top of page

Installing the Windows 2000 Remote Installation Services

The following instructions help you install, configure, and use the Windows 2000 Remote

Installation Services.

Install Remote Installation Services

1. On a Windows 2000 Server, clickStart, point to Settings, and clickControl Panel.2. Double-clickAdd/Remote Programs.3. Double-clickAdd/Remove Windows Components.4. Scroll down and select Remote Installation Services and ClickNext.5. Insert the Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM into the CD drive and clickOK . The

necessary files are copied to the server.

Note: After the CD is entered, a dialog box asks if you want to upgrade to the operatingsystem. Click No and exit this screen.

6. ClickFinish to end the wizard.7. You are prompted to restart your computer. ClickYes.8. When the server is done rebooting, logon as a local administrator.

To set up Remote Installation Services

1. ClickStart, clickRun, and type RISetup.exe. This starts the Remote InstallationServices (RIS) Setup wizard.

2. The Welcome screen appears, indicating some of the requirements to successfully installRIS. ClickNext.

3. The next screen prompts you to enter the server drive and directory where you would liketo install the RIS files. The default drive and directory will be the largest non-system,

non-boot, NTFS-formatted drive. In our example, this would be E:\RemoteInstall. ClickNext.

Note: The drive on which you choose to install RIS must be formatted with the NTFS filesystem. RIS requires a significant amount of disk space and cannot be installed on the

same drive or partition on which Windows 2000 Server is installed. Ensure that the


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chosen drive contains enough free disk space for at least one full Windows 2000Professional compact disc a minimum of approximately 800 MB1GB.

The setup wizard prompts you to either enable RIS at the end of setup, or disable the

service to allow modification of specific server options before servicing client computers.

These options are:

o Respond to clients requesting service. This option controls whether this RISserver responds to client computers requesting service at the end of setup. If thisoption is checked, the server will respond to clients and provide them with OS

installation options. If unchecked, this RIS server will not respond to clientsrequesting service.

o Do not respond to unknown client computers. This option controls whether thisserver responds to unknown client computers requesting a remote installation

server. A client computer is known if a managed computer account object existsfor it within Active Directory. This allows the administrator to offer only

authorizedthat is, pre-staged within the Active Directorycomputers the OSinstallation options from this RIS server. This setting also provides support for

multiple Remote Boot or Install servers from different vendors on one physicalnetwork. For example, if another vendor's remote install/boot server exists on the

same network as the RIS server, you cannot control which server answers theclient computer's request. Setting this option and pre-staging client computers

ensures that this RIS server will service only pre-staged client computers.4. For the purpose of this guide, select Respond to client computers requesting service and

click Next.5. The setup wizard prompts you for the location of the Windows 2000 Professional

installation files. RIS supports the remote installation of Windows 2000 Professional

only. Insert the Windows 2000 Professional CD into the server's CD drive and type thedrive letter containing the CD (or browse to a network share that contains the installationsource files). Click Next.

6. The wizard prompts you to enter the directory name that will contain the workstation fileson the RIS server. This directory is created beneath the directory specified in Step 3

above. The directory name should reflect its contentsfor example, Win2000.pro. ClickNext to accept the default name of win2000.pro.

7. You are prompted for a friendly description and help text that describes this OS image.The friendly description and help text is displayed to users or IT staff during the client

installation wizard (OSChooser) at initial startup on a remote client. For example, if thisworkstation OS will be tailored to sales staff, then a friendly description might be"Windows 2000 Professional for Sales Staff." The help text is displayed when the user

selects the description within the Client Installation wizard. Make sure you provide clearhelp text to your users, to ensure that they choose the correct OS option at installation

time. For this exercise, click Next to accept the default name of Microsoft Windows 2000Professional.

8. At this point, you are presented with a summary screen indicating the choices you havemade. Click Finish to confirm your choices. Once the installation wizard completes, you

are ready to either service client computers, or additionally configure the RIS settings.


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Wait while the wizard installs the service and settings you have selected. This takesseveral minutes. When it is finished, a screen appears as in Figure 1 below:

Figure 1: Completed RIS installation.

9. ClickDone.Now that RIS is successfully installed, you must authorize the RIS server within ActiveDirectory. If you do not authorize the RIS server, it will fail to service client computers

requesting a network service boot. The next section outlines these steps.

Top of page

Authoring RIS within the Active Directory

RIS allows you to control which RIS servers can service client computers on the network. For a

RIS server to operate, it must first be authorized within Active Directory. If the RIS server is not

authorized within Active Directory, client computers requesting service will not be able tocontact the RIS server and will not be answered.

To authorize a RIS server within Active Directory, you must be logged on as an enterpriseadministrator or a domain administrator of the root domain. You can complete the following

steps on any domain controller, member server of the domain, or a Windows 2000 Professionalworkstation that has installed the Administrator Tools Package containing the DHCP Server

Management snap-in. This guide performs the authorization on a domain controller: specifically,

the domain controller that would have been created by running Part I of the CommonInfrastructure step-by-step guide.

1. ClickStart, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools and clickDHCP. Thefollowing snap-in appears as in Figure 2 below:


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Figure 2: DHCP Snap-In

2. Right-clickDHCP in the upper-left corner of the DHCP screen, and select > ManageAuthorized Servers. If your server is not already listed, clickAuthorize, and enter the

IP address of the RIS server. Click> Yes when prompted to verify that the address iscorrect.

At this point, your RIS server is authorized within Active Directory and is now able to respond to

client computers requesting service.

Note: If you authorize the RIS server on a non-domain controller computer, follow these steps to

install the Administrator Tools Package: ClickStart, clickRun, and type adminpak.msi on aServer system. From a Professional based system, execute adminpak.msi from the Windows

2000 Server CD.

Top of page

Setting Required User Permissions

If users are allowed to use RIS to install their own client computers, the administrator must

ensure that those users have been granted the correct permissions for creating machine accountswithin the domain. The permissions granted using the steps below will allow users to createcomputer accounts anywhere in the domain.

1. ClickStart, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and clickActiveDirectory Users and Computers.

2. Right-click the Domain Name (Reskit.com) at the top of the snap-in, and click theDelegate Control option.

3. A wizard starts. ClickNext.4. ClickAdd to add users who are allowed to install their own computers using Remote OS

Installation.

5.

For the purpose of this guide, highlightE

veryone and clickA

dd. ClickOK.6. ClickNext to continue.7. Check the Join a Computer to the Domain option, and clickNext.8. ClickFinish. Users can now create computer account objects during the OS installation

using the RIS service.


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You can now either use the default RIS settings and immediately begin servicing clientcomputers, or you can make changes to the RIS settings first. In either case, review the section

titled "Prerequisites for Client Installations" above before servicing the first client computer.

Top of page

Installing Client Computers Using Remote Installation

This section describes the steps required to successfully install Windows 2000 Professional on aNet PC, a Managed PC (PC 98 compliant system), or a PC that contains a network card

supported by the remote installation boot floppy. To ensure a successful client installation,complete all prerequisites listed at the beginning of this document.

1. Reboot your client machine from either the remote floppy or the PXE boot ROM. Whenprompted, press the F12key to start the download of the client installation wizard.

2. Press Enter at the welcome screen.3.

For the user name, type

J

on Grande (this user is created using the CommonInfrastructure step-by-step guide discussed in the Prerequisites Section above.) Press the

Tab key twice. For this instruction set, the password is left blank and the domain nameshould be entered as reskit.com. Press Enter to continue.

4. You will get a warning message that all data on the client machine hard drive will bedeleted. To continue, press Enter.

5. A computer account and a global unique ID for this workstation are displayed. PressEnter to begin Setup. The Windows 2000 Setup program begins.

6. If prompted, type the Product Key(found on the back of the Windows 2000 ProfessionalCD case) and click> Next. (Note: This step can be avoided by specifying the product

key in the .sif file; see Windows 2000 Online Help for assistance in making this changeto the .sif file.)

After the installation is complete, the user is prompted to log on to the network with an existing

user account, password, and logon domain.

At this point, you have successfully configured and installed a remote operating system using

RIS. See below for additional information on configuration options.

Top of page

Configuring Remote Installation Services

This section outlines the specific RIS configuration options that can be configured. If desired,

these optional steps should be performed using the Active Directory Users and Computer snap-in

on the RIS server.

Note: Although not covered in this guide, you can administer the majority of the RISconfiguration settings from a Windows 2000 Professional client. To administer a RIS server

from a Windows 2000 Professional client, install the Administrator Tools package


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AdminPak.msi that ships as part of the Windows 2000 Server CD. The Administrator Toolspackage can be deployed or installed from the \System32 directory on the server.

1. ClickStart, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and clickActiveDirectory Users and Computers.

You are presented with your Active Directory tree as in Figure 3 below:

Figure 3: Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-In

There are two areas of administration concerning the configuration of the RIS serversettings:

o Remote installation server properties, which allow you to determine how this RISserver responds to client computers that request service.

o Advanced settings, which provide additional flexibility regarding the ways inwhich client computers are installed.

Locate your RIS server computer object within the Active Directory Users andComputers snap-in. Depending on the type of server, domain controller, or member

server of a domain, the server's computer object can be located in the Domain ControllerActive Directory container or another container specified by the administrator at install

time.

2. ClickDomain Controllers in the left pane.3. Right-clickHQ-RES-DC-01in the right pane.4. ClickProperties.5. Click the Remote Install tab. The property page appears as in Figure 4 below :


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Figure 4: RemoteInstall Options

The server options control how this RIS server responds to remote client computersrequesting service.

6. ClickAdvanced Settings on the RIS server property page.7. Click the down arrow next to the Generate client computer names using drop-down

box as in Figure 5 below.

Figure 5: Client under Advanced


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The administrator can define the automatic computer naming policy that is used duringOS installation to provide the computer with a unique name. The computer name is used

to identify the client computer on the network, similar to the older NetBIOS name used inprevious versions of the Windows NT and Windows operating systems.

This tab also allows you to define a default Active Directory container for clientcomputer account object creation. You can group clients within a specific directoryservice domain or organizational unit (OU). During OS installation, Windows 2000 setup

queries these settings to ensure the client computer is configured according to what theadministrator has specified. These are the options:

o Default directory service location. This option specifies that the computeraccount object for the client computer will be created in the default ActiveDirectory computer accounts location. The default Active Directory location is set

to the Computers container within the Active Directory. The client computerbecomes a member of the same domain as the RIS server installing the client.

oSame location as the user setting up the computer.This options pecifies that theclient computer account object will be created within the same Active Directory

container as the user setting up the machine. For example, if Jon logs on withinthe Client Installation wizard and his user account currently resides within the

"Users" Active Directory container, the client computer account is created withinthe "Users" container in the Active Directory.

o A specific directory service location. This option allows the administrator to seta specific Active Directory container where all client computer account objects

installed from this server are created. It is assumed that most administrators willselect this option and specify a specific container for all remote installation client

computer account objects to be created in.

Note: If an end user is setting up the client computer, the user must have the appropriate

rights to create the computer account within the domain or OU chosen. For moreinformation on giving users computer account creation permissions, please see the RIS

online Help.

Note: In order for all client computers using the RIS feature for OS installation to containthe same settings, all remote installation servers need to be configured in the exact same

way. This release does not support replication of OS images or RIS configuration settingsbetween RIS servers.

8. Specify the desired user name parameters and directory service location and clickApply.9. Click the Images tab.

The Images tab is used for managing the client operating system images installed on a

RIS server. Its options allow an administrator to add, remove, or modify the properties ofan operating system image.

There are two types of images that can be displayed on the Images tab:


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o CD-based.A CD-based image is simply a copy of the Windows 2000 ProfessionalCD. This installs only the base operating system without applications or

configuration settings.o Remote Installation Preparation (RIPrep). RIPrep images are a combination of

the OS, locally installed applications, and configuration settings. Many companies

standardize on a single type of OS installation across their organization.Administrators can now use RIS to install the base OS, then add corporatestandard applications and configure the installation exactly as they want. Once the

workstation is configured appropriately, the administrator runs the RemoteInstallation Preparation Wizard (RIPrep) utility to create that image on an

available RIS server. Once the image is replicated on the RIS server, new clientcomputers requesting an OS installation can download the image. For more

information on the RIPrep wizard and feature set, please see the section, "Usingthe Remote Installation Preparation Wizard" below.

o Use the Addoption to add a new CD-based OS image or to associate anunattended setup answer file (*.sif) to an existing CD-based image on the RIS

server. You can associate a number of unattended setup answer files to a singleOS-based CD Image. This allows the administrator to offer users a variety of

unattended Windows 2000 installation types, each performing a different type ofinstallation from the same OS image on the RIS server. RIS installs a default

unattended setup installation (.sif) file with the default OS image that was addedduring RIS installation.

Note: You cannot use the Add option on the Images tab to add an RIPrep image,

nor can you use the Add option to associate additional unattended setup answerfiles to a RIPrep image.

oUse the Remove option to remove the unattended setup answer file (*.sif) that isassociated with the OS image. Note that this option removes only the .sif file. Youshould not remove the physical OS image completely until all client computers

have upgraded beyond that version. To remove the OS image from the remoteinstallation server, use Windows Explorer to delete the directory and

subdirectories containing the image.o Use the Propertiesoption to change the friendly description and help text that

describes the operating system image. If you want to change the description of anOS image, click the Image you want to modify and clickProperties. The dialog

box appears as in Figure 6 below:


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Figure 6: Image Properties

If you replace the existing friendly description and help text with new text, all users of

the client installation from that point forward see the new text descriptions. You can alsouse the Properties option to view specific image attributes, such as OS version,language, and the type of image (CD or RIPrep).

10.ClickCancel to make no changes.11.Click the Tools tab if you wish to view its options.

The Tools tab is available for independent software vendors (ISVs) or original equipmentmanufacturers (OEMs) that would like to use their pre-boot tools with RIS. ISVs or

OEMs need to provide an external setup program that adds their respective tool to the\RemoteInstall directory tree. Once added, the tool shows up on the Tools tab and is

available to administrators and users of the Client Installation wizard.

The Tools option also allows ISVs or OEMs to provide pre-OS installation maintenance

and troubleshooting tools to administrators, IT staff, or users. This providesadministrators with an easy way to update client computer systems, such as the system

BIOS.

12.After making the desired changes, close Active Directory snap-in.Top of page

Client Installation Options

There are four installation options that you can choose to present to a user of the Client

Installation wizard. These options are:

y Automatic setup


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y Custom setupy Restart a previous setup attempty Maintenance and troubleshooting

The installation options available to any given user are determined by the specific Remote

Installation Services Group Policy settings. For example, you can choose to provide all membersof the Help Desk Security group access to all of the installation options, yet restrict generalnetwork users to the Automaticsetupand Maintenance and troubleshootingoptions. This prevents

user confusion and helps guide the user to the correct choices for OS installation. By default,users are given the right to automatic setup only.

Automatic Setup

The Automatic setup option is the default installation option enabled for all users of the Client

Installation wizard. If this is the only installation option available to a user, when the user logs onwithin the Client Installation wizard, the automatic setup option is not displayed. Instead, the

Client Installation wizard jumps directly to the OS images selection screen. If there is only oneOS image offered, the user simply logs on within the Client Installation wizard and is asked to

confirm the installation. If more than one OS image is available for installation, the user has achoice of which OS to install. Note that you can configure the RIS server to limit the OS images

the user can see. For more information on restricting OS image access, see the section"Restricting OS Image Options" below.

By using an unattended installation setup answer file (*.sif), you can create several unattended

OS installations that are associated with one CD-based OS image on the remote installationserver. You can customize which items are installed, as well as how the specific OS options are

configured during OS install.

For example, you can choose to create a specific OS unattended setup answer file (*.sif) that

installs the TCP/IP protocol, sets the display resolution to 800 x 600, and sets a specific companyor department name. You can provide a friendly description for this OS image that the user can

relate to, such as Windows 2000 Professional for Sales Staff. The friendly description isconfigurable after the initial posting of the workstation OS image on the RIS server (see the

preceding section on configuring options on the RIS server). When a user logs on, a list of OSinstallation images is displayed for the user to choose from.

When the user selects one of the operating system images, a message displays stating that an

operating system is about to be installed on this computer, and that the operating system requires

the local hard disk to be repartitioned and formatted, thus erasing all data that currently resideson the disk.

Note: An administrator can edit the "Caution.osc" screen using the Notepad.exe program to

provide a friendly message regarding the repartition and format of the local hard disk.


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Custom Setup

The Custom setup option allows you to override the automatic computer name assignment, as

well as the computer account creation mechanism. You are prompted to manually enter acomputer name or the Active Directory location where the computer account should be created.

Note: The Custom setup option can also be used to pre-stage a client computer into the ActiveDirectory before delivery of the PC to the end user. Windows 2000 Remote Installation Services

do not support fully unattended installations on machines that contain ISA or non Plug and Playaware devices.

Restart a Previous Setup Attempt

This option provides the ability to restart a failed setup attempt. If you started to install the OS

and for some reason lost your connection to the RIS server, you can reboot the client computer,press F12when prompted for a network service boot, and choose the Restart a Previous Setup

Attempt. This restarts the installation of the previous installation attempt without asking for thecomputer name or Active Directory location previously entered before the initial failure.

Maintenance and Troubleshooting

This option provides access to third-party ISV and or OEM Pre-OS maintenance and

troubleshooting tools.

Restricting Client Installation Options

To restrict the client installation options for users of RIS within your organization, apply the

appropriate Group Policy settings for the RIS servers on your network.

1. ClickStart, point to Programs, point to Administrative tools, and clickActiveDirectory Users and Computers.

2. Locate the Active Directory container where you would like the RIS policy settings to beset. By default, the RIS policy settings are applied within theDefault Domain PolicyObject, which is located at the root of your domain.

3. Right-clickReskit.com in the left pane, and click the Properties option.4. Click the Group Policytab from the top of the Properties dialog box.5. Click the Default Domain Policyobject and clickEdit.6. Expand the User Configuration option by clicking the + next to it (unless it is already

expanded), and then expand the Windows Settings option in the same way. Click theRemote Installation Services option as in Figure 7 below.


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Figure 7: Group Policy RIS Choice Options

7. Double-click the Choice Options in the right pane.Each Choice Option allows for a specific setting, as follows:

o Allow. If this option is selected, the users that this policy is applied to are offeredthe installation option.

o Don't Care. If this option is selected, the administrator accepts the policy settingsof the parent container. For example, if the administrator for the entire domain hasset RIS specific policy, and the administrator of this container has chosen the

Don't Care option, the policy that is set on the domain is applied to all users who

are affected by that policy.o Deny. If this option is set, the users affected by this policy are not allowed toaccess that installation option within the Client Installation wizard.

8. Close the Choice Options and other windows, and close the Active Directory Users andComputers Snap-In.

Restricting OS Image Options

RIS provides the administrator flexibility in the amount of control users have in choosing the OS

that is installed on their computer. The administrator can configure the RIS servers to guide usersthrough a successful OS installation without requiring the user to select the correct OS image.

By setting explicit user or group security permissions on the unattended setup answer file (*.sif)for a given OS image, you can determine which OS options a user can see and install. You can

choose to allow all users of RIS to choose from all of the OS images available on a given RISserver, or you can restrict the user to only a select few that are appropriate for that user or group

of users.

1. ClickStart, point to Programs, point to Accessories, and clickWindows Explorer.


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2. Click the + next to MyComputer3. Click the + next to New Volume4. Click the + next to RemoteInstall5. Click the + next to Setup6. Click the + next to English (or whatever language you are using)7.

Click the + next to Images8. Click the + next to win2000.pro

9. Click the + next to i38610.ClickTemplate. A sample directory structure is shown in Figure 8 below.

Figure 8: Templates

Note: Each CD-based OS image that you add to a RIS server has an associated

\Templates directory that contains the image's associated unattended setup answer files(*.sif).

Depending on the level of restriction that you want to establish, you can set specific

access permissions on the \Templates directory or in the individual unattended setupanswer files within this directory. If you have not associated additional unattended

answer files to the base OS image, you will only see one SIF file (Ristndrd.sif) within the

\Templates directory.

11.Right-click the \Templates directory, and click the Properties option. The property pagefor the \Templates folder appears.

12.Select the Securitytab. A dialog box appears as in Figure 9 below:


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Figure 9: Template Properties

In this example, the existing security permissions allow all users access to this OS image

from within the Client Installation wizard.

13.To restrict access to this OS image, select the Everyone group, and clickRemove. Thisremoves user access to this OS image. If a normal user were to run the Client Installation

wizard at this point, the user would not have access to any available OS image to install.14.ClickAdd, and select the security group or individual users that should be allowed access

to this OS image. ClickAdd to add them to the authorized list, and then clickOKtwice.The default permissions that are set for each user or security group are sufficient for use

with RIS.

Note: Selecting individual users for specific access can become an administrative burden.

Instead group your users by security group and apply the security group to the \Templatesdirectory for OS image access. In this way, if you add users to the security group, they already

have access to the correct OS image.

Important NoteNever remove the permissions assigned to the Administrators group for a .SIFfile. Doing so will prevent the RIS components themselves from accessing the file and prevent

proper client installations.

At this point, you are ready to service client computers with RIS. Ensure that all services arerunning, all configuration settings have been made, and that the client computers adhere to the

minimum requirements as described above.

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Remote Installation Preparation Wizard (RIPrep)

The Remote Installation Preparation wizard (RIPrep.exe) provides the ability to prepare an

existing Windows 2000 Professional installation, including locally installed applications andspecific configuration setting, and replicate that image to an available RIS server on the network.

The RIPrep feature currently supports replication of a single disk single partition (CDriveonly)with Windows 2000 Professional installation. This means that the OS and all of the

applications that make up the standard installation must reside on the C: drive before running thewizard.

First use RIS to remotely install the base Windows 2000 Professional OS on a client computer.Next, install any desired applications on the client computer. Configure the installation to adhere

to any company policies; for example, you might choose to define specific screen colors, set thebackground bitmap to a company-based logo, or set intranet proxy server settings within Internet

Explorer. Once the workstation is configured and tested, run the Remote Installation Preparationwizard (RIPrep.exe) from the RIS server that will receive the RIPrep-based OS image.

The destination computer does not need to have the same hardware as the source computer used

to create the image, with the exception that the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) drivers mustbe the same. For example, both computers must be ACPI (Advanced Configuration and Power

Interface)-based or both must be non ACPI-based). In many cases, workstation-class computersdo not require unique HAL drivers. The RIPrep utility uses the new Plug and Play support that

ships with Windows 2000 for detecting any differences between the source and the destinationcomputer hardware during image installation time.

To run the Remote Installation Preparation wizard (RIPrep.exe)

1.

Install the base Windows 2000 Professional OS from an available RIS server on asupported client computer.

2. Install any applications locally on the client computer. Configure the client computerwith any specific corporate standard desktop settings. Be sure the client installation is

exactly as you want it to be. Once the image is replicated to the RIS server, you cannotalter its configuration.

3. Connect to the RIS server where you want to replicate this image, as follows:4. ClickStart , clickRun, and type the following command in the Open text box:5. \\RISservername\Reminst\Admin\I386\RIPrep.exe

where RISservername is the computer name of the destination RIS server. In our

example, this is HQ-RES-DC-01. Reminstis the Remote Installation Share that is createdwhen you installed the RIS service on the server.Admin is the directory that contains the

RIPrep.exe that launches the remote installation.

6. At this point, the Remote Installation Preparation wizard starts and you are presentedwith a welcome screen that describes the feature and its functionality. ClickNext.

7. You are prompted to enter the name of the RIS server where you would like to replicatethe contents of the client hard disk. By default, the RIS server that the wizard


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(RIPrep.exe) is being run from is automatically filled in (in our example, Reskit.com).ClickNext.

8. You are prompted to provide the name of the directory on the RIS server where thisimage will be copied. The image is created under the \remoteInstall\setup\OS

Language\Images directory. ClickNext.

9.

You are prompted to provide a friendly description and help text describing this image.The friendly description and help text are displayed to users of the Client Installationwizard during OS image selection. Provide enough information that a user can

distinguish between images. ClickNext.10.The wizard displays a summary screen of your selections. After you have reviewed them,

clickNext.

The image preparation and replication process begins. The system is prepared and files arecopied to the RIS server specified. Once the replication of the image completes, any remote boot

enabled client computer can select the image for a local installation.

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Remote Installation Boot Disk Option

The remote installation boot disk can be used with computers that do not contain a remote boot-

enabled ROM on the network card. The boot disk is designed to simulate the PXE boot process

for computers that lack a supported DHCP PXE-based remote boot ROM. The boot diskgenerator utility is called RBFG.EXE and is located within the \RemoteInstall\admin directory

on every Remote Installation Server.

The RBFG.exe utility is also contained within the Administrator Tools package that ships withWindows 2000 Server. The Administrator Tools package can be deployed across your

organization using either Systems Management Server 2.0 or using the new SoftwareManagement feature, which is part of the Group Policy infrastructure.

Creating a Remote Installation Boot Floppy

To create a Remote Installation Boot Floppy, run the RBFG.exe utility from the RIS server eitheron a client computer that is connected to the RIS server or a computer with the administrator

tools package installed.

1. ClickStart, clickRun, and in the Open text box, type RBFG.exe, and clickOK.Note: The RBFG.exe utility does not allow you to add network adapters). To create a remote

installation boot disk, insert a disk into the appropriate drive and then select Create Disk.

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Remote Boot ROM PXE Architecture

Remote Installation Services uses DHCP for IP address assignment to clients. When a new

DHCP- PXE-based remote boot client computer is powered on for the first time, the clientrequests an Internet Protocol (IP) address, and the IP address of an active boot server via the

DHCP protocol. As part of the initial request, the client computer sends out its globally uniqueidentifier (GUID or UUID), which is used to uniquely identify the client machine within the

Active Directory, in the case of Windows 2000 Remote Installation Services.

From the RIS server, the client computer receives:

y Its own IP address from DHCP.y The IP address of the RIS server.y The name of a boot image the client computer will need to request when contacting the

RIS server for initial service.

Once the client request is made, the first RIS server to respond will check Active Directory to seeif this client has been pre-staged or not. RIS does this by checking in Active Directory for a

computer account object that has the unique GUID/UUID.

The PXE process is used every time a remote boot ROM-enabled client requests a network

service boot. Remote boot/installation server vendors implement their own process to downloadthe first image.

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Conclusion

The information presented in this guide has provided the technical details required to install,

configure, and use Microsoft Remote Installation Services.

Remote Installation Services require several of the Windows 2000 Server technologiesActiveDirectory, DHCP server, and the DNS server services. The remote installation server also

requires that client computers contain either the new DHCP PXE-based remote boot capableROMs or a network card supported by the remote installation boot floppy.

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Appendix A: Remote Installation Server and Workstation Hardware Requirements

Server Hardware Requirements

See the Product Compatibility page to verify that your server meets the minimum requirements

for Windows 2000 Server.

y Pentium or Pentium II 200 megahertz (MHz) recommended (166 MHz minimum)


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y 64 MB RAM minimum. If additional services such as the DS, DHCP, and DNS areinstalled then the minimum amount of RAM is 96 or 128 MB

y 2-GB drive dedicated to the Remote Installation Servers directory treey 10 or 100 megabits per second (Mbps) network adapter card. (100 Mbps preferred.)

Note: You should dedicate an entire hard drive or partition specifically to the RemoteInstallation Services directory tree. (SCSI-based disk controller/disks are preferred.)

Client Hardware Requirements

See the Product Compatibility page to make sure that your workstation meets the minimum

requirements for Windows 2000 Professional.

y Pentium 166 MHz or greater NetPC client computery 32 MB of RAMy 1.2-GB drive minimumy PXE DHCP-based boot ROM version .99c or greater or a network adapter supported bythe RIS boot floppy.

Best Practice:Always check with the manufacturer of your network adapter to get the latestversion of the PXEROM.

NetworkCards supported by RIS Boot Floppy

3 Com NetworkAdapters

y 3c900 (Combo and TP0)y

3c900B

(Combo, FL, TPC, TP0)y 3c905 (T4 and TX)y 3c905B (Combo, TX, FX)

AMDNetworkAdapters

y AMD PCNet and Fast PC NetCompaq NetworkAdapters

y Netflex 100 (NetIntelligent II)y

Netflex 110 (NetIntelligent III)

Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC)NetworkAdapters

y DE 450y DE 500

Hewlett-Packard NetworkAdapters


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y HP Deskdirect 10/100 TXIntel Corporation NetworkAdapters

y Intel Pro 10+y

Intel Pro 100+y Intel Pro 100B (including the E100 series)

SMCNetworkAdapters

y SMC 8432y SMC 9332y SMC 9432

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Appendix B: Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know I have the correct PXE ROM version?

When the NetPC or client computer ROM-boots, a PXE (LSA) ROM message appears on the

screen. You can see which version of the PXE ROM code is displayed during the boot sequenceof the client machine. Windows 2000 RIS supports .99c or greater PXE ROMs. You may be

required to obtain a newer version of the PXE-based ROM code from your OEM if you are notsuccessful with this existing ROM version.

How do I know if the client computer has received an IP Address and has contacted the

Remote InstallationS

erver?

When the client computer boots, the PXE Boot ROM begins to load and initialize. The following

4-step sequence occurs with most Net PC or PXE ROM-based computers (Note: the sequencemay be different on your computer):

Step 1: The client computer displays the message BootP. This message indicates the client is

requesting an IP address from the DHCP server.

Troubleshooting: If the client does not get past the BootP message, it means the client is not

receiving an IP address. Things to check are:

y Is the DHCP server available and has the service started? DHCP and RIS servers must beauthorized in the Active Directory for their services to start. Check that the service has

started and that other non-remote boot-enabled clients are receiving IP addresses on thissegment.

y Can other client computersthat is non-remote boot-enabled clientsreceive an IPaddress on this network segment?


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y Does the DHCP server have a defined IP address scope and has it been activated? Tocheck this clickStart, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and click

DHCP.y ClickStart, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and clickEvent Viewer.

Are there any error messages in the event log under the System Log for DHCP?y

Is there a router between the client and the DHCP server that is not allowing DHCPpackets through?

Step 2: When the client receives an IP address from the DHCP server, the message changes toDHCP. This indicates the client successfully leased an IP address and is now waiting to contact

the Remote Installation Server.

Troubleshooting: If the client does not get past the DHCP message, it means the client is notreceiving a response from the remote installation server. Things to check are:

y Is the remote installation server available and has the (BINLSVC) RIS service started?RIS servers must be authorized in the Active Directory for their services to start. Checkto ensure the service has started using the DHCP snap-in (clickStart, point to Programs,point to Administrative Tools, and clickDHCP).

y Are other remote boot-enabled clients receiving the Client Installation wizard? If so, thismay indicate this client computer is not supported or is having remote boot ROM-related

problems. Check the version of the PXE ROM on the client computer.

Is there a router between the client and the remote installation server that is not allowingthe DHCP-based requests/responses through? When the RIS client and the RIS server are

on separate subnets the router between the two systems must be configured to forwardDHCP packets to the RIS server. This is because RIS clients discover a RIS server by

using a DHCP broadcast message. Without DHCP forwarding set up on a router, theclients' DHCP broadcasts will never reach the RIS server. This DHCP forwarding process

is sometimes referred to as DHCP Proxy or IP Helper Address in router configurationmanuals. Please refer to your router instructions for setting up DHCP forwarding on your

specific router.

y Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and click Event Viewer.Are there any error messages in the event log under the System or Application logs

specific to RIS (BINLSVC), DNS, or the Active Directory?

Step 3: The client changes to BINLor prompts the user to click the F12key. This means that the

client has contacted the RIS server and is waiting to TFTP the first image fileOSChooser. Youmay not see the BINL and TFTP message as on some machines as this sequence simply flashes

by too quickly.

Troubleshooting: If the client machine does not get a response from the Remote InstallationServer, the client times out and displays an error that it did not receive a file from either DHCP,

BINL, or TFTP. In this case, the RIS Server did not answer the client computer.


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Stop and restart the BINLSVC. From the Start menu, clickRun, and type CMD. Enter thesecommands:

Net Stop BINLSVC

Net Start BINLSVC

If the client machine does not receive an answer after attempting to stop and restart the service,then check the Remote installation Server Object properties to ensure the correct setting has been

setthat is, verify that RIS is set to "Respond to client computers requesting service", and "Donot respond to unknown client computers". ClickStart, point to Programs, point to

Administrative Tools, and clickEvent Viewer to check the Event log on the RIS server for anyerrors relating to DHCP, DNS, or RIS (BINLSVC).

Step 4: At this point, the client should have downloaded and displayed the Client Installation

wizard application with a Welcome screen greeting the user.

Does RIS support remote installation of Windows 2000 Server CD-based or RIPrep OS

images?

No. RIS does not support remotely installing Windows 2000 Server.

Does RIS support remotely installing an OS image (RIPrep or CD-based) on laptop

computers?

Yes and no. RIS has been tested with laptop computers in docking stations that support the

required PXE ROM code. The laptops must be located within the docking stations with the

network cable plugged into the network adapter located in the docking station.

RIS does not support laptop computers that contain PC Card or PCMCIA cards that contain aPXE supported ROM.

Is the Pre-Boot portion of the PXE-based Remote Boot ROM Secure?

No. The entire ROM sequence and OS installation/replication is not secure with regard to packet

type encryption, client/server spoofing, or wire sniffer based mechanisms. As such, use cautionwhen using the RIS service on your corporate network. Ensure that you only allow authorized

RIS servers on your network and that the number of administrators allowed to install and or

configure RIS servers is controlled.

Can RIPrep-based OS images be replicated to alternate media such as DVDs, CDs, and/or

Zip drives?

No. This is something that is being considered for the next major release of RIS.


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Does the RIPrep feature of RIS support different hardware between the source computer

used to create the RIPrep-based OS image and the destination computer that will install

the image?

Yes. The hardware between the source PC and the destination PC can be different. The one

exception to this is the Hardware Abstraction layer (HAL) driver used. For example, if thesource PC is an Advanced Configuration Power Interface (ACPI)-based computer, it uses aspecific ACPI HAL driver. If you attempt to install this RIPrep image on a non-ACPI-based or

enabled computer, it will fail.

Does the RIPrep wizard support multiple disks and or multiple partitions on a given client

computer?

No. The RIPrep utility only supports a single disk with a single partition (C:\ drive) in thisrelease of RIS.

How does the RIPrep wizard deal with disks that differ in size between the source PC usedto create the image and the destination PC that will receive it?

The destination PC's disk size must be equal to or larger than the source disk used to create theimage.

How do I replicate all of the OS images currently located on one of my RIS servers to other

RIS servers on the network for consistency across all client installations?

Currently RIS does not provide a mechanism for replication of OS images from one RIS server

to another. There are several mechanisms that can be employed to solve this problem. Take

advantage of the replication features of the Microsoft Systems Management Server product, forexample. This product provides for scheduled replication, compression, and slow link features.You can also employ third-party vendor solutions for OS image replication. Ensure that the

replication mechanism supports maintaining the file attributes and security settings of the sourceimages.

Can I have an RIS server and a third-party remote boot server on the network at the same

time? If so, what are the implications?

Yes. You can have multiple vendor Remote Boot/Installation (RB/RI) servers on one physical

network. It is important to understand that currently the remote boot PXE ROM code does not

know the difference between vendors RB

/RI servers. As such, when a remote boot-enabled clientcomputer powers up and requests the IP address of a RB/RI server, all of the available serversrespond to that client. Thus, the client has no way to ensure it is serviced by a specific RB/RI

server.

RIS allows an administrator the ability to pre-stage client computers into the Active Directoryand mandate which RIS server services that client. By configuring the RIS server to answer only

known client computers (pre-staged), the administrator is assured that the correct RIS server


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services the client. Not all of the third-party RB/RI vendors have implemented the ability toignore service requests, so you may need to segment off the specific vendors servers so that

clients are not answered by these vendors' RB/RI servers.

Can I remotely manage the RIS servers from Windows 2000 Professional workstations on

my network.

Yes. If you are an administrator in the domain and you have installed the Administrator Tools

MSI package, you can administer the majority of the RIS configuration settings. There are someitems that you cannot manage. For example, you cannot remotely add additional OS images to

RIS servers from Windows 2000 workstation computers.

Can I add additional network adapter cards to the RIS Boot Floppy?

No. The RBFG.exe utility is hard-coded with the supported network card adapters for this release

of RIS. Microsoft will be adding additional network card adapters over time. Microsoft makes

the updated RB

FG.exe utility available through normal distribution channels such as the Web,Windows Update, and future service/feature pack updates.

Can I use the Active Directory object attributes to create a naming format for use with the

RIS automatic computer-naming feature?

No. The existing attributes supported with the automatic computer-naming feature leverage theActive Directory. However, all of the Active Directory object attributes are not currently

supported. This is something that is being investigated for a future release of RIS.

Where do I look on the client computer to find the GUID/UUID for pre-staging clients in

theA

ctive Directory for use with RIS?

The GUID/UUID for client computers that are PC98 or Net PC compliant can be found (in most

cases) in the system BIOS. OEMs are encouraged to ship a floppy disk containing a comma-separated file or spreadsheet that contains a mapping of Serial # to GUID/UUID. This allows you

to script pre-staging client computers within the Active Directory. OEMs are also encouraged topost the GUID/UUID on the outside of the computer case for easy identification and pre-staging

of computer accounts. If the GUID is not found in the above-mentioned locations, you can sniffthe network traffic of the client, locate the DHCP Discover packet, and within that field will be

the 128-bit 32 byte GUID/UUID.

Important Notes

The example company, organization, products, people, and events depicted in this step-by-step

guide are fictitious. No association with any real company, organization, product, person, orevent is intended or should be inferred.


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This common infrastructure is designed for use on a private network. The fictitious companyname and DNS name used in the common infrastructure are not registered for use on the

Internet. Please do not use this name on a public network or Internet.

The Active Directory structure for this common infrastructure is designed to show how Windows

2000 features work and function with the Active Directory. It was not designed as a model forconfiguring an Active Directory for any organizationfor such information see the ActiveDirectory documentation.

create a remote installation preparation wizard image

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