Deploy Windows 7 through WDS on Win 2008 R2 - Step by Step

Hi,

you need to download Windows 7 AIK to capture image.

Article about WAIK usage
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349343%28WS.10%29.aspx

Before you will do that, you have to use sysprep on 7 to erase SID specification.

To do that, run from command-line on 7

cd\
cd %windir%\system32\sysprep
sysprep -oobe -generalize

WAIK you can download from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=696dd665-9f76-4177-a811-39c26d3b3b34&displaylang=pl

You can also create unattended.xml file to do automated installation.

Add WDS role on your Windows 2008 server. Remember if there is also set DHCP server, you need to define option no. 060 in your DHCP scope.

Regards,
Krzysztof

I found also some interesting links for you

Video tutorial for sysprep
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee530017.aspx

Windows System Image Manager User Interface (you can make your unattended file there)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721945%28WS.10%29.aspx

This is a step-by-step guide for Vista but it would look similarly to 7
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc721929%28WS.10%29.aspx

Krzysztof

Hi Thanks for response

If i simply follow instructions from
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee530017.aspx

This will give me a WIM file that will have a customized windows and applications. What are next steps that i need to perform to deploy it using WDS to all 20 PCs?

Yes, you need other steps according to WDS. Thia video only shows how to prepare WIM file (image file) then you need to use WDS to deploy it to those PCs. That's very few steps more to do it automatically :)

If you need support let me know

Krzysztof

I understand what you are trying to say here :)

I already have Windows 2008 WDS setup. I have checked in "Lite Touch....." as boot image from Win 7 CD. To my understanding i only need to check in this WIM file (as explained here http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee530017.aspx) under "Install Images" and that will let us deploy Win7. It will ofcourse ask questions during deployment.

And if we want to avoid these questions we need to configure unattended.xml file through SIM tool

Am i correct or missing any vital step here?