WDS with unattended installation.
I was wathcing WDS installation with unattended xml file. I wonderred if any of you guys had trouble with this setup. For example, a computer somehow had disk access trouble and when a user turns on a computer, WDS server wipes out the computer's harddisk and reinstall.
I can imagin this can be avoid by setting up the filter, but also it can be sure if the filter runs properly until the accident happens.
How d you guys use WDS in our environment and to what level?
Do you use WDS with unattended installation?
And how do you patch the install image and how often? Do you just recapture the most up-to-date pc?
When you run sysprep, does it delete all user files?
I can imagin this can be avoid by setting up the filter, but also it can be sure if the filter runs properly until the accident happens.
How d you guys use WDS in our environment and to what level?
Do you use WDS with unattended installation?
And how do you patch the install image and how often? Do you just recapture the most up-to-date pc?
When you run sysprep, does it delete all user files?
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" then it sets up the PC for the end user based on their group membership, including installation of Office, installation of apps like Adobe Acrobat and Java via a scripted Ninite execution (always ensuring the deployed image has the latest updates as opposed to a static image that would require updates regularly). "
I also wonder you do this. Do you script with powershell to install applications based on user needs?
Also, how do you handle driver situation? Half of our computers are custom built and have various motherboard types. In this case, do you find correct drives and insert to a Drive Group under WDS before deployment ?
I also wonder you do this. Do you script with powershell to install applications based on user needs?
Also, how do you handle driver situation? Half of our computers are custom built and have various motherboard types. In this case, do you find correct drives and insert to a Drive Group under WDS before deployment ?
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Great. Thank you.
the simple answer for your question about when a computer has a disk problem and goes to network boot how to NOT overwite the existing installation is to require f12 to be pressed to continue the pxe boot
ASKER
What I meant is, I thought it's possible that after you deployed a new pc with WDS, you might have left it to boot to network on the pc and if it's unattended WDS installation (ZTI), it could wipe out the pc and reinstall from WDS. Isn't it possible? Or some computers have network boot as default and it could be wiped for the same reasons.
Also, you mentioned 'You cannot capture the most up to date PC - you would have an unsupported image. ' Let's say I have windows 7 install.wim, I like to patch the image with service pack 1 and most recent updates. If then, using DISM or any image utility, patching the file will be not a good option? I understand patching deployed computers with WSUS after deployment is done, but I was wondering what option is available to keep the install.wim updated so that I can reduce time for deployment.
When you do unattended installation for multiple computers, for example like 20 or more, how do you handle parameters like Product Key, Computer name? Each computer should have different values of them or use temporary, but still different.