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Automating the Windows 7 Installation : Choosing Automated Deployment Options (part 2)

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2. An Overview of Unattended Installation

Unattended installation is a practical method of automatic deployment when you have a large number of clients to install and the computers require different hardware and software configurations. Unattended installations utilize an answer file called Unattend.xml to provide configuration information during the unattended installation process.

With an unattended installation, you can use a distribution share to install Windows 7 on the target computers. You can also use a Windows 7 DVD with an answer file located on the root of the DVD, on a floppy disk, or on a universal flash device (UFD), such as an external USB flash drive.

Unattended installations allow you to create customized installations that are specific to your environment. Custom installations can support custom hardware and software installations. Since the answer file for Windows 7 is in XML format, all custom configuration information can be contained within the Unattend.xml file. This is different from past versions of Windows where creating automated installation routines for custom installations required multiple files to be used. In addition to providing standard Windows 7 configuration information, you can use the answer file to provide installation instructions for applications, additional language support, service packs, and device drivers.

If you use a distribution share, it should contain the Windows 7 operating system image and the answer file to respond to installation configuration queries. The target computer must be able to connect to the distribution share over the network. After the distribution share and target computers are connected, you can initiate the installation process. Figure 2 illustrates the unattended installation process.

Figure 2. Unattended installation with distribution share and a target computer

2.1. Advantages of Unattended Installation

In a mid-size or large organization, it just makes sense to use automated setups. As stated earlier, it is impossible to install hundreds of Windows 7 machines one at a time. But there are many advantages to using unattended installations as a method for automating Windows 7:

  • Unattended installation saves time and money because users do nor have to interactively respond to each installation query.

  • It can be configured to provide automated query response while still selectively allowing users to provide specified input during installations.

  • It can be used to install clean copies of Windows 7 or upgrade an existing operating system (providing it is on the list of permitted operating systems) to Windows 7.

  • It can be expanded to include installation instructions for applications, additional language support, service packs, and device drivers.

  • The physical media for Windows 7 does not need to be distributed to all computers on which it will be installed.

2.2. Disadvantages of Unattended Installation

A client operating system is one of the most important items that you will install onto a machine. As an IT manager and consultant, I have always felt better installing a client operating system when I am physically doing it. This way, if there are any glitches, I can see and deal with them immediately.

As stated earlier, a manual installation is not practical for mass installations. But one of the biggest disadvantages to performing an unattended installation is that an administrator does not physically walk through the installation of Windows 7. If something happens during the install, you may never know it, but the end user may experience small issues throughout the entire lifetime of the machine.

Some of the other disadvantages of using unattended installations as a method for automating Windows 7 installations are listed here:

  • They require more initial setup than a standard installation of Windows 7.

  • Someone must have access to each client computer and must initiate the unattended installation process on the client side.

3. An Overview of Windows Deployment Services

Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is an updated version of Remote Installation Services (RIS). WDS is a suite of components that allows you to remotely install Windows 7 on client computers.

A WDS server installs Windows 7 on the client computers, as illustrated in Figure 3. The WDS server must be configured with the Reboot Execution Environment (PXE) boot files, the images to be deployed to the client computers, and the answer file. WDS client computers must be PXE capable. PX E is a technology that is used to boot to the network when no operating system or network configuration has been installed and configured on a client computer.

Figure 3. Windows Deployment Services (WDS) uses a WDS server and WDS clients.

The WDS clients access the network with the help of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) server. This allows the WDS client to remotely install the operating system from the WDS server. The network environment must be configured with a DHCP server, a Domain Name System (DNS) server, and Active Directory to connect to the WDS server. No other client software is required to connect to the WDS server. Remote installation is a good choice for automatic deployment when you need to deploy to large numbers of computers and the client computers are PXE compliant.

3.1. Advantages of WDS

The advantages of using WDS as a method for automating Windows 7 installations are as follows:

  • Windows 7 installations can be standardized across a group or organization.

  • The physical media for Windows 7 does not need to be distributed to all computers that will be installed.

  • End-user installation deployment can be controlled through the Group Poiicy utility, For example, you can configure what choices a user can access or are automatically specified through the end-user Setup Wizard.

3.2. Disadvantages of WDS

The disadvantages of using WDS as a method for automating Windows 7 installations include the following:

  • WDS can be used only if your network is running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2008 with Active Directory installed.

  • The clients that use WDS must be PXE capable.

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