Install XP from LAN - once and for all

I want to know what is the best way to install windows XP from LAN only. I've tried before TFTPD32, spent countless hours and got only to boot a machine not to install.

I understand that I can do it using windows server 2008 R2 and windows deployment services. but this also seems like a complex method. any other ways I should know about?

http://www.boot-land...?...ost&p=23652

http://diddy.boot-la...t/pxe/index.htm

Here's I do it.

You have to know how to use virtual floppy drive http://chitchat.at.i...fd21-080206.zip
for DOS bootdisks.

Create an unattended Windows XP Network Share using setupmgr.exe

Put smartdrv.exe to Network Share folder. You have to acquire it from a Windows 98 SE Custom on a floppy disk. http://computerdon.c...ds/boot98sc.exe and place it on the network share

Boot target PC to Super Fdisk or just fdisk http://www.ptdd.com/sdisk.zip to make a FAT partition.
(either through boot disk or PXE)

Boot target PC to netbootdisk http://www.netbootdi...om/download.htm
(either through boot disk or PXE)

from netbootdisk mount Windows XP Network Share folder using net use

Run smartdrv.exe (It will take hours if you don't run it)

Run winnt.exe

Wait for me, I'll create a guide.

I'm no expert but this is how I do it.

Things can be summed up to these two:
Creating an unattended Windows XP Network Install Share
and
Installing Windows XP from a Network Install Share using Netbootdisk

Easy, right?

Acquiring the things you need is what makes it lengthy.


Obtaining setupmgr.exe

Insert 'Windows XP CD'

Open 'Windows XP CD'

Extract contents of '\SUPPORT\TOOLS\Deploy.cab' to desired folder

You now have Setup Manager (setupmgr.exe)


Obtaining smartdrv.exe

Download and extract 'Virtual Floppy Drive' to a folder
http://chitchat.at.i...fd21-080206.zip

Run 'vfdwin.exe'

Click 'Driver' Tab

Click 'Install'

Click 'Start'

Click 'Drive0' Tab

Click 'Open/Create'

Click 'Create'

Click 'Change' to change Drive Letter to A:

Download 'BOOT98SC.exe' from bootdisk.com
http://computerdon.c...ds/boot98sc.exe

Run 'BOOT98SC.exe'

Open 'Drive A:'

Copy 'SMARTDRV.exe'

Paste 'SMARTDRV.exe' to Network Install share or temporary folder

You can now start on creating the network share

Creating an unattended Windows XP Network Share

Open 'setupmgr.exe'

Click 'Next'

Choose 'Create New'

Click 'Next'

Choose 'Unattended setup'

Click 'Next'

Choose 'Windows XP Professional'

Click 'Next'

Choose 'Fully automated'

Choose 'Create new distribution share'

Click 'Next'

Choose 'On the CD' or 'In the following folder:' and browse for '\I386' folder

Click 'Next'

Click 'Browse' and locate the folder to store the Network Share

Click 'Next'

Check 'I accept the terms of the License Agreement'

Fill in the Answers to be placed on the 'unattended.txt' answer file

Click 'Next' for every answer

Click 'Finish'

Click 'Browse' and locate the folder to store the 'unattended.txt' answer file

Click 'OK' and Setup will begin to copy the files on the CD to the 'Network Share' folder

Click 'Cancel' to close 'Setup Manager' window

Put 'smartdrv.exe' to the newly created 'Network Install Share' folder
'C:\windist' by default

You can now start installing XP from this Network Share

Installing Windows XP from a Network Install Share using Netbootdisk

Create or Convert 'C:' Drive of target PC to 'FAT' using Super Fdisk
(I've done this on a clean hard drive or a PC with no important files whatsoever)
(You're already network booting so I guess you know what you're doing, we're formatting hard drives here)

Boot the 'target PC' with 'Netbootdisk'

Allow DHCP to provide 'IP Address' or Manually type the 'IP Address'

Mount the 'Network Install Share' folder by typing
N:\>net use w: \\ipaddress or nameofcomputer\windist

Open the mounted 'Network Install Share' folder by typing
N:\>w:

Run 'smartdrv.exe' on the 'Network Share' folder by typing
w:\>smartdrv.exe

Open 'i386' folder by typing
w:\>cd i386

Run 'DOS Windows Installer' by typing
w:\i386>winnt.exe /s:w:\i386 /u:w:\unattend.txt

It will start textmode installation, then restart computer.

Boot from hard drive instead of Netbootdisk.

GUI mode installation starts.

After Finishing Installation type this on CMD to convert FAT to NTFS
convert C: /fs:ntfs

That's it, but you probably want to boot Super Fdisk and Netbootdisk from PXE.

TFTPD32 - Setting up PXE Server

Download 'tftpd32.335.zip' from tftpd32.jounin.net
http://tftpd32.jouni...2_download.html

Extract 'tftpd32.335.zip' anywhere you like or
C:\tftpd32.335\

Download 'syslinux-4.02.zip' from
http://www.kernel.or.../boot/syslinux/

Extract 'syslinux-4.02.zip' anywhere you like or
C:\syslinux-4.02\

Open 'C:\syslinux-4.02\memdisk' folder

Copy 'memdisk'

Paste 'memdisk' to 'C:\tftpd32.335\'

Open 'C:\syslinux-4.02\com32\menu' folder

Copy 'menu.c32'

Paste 'menu.c32' to 'C:\tftpd32.335\'

Open 'C:\syslinux-4.02\core' folder

Copy 'pxelinux.0'

Paste 'pxelinux.0' to 'C:\tftpd32.335\'

Open 'C:\tftpd32.335\'

Create 'New Folder'

Rename 'New Folder' to 'pxelinux.cfg'

Open 'Notepad.exe'

Paste the following text inside the lines
------------------------------------
DEFAULT menu.c32
PROMPT 0
NOESCAPE 0
ALLOWOPTIONS 0
TIMEOUT 100

MENU TITLE PXE Boot menu

# MS-DOS Loader
LABEL NetBoot
MENU LABEL Net Boot Disk
MENU DEFAULT
KERNEL MEMDISK raw
APPEND initrd=NetBoot.img vga=1

LABEL SFdisk
MENU LABEL Super Fdisk
KERNEL MEMDISK raw
APPEND initrd=SFdisk.img vga=1
------------------------------------

Save As... 'default' with no file extension (not 'default.txt')

Now add the Floppy Disk Images that will show up on the PXE menu.

Obtaining Netbootdisk Floppy Disk Image

Mount 'Floppy Disk' using 'Virtual Floppy Drive'

Right click on A: drive and select "Format..."

Check the 'Create an MS-DOS startup disk'

Click 'Start'

Click 'Ok'

Click 'Ok'

Download and extract 'netboot65.zip' from netbootdisk.com
http://www.netbootdi...d/netboot65.zip

Run 'MakeDisk.bat'

Follow instructions

Click 'Save' on 'Virtual Floppy Drive'

Click 'Browse'

Save file as 'Netboot.img' to 'C:\tftpd32.335\'

Obtaining Super Fdisk Floppy Disk Image

Mount 'Floppy Disk' using 'Virtual Floppy Drive'

Download and extract 'sdisk.zip' from ptdd.com
http://www.ptdd.com/sdisk.zip

Install 'SuperFdiskSetup.exe'

Create Bootable Floppy Disk

After Bootable Floppy Disk is created

Click 'Save' on 'Virtual Floppy Drive'

Click 'Browse'

Save file as 'SFdisk.img' to 'C:\tftpd32.335\'

Final steps

Open 'C:\tftpd32.335\' folder

Run 'tftpd32.exe'

Click 'DHCP server' tab

Type 'pxelinux.0' on 'Boot File'

Type in other settings.

Click 'Save'

Click 'Settings'

Uncheck 'Translate Unix file names'

Check 'Bind TFTP to this address'

Check 'Allow '\' As virtual root'

Click 'Ok'

You can now boot a PC from PXE and a menu showing you to choose
Net Boot Disk
Super Fdisk
will appear

I use this on a network with a Linksys Home Router with DHCP enabled, it still works.
I don't know about enterprise routers though or MS Server DHCP.

I hope you understand it, this is just taken from my notes and edited a little.

guys thx for the awesome responses! I wasn't aware for this ways. there are very new to me.

How much are you familiar to build a RAM bootable LiveXP and boot it via PXE?
In the LiveXP project there is a script called: WinNTSetup_JFX.script
see here

Here's I do it.

You have to know how to use virtual floppy drive http://chitchat.at.i...fd21-080206.zip
for DOS bootdisks.

Create an unattended Windows XP Network Share using setupmgr.exe

Put smartdrv.exe to Network Share folder. You have to acquire it from a Windows 98 SE Custom on a floppy disk. http://computerdon.c...ds/boot98sc.exe and place it on the network share

Boot target PC to Super Fdisk or just fdisk http://www.ptdd.com/sdisk.zip to make a FAT partition.
(either through boot disk or PXE)

Boot target PC to netbootdisk http://www.netbootdi...om/download.htm
(either through boot disk or PXE)

from netbootdisk mount Windows XP Network Share folder using net use

Run smartdrv.exe (It will take hours if you don't run it)

Run winnt.exe

Wait for me, I'll create a guide.

Your guide is perfectly what I've needed. just one small question: isn't there a way to bypass the FAT limitation and create an NTFS partition?

Your guide is perfectly what I've needed. just one small question: isn't there a way to bypass the FAT limitation and create an NTFS partition?

This is the only way I know of doing it for now.
Maybe the Advanced members can help us out.