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how can I PRESTAGE a computer for WDS ?

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You can use Windows Deployment Services to link physical computers to computer account objects in Active Directory Domain Servers (AD DS). This is called prestaging the client. Prestaged clients are also called known computers.

 

If you have set WDS to only respond to known computers then you'll need to prestage the computers otherwise the PXE boot will fail.

 

wds_pxe_known.jpg

 

To prestage a computer for WDS deployment you'll need to know the mac address or GUID of it, you can get that info in a variety of ways, the easiest (for one computer) is to simply press the PAUSE button on your client pc when it is PXE booting to the server, you'll see both the MAC address and GUID listed.

 

mac_and_guid.jpg

 

If you want to use scripts to get these values then download the following from Microsoft (Sample_RIS_Scripts.zip), this bunch of scripts can collect GUIDs and more...

 

ok, now that we have the GUID lets start Active Directory Users and Computers, click on Computers and right click, choose New, Computer.

 

ad_new_computer.jpg

 

give the computer a name

 

computer_name.jpg

 

click next and make sure to select This is a managed computer

 

Input the GUID or MAC address with no -

 

eg: if the GUID reported in the bios pxe boot screen is

 

C2EB3E06-82DB-F741-A5F0-8312855E7753

 

then remove the dashes so it reads

C2EB3E0682DBF741A5F08312855E7753

 

the Next button below will remain Greyed out (inactive) until you input the GUID (or mac address) correctly

 

 

guide.jpg

 

select your Remote Installation server (the WDS server....)

 

remote_installation_server.jpg

 

click next and review the summary, click finish and you have now prestaged your computer in Active Directory.

 

computer_prestaged_in_ad.jpg

 

at this point you can PXE boot the client and WDS will treat it as a 'known' computer and you can deploy as per normal.

 

more info about prestaging with WDS from Microsoft here >

Creating Computer Account Objects in AD DS

 

You can use Windows Deployment Services to link physical computers to computer account objects in Active Directory Domain Servers (AD DS). This is called prestaging the client. Prestaged clients are also called known computers. This allows you to then configure properties on the computer account to control the installation for the client. For example, you can configure the network boot program and the unattend file that the client should receive, as well as the server from which the client should download the network boot program. You can create a computer account object and associate it with a physical computer using the following methods:

 

* Using WDSUTIL. You can prestage client computers before they have attempted a network boot, by running WDSUTIL /Add-Device /Device:<name> /ID:<ID>. You cannot prestage computers by using the Windows Deployment Services MMC snap-in, but you can set the Auto-Add policy and approve or reject pending computers.

* Using the Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in. You can prestage client computers before they have attempted a network boot using AD DS. For instructions, see the section "To prestage a client computer" in How to Manage Client Computers.

* Enabling the Auto-Add policy. If you enable this policy, when you approve the installation for an unknown client, the installation will proceed and a computer account will be created in AD DS for the client. For more information, see Enabling the Auto-Add Policy

* Using Windows Deployment Services as part of the image installation. By default, all operating system installations using Windows Deployment Services result in a client computer that is joined to a domain. You can disable this functionality using the Client tab of the server’s properties

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DC -> Windows Server 2008 = No problem

 

Uninstall adminpak2003 and install the Active Directory console instead.

Post a note if don't now how to do install AD Console when you have been able to uninstall adminpak2003

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DC -> Windows Server 2008 = No problem

 

Uninstall adminpak2003 and install the Active Directory console instead.

Post a note if don't now how to do install AD Console when you have been able to uninstall adminpak2003

 

 

what ad console do you mean??? i do know that ad has some new features instead of the admin pak...although i still need to figure out what their purposes are

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i've checked two windows 2008 servers one which doesnt have WDS installed, one with it installed. the one with it installed shows me the option to manage

 

i'm not sure if this is the way forward with this but if you can test it by installing wds then i'd like to know

 

cheers

anyweb

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i've checked two windows 2008 servers one which doesnt have WDS installed, one with it installed. the one with it installed shows me the option to manage

 

i'm not sure if this is the way forward with this but if you can test it by installing wds then i'd like to know

 

cheers

anyweb

 

i am using a member server for wds. And you?? Are ye using a mem or a dc??

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this is a DC

 

i've checked and some w2k8 servers (both DCs) have this ability and some don't, i havnt figured out what needs to be installed to make the change, i thought it was the WDS service but it seems not....

 

time to investigate

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this is a DC

 

i've checked and some w2k8 servers (both DCs) have this ability and some don't, i havnt figured out what needs to be installed to make the change, i thought it was the WDS service but it seems not....

 

time to investigate

 

 

oef, indeed. time to investigate. think i need to get me a new pc cause with w2008 i need to build a new virtual environment otherwise investigation isnt nice because of the waiting times

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