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CIS 2154 RIS Review  

I.                     Understanding the Difference Between Unattended Installations and Prepared Images

A.     Extracting Deployment Tools

1.      Before we can use any tools to install Windows 2000 Server or Windows 2000 Professional, we need to extract the deployment tools from the deploy.cab file in the \support\tools folder on your Windows 2000 Professional CD. Refer to Exercise 3-1 on page 90 in the book for a detailed description of how to extract the tools.

II.                   Creating and Configuring Automated Methods for Installation

Your students may be familiar with how to perform an unattended installation of Windows NT Server 4.0 using the customized answer files. These files were created using Setup Manager, which was found on the Windows NT 4.0 Server CD. In Windows 2000, the Setup Manager has been improved upon and is still a good choice for generating custom answer files in Windows 2000. The Windows 2000 Setup Manager contains other deployment utilities that were not included with Windows NT 4.0, such as:

·        SysPrep Tool

·        Remote Installation Service (RIS)

RIS uses RIPrep to duplicate discs.

These tools are disk-cloning systems that prepare images of fully configured computers to include operating systems and all applications.

A.     Remote Installation Preparation

1.      RIPrep is a disc duplication tool included with Windows 2000 Server. Its main function is to create images of fully prepared client computers.

2.      RIPrep can only prepare the images of fully configured client computers that are running Windows 2000 Professional.

3.      The deployment of images created by RIPrep does not need the client computer hardware to be identical.

4.      RIPrep requires a server on the network that is running Remote Installation Service.

B.     System Preparation Tool or SysPrep

1.      SysPrep is a disc duplication method that creates images of both Windows 2000 Server and Windows 2000 Professional.

2.      It is also used to standardize the desktop environment throughout an organization.

3.      SysPrep can be used for creating images of computers that contain:

a.      All business applications

b.      All operating systems

c.      Any service packs that are installed

C.    When to Use UNATTEND.TXT Versus SysPrep or RIPrep

1.      The UNATTEND.TXT answer file is the simplest form of providing answers to an installation of Windows 2000 Server. It can be created two ways:

a.      By using Setup Manager found on the WINDOWS 2000 Server CD

b.      By using the Notepad utility to edit the sample UNATTEND.TXT file built into Windows Server 2000.

D.    Preparing and deploying images using SysPrep and RIPrep

1.      Remember the limitations of these tools

2.      Requirements for running SysPrep

a.      Identical hardware. This includes ACPI support as well as mass storage device controllers.

b.      Plug-and-play devices are the exception; they need not be identical. Windows 2000 will detect standard devices like video cards, network cards, sound cards and modems and attempt to install drivers accordingly.

c.      The SysPrep tool only prepares the hardware of a master computer for imaging. You need a third party utility, such as Ghost by Norton, to distribute to master images. There is no limit to the number of master images you can create.

d.      Administrative privileges are required on the master computer where you want to run SysPrep.

e.      You must have a volume licensing agreement from Microsoft before running SysPrep. It is mandatory. Also, make sure you are in accordance with all licensing agreements.

3.      Components of SysPrep

·        SYSPREP.EXE

·        SYSPREP.INF

·        SETUPCL.EXE

·        Mini-Setup Wizard

a.      SYSPREP.EXE — The main SysPrep executable file, using the syntax
Sysprep.exe [-quiet] [-nosidgen] [-reboot]

i.                    -quiet   Runs SysPrep in a quiet mode and does not generate any messages on the screen

ii.                  -nosidgen   Runs SysPrep without regenerating any security IDs (SIDs), allowing the user to test and customize the computer’s image. Useful when you do not want to clone the master computer on which SysPrep is being run.

iii.                -reboot   Forces a reboot of the master computer after the image has been created

b.      b.         SYSPREP.INF — An answer file for the Mini-Setup Wizard

i.                    Automates the Mini-Setup Wizard by providing predetermined answers to all setup questions

ii.                  This file needs to be placed in the \%Systemroot%\Sysprep folder or on a floppy disk.

c.      SETUPCL.EXE — Runs the Mini-Setup Wizard and regenerates the security IDs on the master and destination computers

d.      The Mini-Setup Wizard — Adds user-specific parameters on the destination computer:

i.                    End-user license agreement (EULA)

ii.                  Product key (serial number)

iii.                Username, company name, and administrator password

iv.                 Network configuration

v.                   Domain or workgroup name

vi.                 Date and time zone selection

4.      Preparing a Master Image

When attempting to create a master image, some considerations are in order.

a.      Select a computer that has hardware identical to all or many of the other computers involved in the installation. This will ease any hardware discrepancies that may arise during the installation. Install Windows 2000 Server on this computer.

i.                    If conducting this installation over an existing network, ensure that you have proper user rights. Also, for the local settings, leave the Administrator account password blank.

b.      Log on as an administrator and configure the new server as needed, including installation of applications and service packs.

c.      Test all components and delete unwanted files.

d.      Prepare the master image by running the SysPrep utility, as described in Exercise 3-2 on page 97.

e.      Disk Duplication can now be done using a third-party imaging tool, such as Drive Image from Power Quest or Norton Ghost from Symantec. Remember that you need to do this before restarting the master computer.

f.        The final step is image distribution. You can use any third-party utility.

5.      Remote Installation Preparation Wizard

a.      The RIS supports two types of images

i.                    CD-ROM-based images

ii.                  Images prepared using the RIPrep Wizard

b.      RIPrep can replicate images of only a single disk with a single partition.

c.      RIPrep can utilize the Plug and Play capabilities of Windows 2000 Professional and install across any PnP supported hardware platforms.

d.      Installation is performed as a remote installation using an existing RIS server on the network.

e.      Once RIS is installed on a Windows 2000 Server, the Single-Instance Store (SIS) service is added to the server as well. The SIS service checks for any duplicate files and replaces any duplicates it finds with links, helping to save disk space.

III.                  Using Setup Manager to Automate the Installation Process

A.     Introduction

1.      The Setup Manager is an interactive wizard that helps you easily create or modify customized answer files for the unattended installation of Windows 2000 Server. Three files are created when you use answer files utilizing the Setup Manager:

a.      UNATTEND.TXT — The actual answer file.

b.      UNATTEND.BAT — Used to run the UNATTEND.TXT file.

c.      UNATTEND.UDF — The Uniqueness Database File, which provides customized settings for each computer using the automated installation.

2.      Answer files help automate the installation process because they answer all the queries presented to you during installation. Use the Setup Manager Wizard to quickly create a customized answer file.

3.      When you need to customize the automated installation of each computer, you can use the Uniqueness Database Files. The data contained in the UDF file is merged into the answer file during setup.

4.      Exercise 3-4 on page 106 explains how to create and implement an Answer file using Setup Manager.

B.     Creating answer files for an unattended installation

1.      You can create answer files using the following methods:

a.      Use Notepad or the MS-DOS editor to write a new script using the required syntax

b.      Edit the sample answer file found in the \i386 folder of the Windows 2000 Server Setup CD

c.      Use the Setup Manager Wizard (this is the fastest and most accurate method)

2.      Performing an unattended installation uses the answer file to specify configuration parameters and eliminates user interaction, automating the process and reducing the chance of input errors.

3.      There is a sample answer file, UNATTEND.TXT, on the Windows 2000 Server CD-ROM in the \i386 folder.

C.    Creating a custom answer file

1.      You can create custom answer files by either using Notepad or modifying the UNATTEND.TXT file found on the Windows 2000 Server CD.

2.      Review the sample edited version of the UNATTEND.TXT file shown on pages 103 and 104.

D.    Creating and Using UDFs for Multiple Users

1.      Uniqueness Database Files are needed to provide for the individual differences that occur from client to client on a network. These differences can be:

a.      Computer name

b.      Username

c.      IP address (if static)

d.      License key

e.      Various hardware differences

f.        Various software differences

2.      All of these can be applied automatically during setup using a UDF. The UDF file is called by way of the WINNT.EXE or WINNT32.EXE command using the /UDF switch:

/udf:ID[,UDB_File]

a.      The “UDB_File” entry is the actual path and file name of the UDF to be used.

IV.               Understanding Remote Installation Service

The Remote Installation Service (RIS) is installed as an optional service on the Windows 2000 Server. It facilitates installation of Windows 2000 Professional remotely on a large number of computers with similar or dissimilar hardware configurations.

A.     How does RIS work?

A RIS client conducting an install uses the following process to initialize itself:

1.      A BootP message is displayed on the client, which then connects to the DHCP server that is pre-configured to allocate an IP address to this client.

2.      The Boot Information Negotiation Layer (BINL) extensions on the DHCP server redirect that client computer to the RIS server on the network.

3.      The client then is able to begin the installation of Windows 2000 Professional via the network, using a Client Installation Wizard.

B.     Components of the Remote Installation Service

There are five parts to RIS:

1.      RIS on the server running Windows 2000 Server operating system — The RISETUP.EXE file is run from the Start menu.

2.      Administration of RIS

3.      Client Installation Wizard — The executable file is OSCHOOSER.EXE.

4.      Remote Installation Preparation Wizard — RIPREP.EXE is the executable for this wizard and has to be run from the RIS server.

5.      Remote Installation Boot Disk — This disk is used to boot the client and connect to the RIS server to get an initial IP address from the DHCP server. This disk also starts the Client Installation Wizard.

C.    Single-Instance Store (SIS) volume

1.      Be sure to explain the SIS and how it maximizes disk space by identifying duplicate files that reside on each installation copy.

D.    Installing the Remote Installation Server

1.      The following services must be installed on the network.

a.      Domain Name Service (DNS) — Locates the directory services and the machine accounts for the client computers.

b.      Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) — Provides initial IP addresses to the client computers when they start up. An IP address is necessary to continue participating in a TCP/IP network.

c.      Active Directory Service — Provides the means for locating the RIS servers and the client computers on the network. The RIS server must have access to the Active Directory.

2.      Refer to Exercise 3-5 on page 119 and Exercise 3-6 on page 120 for details on how to install and configure RIS

3.      Authorizing the RIS Server

a.      The RIS server must be authorized in Active Directory for it to serve client computers. See Exercise 3-7 on page 125.

E.     Hardware Requirements for RIS

1.      RIS Server

a.      The server that is selected to host RIS must have the following minimum hardware components:

i.                    A Pentium 166MHz processor. (A 200MHz Pentium II or later processor, with higher speed, is recommended.)

ii.                  A minimum of 64MB of RAM if RIS is the only service hosted by the server. A minimum of 128MB of RAM is required if the server is hosting any additional services such as Active Directory, DNS, or DHCP.

iii.                2GB of free hard drive space should be dedicated to the RIS directory. The partition chosen for RIS must not be the boot partition of the server.

iv.                 A network adapter with 10Mbps data transfer speed. (A 100Mbps adapter is recommended.)

2.      RIS Client

a.      The client computers requesting RIS must have the following minimum hardware components:

i.                    A Pentium processor, 166MHz or faster

ii.                  A minimum of 32MB of RAM minimum (64MB is recommended)

iii.                A hard disk with a minimum capacity of 800MB

iv.                 A PCI plug-and-play adapter supported by RIS or a PXE-based Remote Boot ROM version .99 or later

3.      PXE-Capable BIOS

4.      PXE-Capable Network Interface Cards

5.      NetPC

a.      Additional requirements:

i.                    Network adapter must be configured as the primary boot device

ii.                  User account for performing the installation must have rights to log on as a batch job

iii.                Users who will use NetPC must have permission to create computer accounts within the domain

6.      RIS Support for Laptops

a.      Client computer can contact the RIS server in two ways:

i.                    Client must have a PXE-based Boot ROM.

ii.                  Client must boot using a remote installation disk.

7.      Creating a RIS Boot Disk

a.      The boot disk generator utility RBGF.EXE currently supports only 25 PCI-based network adapters and can be run from any of the following computers:

i.                    The RIS server

ii.                  A client computer that has a connection to the RIS server

iii.                Any client connected to the RIS server on which the Windows 2000 Server Administrative Tools are installed

b.      See Exercise 3-8 on page 129 for a description of how to create a remote installation disk.

F.     Creating a Distribution Server

1.      The distribution server is a centralized location for storing the installation files and any additional driver files. Windows 2000 can support up to eight simultaneous downloads using the WINNT32.EXE command with the /s switch.

a.      Refer to Exercise 3-9 on page 130 to create a Distribution Server.

G.    Deploying Windows 2000 Using RIS

1.      As mentioned earlier, RIS can be used only to deploy the Windows 2000 Professional operating system.

V.                 Performing an Unattended Installation

A.     WINNT.EXE Versus WINNT32.EXE

1.      WINNT.EXE is used to start the setup from a computer running MS-DOS or Windows 3.x. This command cannot be used for upgrading the previous operating system to Windows 2000.

2.      WINNT32.EXE is used to start the setup from a computer running Windows 95, Windows 98, or Windows NT.

3.      Unattended Installation using the WINNT.EXE command.

a.      The syntax for calling a UDF along with an answer file is
Winnt  /b /s:x:\i386 /u:x:\i386\unattend.txt /t:c

4.      Unattended Installation using the WINNT32.EXE command

a.      The syntax for calling a UDF along with an answer file is
Winnt32 /b /s:x:\i386 /unattend 5:X:\i386\unattend.txt /tempdrive:c

5.      Conduct Exercise 3-10 on page 136 to demonstrate an unattended installation using the WINNT32.EXE command.

B.     Installing Optional Programs

1.      You can install optional application programs during the GUI phase of an unattended setup.

2.      Refer to the discussion of the CMDLINES.TXT files on pages 136 and 137.

C.    Unattended Installation Using a Bootable CD-ROM

1.      Can be used on computers with BIOS that support booting from a CD-ROM

2.      Before starting the setup program, you must create an answer file and store it on a floppy disk.

3.      Requirements

a.      The BIOS of the computer should support the bootable CD-ROM format.

b.      The previously created answer file must be named WINNT.SIF and stored on a floppy disk

c.      The answer file must contain a [data] section that contains the required keys.

4.      See Exercise 3-11 on page 138 for instructions on running an unattended installation from a CD-ROM.