Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is the revised version of Remote Installation Services (RIS). WDS enables the deployment of Windows operating systems. You can use WDS to set up new clients with a network-based installation without requiring that administrators visit each computer or install directly from CD or DVD media.
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PurposeDeveloper audience
The primary developer audience of the WDS API is for groups that develop custom tools and processes for IT and other computer administration groups. In environments where the standard Windows Deployment Services (WDS) solution cannot be used, the WDS API enables programmatic access to some WDS components.
Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), system builders, and corporate IT professionals looking for information on how to deploy Windows onto new computers, should see the information about the standard Windows Deployment Services (WDS) solution in the Windows Deployment Services Update Step-by-Step Guide and the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK).
Run-time requirements
WDS is available as an add-on for Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1) and is included in the operating system starting with Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 2 (SP2) and Windows Server 2008. The WDS PXE Server API requires the WDS server role on the server to implement custom PXE providers. The WDS Client API requires the Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE 2.0) phase of setup processing. A RAMDISK bootable image of Windows PE 2.0 in the .WIM format must be downloaded as part of the network boot process to implement custom WDS clients.
In this section
If you have 100 computers and you want to install on them windows. In this case, if you use Windows installation disk, certainly it will make you tired and you will be the board of that work. In these situations, rather than doing a manual install on each computer, you can use Windows Deployment Services to automatically deploy Windows to multiple computers at once over the network.It needs a little bit work to Setup up WDS, but it can save you a lot of work later.
What is WDS?
Windows Deployment Services (WDS) is a software platform and technology that allows you to perform automated network-based installations Over a network or an Install Media.
In other Definition, I can say that performing an installation over a network with no operating system or local boot device is also called WDS. When it comes to woking, The WDS server will store the installation files and help you manage the boot and operating system image files to be used in the network installations.
What is an Image File?
An image file is basically a snapshot of a computer’s hard drive taken at a particular moment in any time. Sometimes The image file can be referred to an install image and is used to install an operating system. Mostly it will the install.Wim file. This WIM file contains all the given files:
Those clients who want to communicate with WDS server, their computer must have a PXE (preboot execution environment) boot. PXE is a technology that boots a computer using the network interface without a data storage device like a Hard Drive or an installed Operating System. In order to find out, does your computer have a PXE boot or no? Go to the BISO settings of the Computer? and check that, if it has then enable it.
When PXE is used with WDS Server, the client’s computer will automatically download a boot image which contains that the windows PE, Further I will show you How to add a boot image on WDS.
What is Windows PE?
Windows Preinstallation Environment is minimal Windows operating system with limited services. It is used to install an Operating System with the Operating System Image Files.
Requirments:
Before you can use WDS, you have to install the Windows Deployment Services role on a server. That server can be in an Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) domain or it can be a stand-alone server. The minimum requirements for installing WDS are these:
Installing a Service in Server, do not seem too hard but in order to deploy WDS on Windows Server 2016, you can follow either of these two ways.
So the whole topic of this scenario is How to install WDS? So let’s Get started.
Install WDS with Server Manager
Step #1. Open Server Manager on Start Menu.
Step #2. At the top of Server Manager, click Manage and then select Add Roles and Features. The Add Roles and Feature Wizard opens.
Step #3. On the Before you begin page, click Next.
before-you-begin
Step #4. Select Role-based or feature-based installation, and then click Next.
Step #5. Select a server from the server pool, select name of the server to install WDS to, and then click Next.
Step #6. In Services Roles, Scroll down and select Windows Deployment Services.
select-wds
Step #7. When the Add Roles and Features Wizard dialog box opens, click Add Features. and then click next.
Step #8. Back on the Select server roles page, click Next.
Step #9. On the Select features page, click Next
select-feature
Step#10. On the WDS page, click Next.
Step #11. When you install the Windows Deployment Services role using Server Manager, it automatically
prompts you to install the necessary management tools. WDS can be deployed with the combined Deployment Server role service and Transport Server role service.
wds-services
Step #12. On the Confirm installation selection page, click Install.
Step #13. When the installation finishes, click Close.
On Step 11 we had recognized, that WDS requires one of this feature or both of them, but the big deal is what are the difference between this two Roles. For better understanding take alook at this table.
Conclusion
It was all about, How to install WDS on Server 2016? I hope you have learned this article, I hope you will ask your questions, give us your suggestions, opinion about what articles we have to write. If you faced any problem tell us below by comment, Feel free to tell us. we’re waiting for your suggestion.
Watch out the Video
Hey all!
So my friend and I are currently students and trying out Microsoft Server 2016 Deployment Server and using an Unattended setup.
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So far we tried Sysprep'ing a physical box by loading in audit-mode all the software requirements pre-sysprep, creating a unattended.xml file using Windows System Image Manager and then throwing it in system32/sysprep folder, for a generalized process.
We are using a newly created .iso image from Media Creation Tool (Build 1803).
We converted the install.esd to install.wim - and used that to create the catalog file.
Ultimately, our goal today, if we can troubleshoot this, and/or get the help from the community, is to have a working unattend install, wiping the hard drive to load this operating system, with all preloaded software, loading a start menu tile layout I have exported to xml, and disabling cortana (just as a start!)
Here is the unattend we are currently working with:
Some changes will definitely be needed to be made to get the results we want. Any help is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!
Windows Deployment Services is a server technology from Microsoft for network-based installation of Windows operating systems. It is the successor to Remote Installation Services.[1] WDS is intended to be used for remotely deploying Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2012 and Windows Server 2016, but also supports other operating systems because unlike its predecessor RIS, which was a method of automating the installation process, WDS uses disk imaging, in particular the Windows Imaging Format (WIM). WDS is included as a Server Role in all 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2008, and is included as an optionally installable component with Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2.
Automated image capture and apply[edit]
WDS functions in conjunction with the Preboot Execution Environment (PXE) to load a miniature edition of Windows known as Windows PE for installation and maintenance tasks. WDS functions as both a storage repository for the PXE network boot images as well as a repository for the actual operating system images to be installed on the target computer.
When multiple boot images are available, PXE booting via WDS will present the end-user with a boot menu to select the image to load.
Windows PE automation using WAIK[edit]
To simptallation Kit, in combination with Windows 7 installation media containing the source WIM images, and then added to the WDS server's boot image repository. The Windows PE boot images may be either 32- or 64-bit, but 32-bit tends to be more universally compatible across all potential hardware types.
A difficulty of Windows PE booting is that it needs to include network drivers and disk controller drivers intended to work with the target hardware to be imaged. The process of adding drivers to the Windows PE boot image can be automated using the WDS server console:
This process can be repeated at a later time when a new system type needs to be captured but the current Windows PE Capture boot image does not include network drivers for it. The boot image is updated with the additional drivers using the WDS interface and automatically re-added to the WDS boot image collection to replace the original.
For specialty one-off systems this WIM driver update process is not necessary if the hard drive of the target system to be captured is removed from the source system after sysprepping, and is either installed in a computer with supported network drivers, or attached to the supported system using an external 'USB to hard drive' adapter.
Automated apply process[edit]
Applying a captured image involves running a second Windows PE 'Apply' boot image on the target system to receive the image. This boot image also needs the appropriate network and disk controller drivers as with the Windows PE Capture boot image.
The WDS image creator may optionally select a separate WAIK / Sysprep installation script to be applied to the image during the first boot. This alternate script is selected within WDS by viewing the properties of each uploaded system image.
Manual image capture and deploy[edit]
It is technically possible to create scripts that manually perform the imaging, capture, and apply processes, using command line tools provided by Microsoft. However, the methods for doing this are complex and difficult.
In general, the tools involved are:
Using imagex to manually create a WIM does not require the source operating system to be sysprepped or for the source partition to contain a Windows operating system. Any type of Windows-accessible file system can be imaged, including MSDOS, but the source system either needs to be able to run Windows PE or the source system's hard drive is moved into a newer system that supports Windows PE.
Microsoft generally requires Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Windows 7 to be sysprepped before imaging, due to certain security-related disk data that Microsoft requires to be unique across duplicated system images. Sysprep randomizes this data when the image is applied to a new system.
Imagex does not have any disk formatting and partitioning capabilities. Separate Windows command line tools such as diskpart are needed to define partitions on the target system for imagex to use.
References[edit]
External links[edit]See also[edit]
Retrieved from 'https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Windows_Deployment_Services&oldid=902580608'
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To successfully deploy the Windows 10 operating system and applications for your organization, it is essential that you know about the available tools to help with the process. In this topic, you will learn about the most commonly used tools for Windows 10 deployment.
Microsoft provides many tools, services, and solutions. These tools include Windows Deployment Services (WDS), the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), the User State Migration Tool (USMT), Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM), Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), and Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE). Keep in mind that these are just tools and not a complete solution on their own. It’s when you combine these tools with solutions like Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) or Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager that you get the complete deployment solution.
In this topic, you also learn about different types of reference images that you can build, and why reference images are beneficial for most organizations
Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit
Windows ADK contains core assessment and deployment tools and technologies, including Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer (Windows ICD), Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM), User State Migration Tool (USMT), Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), Windows Assessment Services, Windows Performance Toolkit (WPT), Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT), and Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express. For more details, see Windows ADK for Windows 10 or Windows ADK for Windows 10 scenarios for IT Pros.
Figure 1. The Windows 10 ADK feature selection page.
Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)Wds 2016 Capture Image
DISM is one of the deployment tools included in the Windows ADK and is used for capturing, servicing, and deploying boot images and operating system images.
DISM services online and offline images. For example, with DISM you can install the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5.1 in Windows 10 online, which means that you can start the installation in the running operating system, not that you get the software online. The /LimitAccess switch configures DISM to get the files only from a local source:
In Windows 10, you can use Windows PowerShell for many of the functions performed by DISM.exe. The equivalent command in Windows 10 using PowerShell is:
Figure 2. Using DISM functions in PowerShell.
For more information on DISM, see DISM technical reference.
User State Migration Tool (USMT)
USMT is a backup and restore tool that allows you to migrate user state, data, and settings from one installation to another. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager use USMT as part of the operating system deployment process.
Note Occasionally, we find that customers are wary of USMT because they believe it requires significant configuration, but, as you will learn below, using USMT is not difficult. If you use MDT and Lite Touch to deploy your machines, the USMT feature is automatically configured and extended so that it is easy to use. With MDT, you do nothing at all and USMT just works.
USMT includes several command-line tools, the most important of which are ScanState and LoadState:
In addition to these tools, there are also XML templates that manage which data is migrated. You can customize the templates, or create new ones, to manage the backup process at a high level of detail. USMT uses the following terms for its templates:
Figure 3. A sample USMT migration file that will exclude .MP3 files on all local drives and include the folder C:Data and all its files, including its subdirectories and their files.
USMT supports capturing data and settings from Windows Vista and later, and restoring the data and settings to Windows 7 and later (including Windows 10 in both cases). It also supports migrating from a 32-bit operating system to a 64-bit operating system, but not the other way around. For example, you can use USMT to migrate from Windows 7 x86 to Windows 10 x64.
By default USMT migrates many settings, most of which are related to the user profile but also to Control Panel configurations, file types, and more. The default templates that are used in Windows 10 deployments are MigUser.xml and MigApp.xml. These two default templates migrate the following data and settings:
These are the settings migrated by the default MigUser.xml and MigApp.xml templates. For more details on what USMT migrates, see What does USMT migrate? For more information on the USMT overall, see the USMT technical reference.
Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer
Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer (Windows ICD) is a tool designed to assist with the creation of provisioning packages that can be used to dynamically configure a Windows device (PCs, tablets, and phones). This is particularly useful for setting up new devices, without the need for re-imaging the device with a custom image.
Figure 4. Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer.
For more information, see Windows Imaging and Configuration Designer.
Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM)
Windows SIM is an authoring tool for Unattend.xml files. When using MDT and/or Configuration Manager, you don’t need Windows SIM very often because those systems automatically update the Unattend.xml file during the deployment, greatly simplifying the process overall.
Figure 5. Windows answer file opened in Windows SIM.
For more information, see Windows System Image Manager Technical Reference.
Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT)
If you don’t use KMS, you can still manage your MAKs centrally with the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT). With this tool, you can install and manage product keys throughout the organization. VAMT also can activate on behalf of clients without Internet access, acting as a MAK proxy.
Figure 6. The updated Volume Activation Management Tool.
VAMT also can be used to create reports, switch from MAK to KMS, manage Active Directory-based activation, and manage Office 2010 and Office 2013 volume activation. VAMT also supports PowerShell (instead of the old command-line tool). For example, if you want to get information from the VAMT database, you can type:
For more information on the VAMT, see VAMT technical reference.
Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)
Windows PE is a “Lite” version of Windows 10 and was created to act as a deployment platform. Windows PE replaces the DOS or Linux boot disks that ruled the deployment solutions of the last decade.
The key thing to know about Windows PE is that, like the operating system, it needs drivers for at least network and storage devices in each PC. Luckily Windows PE includes the same drivers as the full Windows 10 operating system, which means much of your hardware will work out of the box.
Figure 7. A machine booted with the Windows ADK default Windows PE boot image.
For more details on Windows PE, see Windows PE (WinPE).
Windows Recovery Environment
Windows Recovery Environment (Windows RE) is a diagnostics and recovery toolset included in Windows Vista and later operating systems. The latest version of Windows RE is based on Windows PE. You can also extend Windows RE and add your own tools if needed. If a Windows installation fails to start and Windows RE is installed, you will see an automatic failover into Windows RE.
Figure 8. A Windows 10 client booted into Windows RE, showing Advanced options.
For more information on Windows RE, see Windows Recovery Environment.
Windows Deployment Services
Windows Deployment Services (WDS) has been updated and improved in several ways starting with Windows 8. Remember that the two main functions you will use are the PXE boot support and multicast. Most of the changes are related to management and increased performance. In Windows Server 2012 R2, WDS also can be used for the Network Unlock feature in BitLocker.
Figure 9. Windows Deployment Services using multicast to deploy three machines.
In Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows Deployment Services can be configured for stand-alone mode or for Active Directory integration. In most scenarios, the Active Directory integration mode is the best option. WDS also has the capability to manage drivers; however, driver management through MDT and Configuration Manager is more suitable for deployment due to the flexibility offered by both solutions, so you will use them instead. In WDS, it is possible to pre-stage devices in Active Directory, but here, too, Configuration Manager has that capability built in, and MDT has the ability to use a SQL Server database for pre-staging. In most scenarios, those solutions are better than the built-in pre-staging function as they allow greater control and management.
Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) configuration
In some cases, you need to modify TFTP Maximum Block Size settings for performance tuning reasons, especially when PXE traffic travels through routers and such. In the previous version of WDS, it was possible to change that, but the method of do so—editing the registry—was not user friendly. In Windows Server 2012, this has become much easier to do as it can be configured as a setting.
Also, there are a few new features related to TFTP performance:
Figure 10. TFTP changes are now easy to perform.
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
MDT is a free deployment solution from Microsoft. It provides end-to-end guidance, best practices, and tools for planning, building, and deploying Windows operating systems. MDT builds on top of the core deployment tools in the Windows ADK by contributing guidance, reducing complexity, and adding critical features for an enterprise-ready deployment solution.
MDT has two main parts: the first is Lite Touch, which is a stand-alone deployment solution; the second is Zero Touch, which is an extension to System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.
Note Lite Touch and Zero Touch are marketing names for the two solutions that MDT supports, and the naming has nothing to do with automation. You can fully automate the stand-alone MDT solution (Lite Touch), and you can configure the solution integration with Configuration Manager to prompt for information.
Figure 11. The Deployment Workbench in, showing a task sequence.
For more information on MDT, see the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit resource center.
Microsoft Security Compliance Manager 2013
Microsoft SCM is a free utility used to create baseline security settings for the Windows client and server environment. The baselines can be exported and then deployed via Group Policy, local policies, MDT, or Configuration Manager. The current version of Security Compliance Manager includes baselines for Windows 8.1 and several earlier versions of Windows, Windows Server, and Internet Explorer.
Figure 12. The SCM console showing a baseline configuration for a fictional client's computer security compliance.
Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack
MDOP is a suite of technologies available to Software Assurance customers through an additional subscription.
The following components are included in the MDOP suite:
For more information on the benefits of an MDOP subscription, see Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack.
Internet Explorer Administration Kit 11
There has been a version of IEAK for every version of Internet Explorer since 3.0. It gives you the capability to customize Internet Explorer as you would like. The end result of using IEAK is an Internet Explorer package that can be deployed unattended. The wizard creates one .exe file and one .msi file.
Figure 13. The User Experience selection screen in IEAK 11.
To download IEAK 11, see the Internet Explorer Administration Kit (IEAK) Information and Downloads page.
Windows Server Update Services
WSUS is a server role in Windows Server 2012 R2 that enables you to maintain a local repository of Microsoft updates and then distribute them to machines on your network. WSUS offers approval control and reporting of update status in your environment.
Figure 14. The Windows Server Update Services console.
For more information on WSUS, see the Windows Server Update Services Overview.
Unified Extensible Firmware Interface
For many years BIOS has been the industry standard for booting a PC. BIOS has served us well, but it is time to replace it with something better. UEFI is the replacement for BIOS, so it is important to understand the differences between BIOS and UEFI. In this section, you learn the major differences between the two and how they affect operating system deployment.
Introduction to UEFI
BIOS has been in use for approximately 30 years. Even though it clearly has proven to work, it has some limitations, including:
As the replacement to BIOS, UEFI has many features that Windows can and will use.
With UEFI, you can benefit from:
Versions
UEFI Version 2.3.1B is the version required for Windows 8 and later logo compliance. Later versions have been released to address issues; a small number of machines may need to upgrade their firmware to fully support the UEFI implementation in Windows 8 and later.
Hardware support for UEFI
In regard to UEFI, hardware is divided into four device classes:
Windows support for UEFI
Microsoft started with support for EFI 1.10 on servers and then added support for UEFI on both clients and servers.
With UEFI 2.3.1, there are both x86 and x64 versions of UEFI. Windows 10 supports both. However, UEFI does not support cross-platform boot. This means that a computer that has UEFI x64 can run only a 64-bit operating system, and a computer that has UEFI x86 can run only a 32-bit operating system.
How UEFI is changing operating system deployment
There are many things that affect operating system deployment as soon as you run on UEFI/EFI-based hardware. Here are considerations to keep in mind when working with UEFI devices:
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For more information on UEFI, see the UEFI firmware overview and related resources.
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