chapter installing windows xp professional and windows server 2003

CHAPTER 1Installing Windows XPProfessional andWindows Server 2003In this chapter, you will

• Learn the different Windows versions• Perform an attended installation of Windows XP Professional• Perform an unattended installation of Windows XP Professional• Create unattended answer files with Setup Manager• Create and configure automated methods of installation• Perform post-installation updates and product activation

Windows Administration obviously begins with the installation of the operating system(OS), so it is fitting we start this book with a discussion of the installation process. Thematerial in this chapter applies equally to both Windows 2003 and Windows XP Profes-sional. In fact, there is no real difference between the two—at least as far as the installationprocess goes. This chapter will look at several different methods of performing the instal-lation. It begins with performing an attended installation. Starting with the attended in-stallation allows you to see the various choices you will need to make during theinstallation. Afterward, we will review different methods of automating the installationprocess. When you need to install a single Windows 2003 server, a manual installation isfine, but if you need to roll Windows XP Professional onto 1000 desktops this may be-come impractical. Finally, we’ll look at some post installation activities, including onenew to Windows XP and 2003—product activation.

From an exam perspective, the contents of this chapter are only applicable to the70-270 exam. It shows you how Windows XP is installed, and addresses various aspectsof both the attended and unattended installation. It also covers rolling out Windows XPProfessional with other deployment tools like the Remote Installation Service (RIS) andthe Setup Manager.

All-In-One / MCSA Windows Server 2003 All-in-One Exam Guide / Bersinic, Giles, Scrimger / 222542-4/Chapter 1

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NOTE All of the information in this chapter can be applied equally to WindowsXP Professional and the Windows 2003 Server products. For this reason, thischapter will use the term Windows to refer to both operating systems.

Understanding the Various Windows VersionsIn the move from Windows 2000 to Windows 2003, there have been some changes inthe editions of Windows available. There are now two desktop versions of Windows andfour server versions. Table 1-1 describes each.

STUDY TIP For the 70-270 exam, the entire focus is on Windows XPProfessional. This book will not consider Windows XP Home Edition inany further discussions.

Knowing which version of Windows you need to install is important because theminimum hardware requirements are determined by the version.

MCSA Windows Server 2003 All-in-One Exam Guide

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Description

Windows XPHome

Designed as a replacement for earlier Windows operating systems (likeWindows 9x or Windows ME). It is built on the same code base as Windows2000 and 2003, however it is aimed at home use and is missing many advancedfeatures of this operating system, such as the ability to join Active Directorydomains, use the Encrypting File System (EFS), and perform system restores.

Windows XPProfessional

Built on the same code base as Windows 2000, Windows XP Professionalis meant as a more secure and stable platform for business users. It providessecurity through such features as NTFS and support for smart cards and theEncrypting File System (EFS). It also includes advanced recovery tools anda more stable kernel. Useful features for mobile users like Offline Files andRemote Desktop access are also included. Professional also includes theInternet Information Service (IIS).

Windows 2003Web Server

This edition is designed as a low-cost front-end web server product. It allowsyou to create a single purpose web server for posting an Internet or intranetpresence. The Web Server Edition is designed to only run web-based applications(that is, application based on Active Server Pages) and display web pages. Itcannot be a domain controller, or run applications such as SQL Server orExchange Server. The Web Server Edition also cannot host the UniversalDescription, Discovery, and Integration (UDDI) service, which is essentialin deploying .Net Web Services. If you plan to run advanced .Net Web-basedapplications, you should use Windows 2003 Standard Edition (or later).

Table 1-1 Current Versions of Windows



Determining Hardware RequirementsBefore you install Windows, you need to make sure your hardware is up to the task. Theminimum hardware requirements are different for the various versions of Windows.

The minimum hardware requirements for Windows XP are listed in Table 1-2.These are minimum requirements. As with most minimum requirements, they sim-

ply mean that Windows will install with this hardware. Obviously, you will need to in-crease the hardware level to improve performance. As a general rule of thumb for best


Chapter 1: Installing Windows XP Professional and Windows Server 2003

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Description

Windows 2003Standard Server

This edition is intended for small company or departmental use. The StandardEdition can function as an application server or a file and print server. It includesthe Internet Information Services (IIS) and Terminal Services. A Standard Servercan also be promoted to an Active Directory domain controller.The Standard Edition has limited hardware support and does not support ClusterServices. For heavier server requirements, you should consider the Enterpriseor Datacenter edition.

Windows 2003EnterpriseServer

This edition is intended for medium-to-large companies that require a higherlevel of hardware support and a higher degree of availability. The EnterpriseServer Edition has all of the features of the Standard Server Edition, but alsoincludes support for Clustering Services, a higher number of processors, andmore RAM. The Enterprise Edition is also available in a 64-bit version, leveragingcomputers with 64-bit processors. This feature makes the Enterprise ServerEdition much more suited to scientific, large database, and graphically intensiveapplications.

Windows 2003DatacenterServer

This edition of Windows 2003 is aimed at large enterprise –mission-criticalsystems and systems that receive a very high volume of traffic (such as largecorporate e-commerce sites). It offers even greater hardware scalability thanthe Enterprise Edition—permitting support of more processors and memory.Applications such as large corporate data warehouses would benefit from theDatacenter Server Edition.

Table 1-1 Current Versions of Windows (continued)

Element Minimum Hardware Required

CPU Pentium II - 233 or equivalent procession.

RAM 64 MB (128 is recommended). 1GB is required for the 64-bitversions of Enterprise and Datacenter server.

Hard DiskSpace

The partition where you will install Windows XP must be atleast 2GB in size.

NetworkCard

If you are planning to connect the computer to the network, itmust have a network interface card (NIC).

CD-ROMDrive

If you plan to install Windows XP form the CD, you must havea CD-ROM drive that supports booting from the CD.

Display VGA (Windows is best viewed at 800×600 or higher).

Table 1-2MinimumHardwareRequirementsfor WindowsXP and 2003



performance, you should add as much memory and as fast a processor as you can (up tothe maximum number for each version). Allow your budget to determine your hard-ware level. Remember, a rubber dingy and a cruise ship both meet the minimum re-quirement needed to transport you across water, but you’d only want to take one ofthem from New York to London.

Additionally, the choice of operating system also places limitations on the hardware.For example, Windows XP Professional will only support two processors (regardless ofhow many processors the physical box contains). Table 1-3 lists the maximum numberof processors and the maximum amount of RAM supported on the various versions ofWindows XP and 2003.

You should also check to see that all of your hardware devices are on the HardwareCompatibility List (HCL). The HCL is a list of supported hardware that has been testedon Windows XP/2003. If your hardware is not on the HCL, it may or may not be sup-ported by Windows (and won’t be supported by Microsoft).

TIP The most up-to-date HCL is available on the Microsoft web site at http://www.microsoft.com/hwdq/hcl/search.asp.

Once you have determined the best version of Windows for your needs, and checkedthat your hardware meets the minimum hardware requirements and is on the HCL, youare ready to install Windows.

Performing an Attended InstallationWindows XP and 2003 allow you to perform an attended installation. In an attendedinstallation, you start by running the Setup program manually from either the Win-dows Installation CD or from a network shared folder. Through the installation pro-cess, you are required to supply all of the information that the Setup program needs toinstall Windows on the local computer. This type of installation is common for indi-vidual desktop and server installations. Server installations often have specific instal-lation requirements, such as the addition of Active Directory or specific services likeDHCP or DNS.



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Windows Version Max Number of CPUs Max Memory

XP Professional 2 4GB

Standard Server 4 4GB

Enterprise Server 8 32GB (64GB in the 64-bit version)

Datacenter Server 32 (with a minimum of 8processors)

64GB (128GB in the 64-bit version)

Web Server 2 2GB

Table 1-3 Hardware Supported by Each Version of Windows



You can initiate a Windows XP installation using several methods:

• Boot the computer from the Windows XP installation CD.

• Run winnt.exe from the i386 folder on the Windows XP installationCD (assuming there is already another operating system installed onthe computer).

• Run winnt.exe from a shared network drive.

• Insert the Windows XP installation CD into the computer running anotheroperating system, allow autorun to load the Setup program, and select InstallWindows XP (see Figure 1-1). If your computer does not support autorun, youcan run setup.exe from the installation CD.

The ability to boot from the Windows XP installation CD allows you to install Win-dows XP on a non-partitioned, unformatted hard drive. With this method, it is possibleto take a brand new computer and install Windows on it without doing much morethan plugging it in.


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Figure 1-1 The Windows 2000 Install screen



TIP Windows 2003 and XP install normally on Integrated Drive Electronics(IDE) disks. However, if you are installing Windows onto a Small ComputerSystem Interface (SCSI) disk or a Redundant Array of Independent Disks(RAID) device, you must load the appropriate drivers before you can run the

Setup program. Before the Setup program starts, you are prompted to press F6 and loadthe appropriate drivers before the first screen of the Setup program. This option showsup at the bottom of the screen and only appears for a few seconds. It is very easy to missif you are not looking for it.

The Windows installation process has two phases, a text-based information gatheringphase (the Setup program) and then the graphical Setup Wizard. The installation pro-cess assumes there is currently no OS running on the computer. When the gathering in-formation phase starts, generic drivers are loaded into memory to run this part of theinstallation process. The Setup program at this point is entirely self-sufficient and doesnot require an existing OS. This program is also used by the Windows repair process.This is why the first screen of the Setup program asks you to press ENTER to begin the in-stallation, or press R to repair XP (see Figure 1-2).

NOTE The repair process is covered in Chapter 20.


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Figure 1-2 The initial Windows Setup screen



The Setup ProgramThe first screen of the Setup program asks you to press ENTER to begin the installation.When you press ENTER, you are asked to accept the licensing agreement by clicking F8. Youare then asked where you want to install Windows. The Setup program allows you to

• Create and manage disk partitions

• Choose a file system

Let’s take a look at each of these in detail.

Creating and Managing PartitionsWhen you run the Setup program, it examines the local hard drive to determine if it hasany logical partitions. If it finds any partitions it displays them. If the hard drive has nological partitions, the message “Unpartitioned space” is returned (see Figure 1-3).

To create a new partition, select the unpartitioned space and press C. You will be askedto select the size of the partition to create (in MB). Once you have created the partition, itwill show up in the partition list and can be used as the boot partition (see Figure 1-4). Ifyou are creating a new partition, be sure you make it at least 2GB, the minimum partitionsize needed to install Windows XP. You might consider making it larger to leave room forthe paging file and files added by service packs and other applications.



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Figure 1-3 Managing partitions with the Setup program




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TIP You may see references to the boot partition. This is simply thepartition where the windows system root folder is located. The systemroot folder (called windows by default in Windows XP Professional)contains all of the files needed to start and run Windows.

You are also given the option of deleting partitions on the disk. To remove an existingpartition, you must select the partition you want to delete and then press D. This will re-move the partition and delete all of its data.

Once you have created the partitions, choose one as the boot partition. The boot par-tition will contain the files needed to boot Windows. In particular, it will be the locationof the \windows folder that contains all of the program files for running Windows.

Choosing a File SystemAfter creating the boot partition, choose which file system to place on the partition. Yourchoices are FAT or NTFS. As a general rule, you should use NTFS as the file system for Win-dows XP. NTFS is a more robust file system and offers a number of features, such as:

• File level security

• Auditing

• Disk quotas

• File encryption

None of these options are available in the FAT file system.

Figure 1-4 A newly created partition



NOTE For more information of the difference between FAT and NTFS seeChapter 11.

New to Windows XP, you now have the option of performing quick formatting. (SeeFigure 1-5). Quick formatting is useful if you are overwriting an existing partition thatyou are certain does not contain disk errors. A normal format removes all files and per-forms a scan for bad sectors. The quick format removes files but doesn’t perform thescan. You should perform a full format if you are installing Windows XP on a disk thathas never been formatted.

If you choose to format a partition using FAT, you are not given a choice of which ver-sion of FAT to install. Instead, Windows will select the version of FAT based on the sizeof the partition. If the partition size is smaller than 2GB, Windows will format the parti-tion using FAT16 (2GB is the maximum size of a FAT16 partition). If the partition isgreater than 2GB, it will format it using FAT32. If the computer has a preexisting parti-tion, you are given a third option: to install Windows without formatting the partition.You must choose this option if you want to dual-boot Windows XP with another opera-tion system installed on the same partition. Remember that if you choose to format apartition any existing data on that partition will be permanently lost.

Once you choose your formatting method, the Setup program will perform the for-mat of the partition you selected. Once the format is complete, the Setup program cop-ies all the files needed to run the second phase of the installation and then will rebootthe computer. When the system reboots, it starts the graphical Setup Wizard.


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Figure 1-5 Choosing a file system



The Windows XP Setup WizardThe Setup Wizard is used to complete the attended installation of Windows XP. As partof this phase of the installation, you will be required to make several choices, including:

• The computer name

• A password for the administrator account

• The networking settings

• Domain or workgroup membership

Let’s take a look at each one of these options individually.

Choosing a Computer Name and Administrator PasswordOne of the first things you are asked to supply is a computer name and Administratorpassword (see Figure 1-6). If this computer will connect to a network, the computername must be unique. The Setup Wizard will suggest a default computer name for you.This name is a random collection of letters. It is a good idea to give the computer ameaningful name (that is, one that you can remember when you are trying to connect to


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Figure 1-6 Naming the computer and adding an Administrator password



it from across the network). It is a good idea to develop some kind of naming conven-tion to make sure uniqueness is maintained.

The default administrator account is named (oddly enough) Administrator. This iswell known to anyone familiar with Windows (like other people reading this and otherWindows books). To protect yourself and your network, you should choose a secure ad-ministrative password. Remember that if someone gains access to any of your systems asAdministrator, he will have almost unlimited access. A secure password should meetthese requirements:

• It should be at least eight characters long.

• It should have a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters.

• It should include numbers and special characters (such as _, #, $, -).

• It should avoid using obvious words (like your name, the word “password,”and so on).

• It should not be blank.

Windows XP will happily install with a blank password for the Administrator ac-count, although it does warn you that you have left the password blank. A blank pass-word is the default for the Administrator account. Using this default setting can causesecurity issues on your computer.

Network SettingsAnother choice you must make as part of the attended installation is the network settings.The Setup program provides you with two choices: Typical Settings or Custom Settings(see Figure 1-7).

The Typical Settings installs these components:

• Client for Microsoft Networks

• File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks

• Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

To use Typical Settings, you should have at least one DHCP server on the network. Ifyou choose Typical Settings and you do not have a DHCP server available, Windows XPwill assign itself an IP address using Automatic Private IP Addressing (APIPA).

NOTE TCP/IP and APIPA are discussed in Chapter 6. DHCP is covered inChapter 7.

If you choose Custom Settings, you are given a choice of which components to in-stall. You can add different network services (such as the Client Services for NetWare)and additional network protocols (such as NWLink) depending on the needs of your


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network. You can also set a static IP address and DNS address for the computer. New toWindows XP, you can also choose to enable the Internet Connection Firewall (ICF).This is a personal firewall that can be used to protect your Windows XP if it is connecteddirectly to the Internet (for instance, through a cable or DSL connection).

Joining a Domain or WorkgroupFinally, you must decide whether or not the computer you are installing will be associ-ated with other computers on the network. This is accomplished by adding the com-puter to either a workgroup or a domain. A workgroup is a collection of computersjoined together as peers. In this relationship, each computer is an equal and maintainsits own security locally. To access data on another computer in a workgroup, you musthave an account on both your local computer and on the computer to which you areconnecting. A workgroup is good for linking together a small number of computers thatneed to share resources. If you have a large number of computers, this would becomeunmanageable. You would convert to a domain model.

In a domain, there is a central security authority. All members of the domain share acommon security context. This means that you only need to log on to the domain once.Your security credentials will be recognized by any other computers in the domain. Youwon’t need to maintain a separate login for each computer on the network. In a Win-dows domain (either 2000 or 2003), this central authority is Active Directory. ActiveDirectory is contained on one (or more) domain controllers.


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Figure 1-7 Network settings options



NOTE Active Directory will be discussed in greater detail in Chapter 9.

If you choose to install the computer as a member of a domain, click the Yes, MakeThis Computer A Member Of The Following Domain option and enter the name of thedomain or workgroup in the text box provided (see Figure 1-8). You must type the nameof a valid domain (one that has at least one domain controller accessible for your com-puter). To join a newly installed Windows XP computer to a domain, you must be ableto connect to a domain controller. If your computer cannot contact a domain controllerin the domain you entered, the Setup Wizard will not allow you to proceed.

If there were problems with the installation of the networking components (such as atypical network configuration with no DHCP server available), this may cause this stepof the installation to fail. If this is the case, click the Back button and correct the net-working issue.

Your computer will also need permission to join the domain and must have a com-puter account created for it in Active Directory. A network administrator can create anaccount for your computer (as long as you know the name you are going to use in ad-vance) in Active Directory before the computer has been installed. If a network adminis-trator has not created an account for the new computer, you will be prompted to enter


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Figure 1-8 Joining a domain



the user ID and password of someone who has permission to add new computers to thedomain. By default, on Windows 2003 domain controllers, any member of the DomainUsers group can add up to ten computers to the domain. This was not available in Win-dows 2000. If the computer is connecting to a Windows 2000 Domain and no com-puter account as been created, the person must have Domain administrator rights toadd the user.

All Windows XP computers must be a member of either a domain or a workgroup. Ifyou don’t type anything in the workgroup text box, the Setup Wizard will add the com-puter to a workgroup named WORKGROUP.

Exercise 1.1In this exercise, you perform an attended installation of Windows XP Professional froman installation CD.

NOTE This lab assumes you have a least 2GB of free space on your computer.If you do not, you can install Windows XP Professional on an existing partition.When you get to step 7, be sure to choose keep existing formatting, otherwisethis lab will reformat the partition, and all data will be lost.

CAUTION If you are running this lab on a computer that has your files on it,make sure you back everything up before starting the lab.

Installing Windows XP Professional

1. Boot your computer from the Windows XP Professional CD.

2. Press ENTER to continue.

3. Press ENTER again to set up Windows.

4. Press F8 to accept the licensing agreement.

5. Highlight the unpartitioned space and press C to create a new partition. Makethe partition at least 2GB in size. If you do not have enough free space, eitherdelete an existing partition or select an existing partition.

6. Select the Format The Partition Using The NTFS File System option.

7. Wait for the system to format the drive, and reboot.

8. On the Welcome screen, click Next.

9. Wait for Windows to detect all devices. (This may take several minutes.)

10. Click Next to select the default regional settings.


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11. Enter a value for your name and organization. (Note: The values don’t matter,but you cannot proceed until something is entered in the Name text box.)

12. Enter your CD key, and click Next.

13. Use the default computer name, and enter password as the Administratorpassword. Click Next.

14. Click Next to select the default Date and Time settings.

15. Select Typical for the settings option. (This will default to a private addressunless you have DHCP on your network.) Click Next.

16. Click the Yes, Make This Computer A Member Of The Following Domaincheck box, type AIO in the Workgroup Or Computer Domain text box, andthen click next.

17. Click Finish.

Performing an Unattended InstallationManual installations are fine if you are installing a few computers, but if you are rollingout Windows XP Professional to a large number of computers, this may not be such aneffective use of your time. An unattended installation is one in which all of the decisions(those discussed in the previous section) are made automatically by some means duringthe installation. Microsoft supplies several tools that allow automated installations totake place with relative ease. These include

• Answer Files and the Setup Manager

• SYSPREP

• Remote Installation Services (RIS)

The remainder of this section will examine how each of these tools is used to performunattended installations.

Performing Unattended Installs Using Answer Filesand Setup ManagerOne method of unattended installation is the use of answer files. Answer files supplyvalues for all of the choices that must be made during a manual install. To perform anunattended install with answer files, you must start the installation by executingwinnt.exe from either the i386 folder on the Windows XP Professional CD or (morelikely) from a network share. winnt.exe has a number of switches that must be used tocontrol how the installation will work. The switches are listed in Table 1-4.

When you execute winnt.exe, you can include as many switches as you need to config-ure your installation. For example, suppose you wanted to perform an unattended instal-lation from a network share using two answer files called unattend.txt and unattend.udf.


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You also want to run a batch file after the installation that applies updates and patches(called updates.bat). To do so, perform the following steps:

1. Create a folder on a network server, and copy the i386 directory from theWindows XP install CD to that folder.

2. Share the folder, and make sure it is accessible from the network.

3. From a network client (such as a network DOS client), connect to the share andrun the following command:

\\servername\sharename\winnt.exe /u: unattend.txt/udf 1:unattend.udf /e: updates.bat

This command will connect to the network share and run winnt.exe from that share.The winnt.exe file, unattend.txt, unattend.udf, and updates.bat files must all be in thatshare. The installation files must also be in that share (or you could use /s to point to an-other location). If you don’t specify a location, the setup program will assume that all ofthe needed files are local.

STUDY TIP Make sure you are familiar with all of the switches for winnt.exe.You may need to know which to use based on a particular scenario.

Description

/u: [answer file] Use the listed file to perform an unattended installation.All unattended installations must include this switch.

/udf:id[udf file] Specifies a uniqueness data file. This data file containsinformation unique to each computer (such as computername) When you use this option; you supply a unique IDnumber which you assign to each computer.

/s [file location] Points to the location of the installation files (on the localCD or on a network share). The installation files arefound in the i386 folder on the Windows XP installationCD or network share.

/e: [command] Executes a command at the end of the Setup Wizardportion of the installation.

/r:[folder name] Allows you to create an additional folder under theWinnt folder. This folder will remain after installationis completed.

/rx:[folder name] Creates an optional folder that is deleted automaticallyafter setup is finished.

/a Enables accessibility options, such as the screen magnifier,for users with special requirements.

/t [file name] Specifies the location of the temporary directory used bythe Setup program. Without this switch, Windows XPwill create the temporary directory on the boot partition.

Table 1-4Switches Usedwith winnt.exe




The unattend.txt and unattend.udf FilesThe unattand.txt and unattend.udf files are specially marked text files that can be parsedby the setup tool. You can create these files using any text editor or Windows Setup Man-ager (which is easier and reduces errors). The unattend.txt file is used to answer all ques-tions posed by the setup. You must tailor these files to your requirements. If you have anumber of computers that will all have the same installation requirements (such asa standard configuration for the Sales department) you only need one unattend.txt. Forexample, the contents of the file might look like this:

L 1-1 [Unattended]Unattendmode = FullUnattendedOemPreinstall = NOTargetPath = WINNTFilesystem = NTFS[UserData]FullName = "Administrator"OrgName = "Haunting Productions, Inc"ComputerName = "Haunting1"

[GuiUnattended]; Sets the Timezone to the Pacific Northwest; Sets the Admin Password to password; Turn AutoLogon ON and log in onceTimeZone = "004"AdminPassword = "password"AutoLogon = YesAutoLogonCount = 1

;

This is only a partial file, but you can see the kinds of information it provides. Youshould recognize most of the parameters as the value you are prompted for during theSetup program and the Setup Wizard (for instance, the time zone, computer name, andAdministrator password). It also specifies which file system the set utility should use toformat the partition before running the Setup Wizard. If this file is configured properly,the Setup program is able to perform a full installation of Windows XP without any userinteraction.

An answer file by itself has a particular limitation. It contains information that mustbe unique (like computer name). If you were to use this script to install multiple copiesof Windows XP, each computer would have the same name. You could manually editthe file between each installation. However, this would result in more administrative ef-fort. This problem is solved by using a Uniqueness Database (UDB) file. The UDB fileprovides unique values for an installation by referencing a unique index value. The filename must end in the .udf extension. When the Setup program encounters the /udfswitch it uses the UDB file to replace whatever values is specified in the unattend.txt.A USB file looks something like this:

L 1-2 [UniqueIds]1= UserData2= UserData3= UserData[1: UserData]


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ComputerName = "Haunting1"[2:UserData]

ComputerName = "Haunting2"[3:UserData]

ComputerName = "Haunting3"

As you can see, the first section defines a unique ID and the second section providesunique values for each ID. You can now use this file to override elements of theunattend.txt. For example if you wanted to give each computer a unique computer nameyou could use this command:

L 1-3 winnt /u unattand.txt /udf 2:computerName, unattend.udf

When this command is executed, any value that exists in both the unattend.txt fileand the UDB file will be supplied by the unattend.udf file using the index value passed.In other words, the udf always wins. If you use the /udf switch and do not supply thename of the UDB file, the Setup program will prompt you for the location of the file.

Using Setup ManagerManually creating unattend.txt and UDB files can be very complex. They are simple textfiles. However, the Windows Setup program requires very specific values and syntax. Ifyou do not know the correct syntax or names for parameters, the Setup program maynot be able to read the file correctly. To make creation of these files easier, Microsoft hasincluded a tool that makes it easier to create answer files: Setup Manager. Setup Manageris a GUI application that can be used to automatically generate unattend.txt files andUDB files.

Before using Setup Manager, you must install it from the Windows XP CD. It is lo-cated, along with some other automation tools, in the Support \Tools folder on theWindows Installation CD in a compressed file called deploy.cab. You must extract thiscompressed file before you can run Setup Manager.

Exercise 1.2In this exercise, you locate the deployment tools on the Windows XP Professional CDand extract them to your local hard drive. This exercise assumes you have access toa Windows XP Professional CD.

Extracting the Deployment Tools

1. Create a folder on your local hard drive called supptools to hold the extracted files.

2. Insert the Windows XP Professional CD into the computer.

3. When the Windows XP Professional CD form appears, click Exit.

4. Explore the CD using Windows Explorer.



5. Open Support | Tools, and double-click the deploy.cab file.

6. Select All files, and right-click any file.

7. Select Extract and then browse for the supptools folder.

8. Click OK.

NOTE If you have installed other compression software (like WinZip),double-clicking the .cab file may cause one of the other compressionapplications to run. If this is the case, use that application to extractthe files.

Setupmgr.exe will be one of the files extracted from the deploy.cab file. This is the ex-ecutable file that starts Setup Manager.

When you first start Setup Manager, it asks you if you want to create a new answer fileor modify an existing file. If you choose to create a new answer file, Setup Manager thenasks you which type of file you want to install. You are given three choices:

• Windows XP Unattended Installation (the unattend.txt file)

• SYSPREP Install

• Remote Installation Services

Setup Manager is able to create answer files for all three methods of automatic Win-dows XP installation. If you choose the unattended installation files option, you areasked for which operating system you will be creating the files: Windows XP Home,Windows XP Professional, or Windows 2002 Server. The Windows 2002 Server entrywill be used to generate installation scripts for Windows 2003 servers. When you chooseyour OS, it next asks you which level of user interaction you want (see Figure 1-9). Thechoices are explained in Table 1-5.


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Level Explanation

ProvideDefaults

The answers supplied in the answer files will be added asdefaults, but the user may change any supplied answer.

FullyAutomated

All answers are supplied by the answer file. The users arenever prompted for an answer.

Hide Pages Screens in the Setup Wizard that have all parameters suppliedby the answer file will not be shown. Only those screens withparameters not referenced in the unattend.txt file will bevisible to the user.

Read Only The screens in the Setup Wizard are shown to the user, butthe user cannot change any values supplied in the answer file.

GUI Attend The text-mode setup program is not automated, but theSetup Wizard is fully automated.

Table 1-5User InteractionOptions in theSetup ManagerWizard



Once you have chosen the user interaction mode, Setup Manager will ask you if youwant to create a distribution folder for the installation files. Then, it will ask you to pro-vide all the answers necessary for an attended installation. On the page where you addthe computer name, you are given the option of adding several names. If you add multi-ple names, Setup Manager will also create an unattend.udf file. Finally, it gives you theoption of creating a distribution folder or running the install from the CD. When SetupManager completes, you will have

• An unattend.txt file that reflects all of the choices you made

• An unattend.bat file, used to start the unattended install

• An option unattend.udf file, used if you include multiple computer names

You can then use these files with winnt.exe to perform an unattended install.

Exercise 1.3In this exercise, you use the Setup Manager to create an answer file for an unattended in-stallation of Windows XP Professional.

Running Setup Manager

1. Open Windows Explorer and create a folder called Answerfile.


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Figure 1-9 User interaction options in Setup Manager




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2. Browse to the supptools folder which you created in Exercise 1.2

3. Double-click setupmgr.exe.

4. Click Next.

5. Click Create A New Answer File.

6. Click Windows XP Professional, and click Next.

7. Click Fully Automated, and click Next.

8. When prompted to create a distribution folder, click No, The Answer File WillBe Used To Install From A CD.

9. Click the check box to agree to the License Agreement, and then click Next.

10. Enter values for Name and Organization, and click Next.

11. In the left pane, select Network Settings | Computer Name.

12. Enter more than one computer name by typing the names into the ComputerName text box and clicking Add. Click Next.

13. Continue clicking Next (which will accept the default values) until you areprompted for a file location. Save the files in the Answerfile folder you createdin step 1.

14. Click Finish.

You can then open the folder and review the unattend.txt, unattend.bat, and unattend.udf files.

Creating Images with SYSPREPYou can also automate the installation of Windows XP using images. This is becoming amuch more popular method of deploying Windows XP. Applying an image is differentfrom performing an unattended installation. You must create the image based on amanually installed computer that becomes a sort of template for all other computers.On that template computer, you will install the operating system and any applicationsyou want included with the image. Once you have the computer configured the way youwant the image to appear, you will create the image using a third-party image-copyingtool and deploy it to multiple computers to create the image. Once you have created theimage, you can deploy it on multiple computers.

Traditionally, however, imaging Windows has been problematic. The problem stemmedfrom the fact that each installation of Windows was give a unique machine system identifier(SID). When you installed a master copy of Windows and imaged it, from then on all sub-sequent machines were created with the same SID. This caused conflicts that made the im-aged copies unable to connect to the network. This problem has been eliminated inWindows XP with a new tool—the System Preparation Tool (SYSPREP). sysprep.exe is oneof the files generated when you extract the deploy.cab file. It’s used to prepare the mastercomputer to be imaged. It deletes the master computer’s SID and any other user-specific




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information. When the image is deployed after being prepared with SYSPREP, Windowsautomatically generates a new SID for the image. The steps for imaging Windows are

1. Perform a clean install of Windows XP on a test computer.

2. Troubleshoot the installation and ensure there are no errors.

3. Install any service packs or applications you want on the image on the testcomputer.

4. Copy the profile for whichever account you used to install the software to thedefault user profile. This will make user-dependent software available to all users.

5. Run sysprep.exe on the test machine.

6. Restart the test computer and image it with a third-party imaging tool.

7. Save the image to a CD or network share.

8. Start the destination computer(s), and apply the image to the new machine(s).

When you run the image, it will run a mini-setup program that will prompt you forthe information SYSPREP stripped away (like the Administrator password). You can au-tomate this process by using Setup Manager to create a sysprep.inf file. This works likean answer file for the mini-setup portion of the image installation. SYSPREP also hassome specific switches that allow you to customize how SYSPREP prepares the test ma-chine. These switches are explained in Table 1-6.

Performing Remote installations with RISThe final method for deploying Windows XP is through the Windows Remote Installa-tion Services (RIS). RIS allows you to push out images to servers across the network.When RIS is configured properly, you can install an image on a new computer by simply

Switch Explanation

-pnp This switch forces mini-setup to rerun the Plug-and-Play devicedetection phase. This is a useful option if the hardware receivingthe image will be different than the hardware in the test computer.

-nosidgen This option prevents new SID generation when the image isapplied. The SID of the test machine is not removed by SYSPREP.This is useful if you want to create an image that will only be usedto re-create an installation. For example, if you wanted a testserver that could be easily re-created after each test, you wouldcreate an image with -nosidgen. This image obviously cannot beused on multiple computers.

-quiet Causes SYSPREP to run without returning anything to the screen.

-reboot Automatically restarts the test machine after SYSPREP completes.

Table 1-6The SYSPREPOptions



connecting it to the network starting the computer. The difficulty with RIS is makingsure it is properly configured.

Configuring the RIS ServerTo deploy Windows XP using RIS, the RIS service must be running on a Windows 2000or 2003 server on the network. The image must already be prepared and loaded into theRIS server. In addition to RIS, the following must be available on the network:

• An Active Directory domain controller

• A DHCP server

• A DNS server

If these are not available, you cannot perform an implementation of Windows XPProfessional using RIS. There are also specific requirements for installing RIS. It must beinstalled on a shared volume that:

• Is formatted with NTFS.

• Has enough free space to hold the RIS software and all of the various imagesthat will be installed by RIS. This depends on the size and number of imagesstored on the RIS server.

• Is not on the boot partition (the volume containing the winnt directory).

RIS may be installed when you install the server. If it was not, you can install it afterthe installation using the Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel. Most impor-tantly, the network interface card (NIC) in the computer that will receive the imageform RIS must be a PCI card that supports Pre-boot execution environment (PXE)architecture.

NOTE PXE is a specification that allows a computer to boot from thehardware without requiring software support.

RIS must start before the computer boots. In many cases, RIS implementations willbe used on computers that have no operating system in which to boot. If the NIC doesnot support PXE, you can create a boot disk using the Windows XP Remote Boot DiskGenerator (rbfg.exe). This file can be found on the RIS server.

STUDY TIP Make sure you pay special attention to the server and networkrequirements for RIS. Some scenarios may require that you identify why RISis not working.



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The RIS image is also different from the type of image generated through SYSPREP.These images must be created with a special tool: the Remote Installation preparationtool (RIPrep). This tool is much like SYSPREP. However aside from the SID, it also re-moves hardware-specific settings from the test computer. This makes the RIPrep imagehardware-independent. The process of creating an RIS image is similar to the process ofcreating an image with SYSPREP. You perform a manual install of Windows XP Profes-sional and install any other software you want the image to contain. For RIS, all infor-mation must be on a single volume from a single disk. (The RIS image cannot spanmultiple volumes.) You then run RIPrep (riprep.exe), prepare the image, and then cre-ate the image with a third-party imaging tool. You can also create a remboot.sif file us-ing Setup Manager. This file is similar to an unattend.txt file but is used when applyingthe image.

If your computer meets these requirements and your server and network are properlyconfigured, you must simply start the computer (even if nothing is installed on the harddrive). The network card will send a broadcast to DHCP for an IP address. DHCP will re-direct the client to an RIS server that will download a Client Installation Wizard (CIW)to the client and begin the install process. Other than turning on the computer (or boot-ing from the boot disk), the installation requires no further user interaction.

Activating WindowsWindows XP Professional and Windows 2003 Server contain an anti-piracy feature: Win-dows Activation. This measure requires you to activate your operating system throughMicrosoft. When you first log on to Windows after the installation, a message will appearprompting you to activate your installation. You can choose not to activate the installa-tion, and Windows will periodically remind you that you have not yet activated the OS.Activation is tied to your computer’s hardware. Once a particular Windows Product Key isactivated, the CD and key cannot be used to install and activate Windows on anothercomputer. If you are a corporate client, you can buy a volume license key that allows youto activate multiple copies of Windows XP with the same key.

Windows provides two means of activating Windows: via the Internet or by tele-phone. If you do not activate Windows XP within 30 days, you will no longer be able toconnect to the OS except to perform the activation. The process is exactly the same onWindows 2003 servers. If you are performing an unattended installation, Setup Man-ager will allow you to include activation as part of the unattend.txt. If you don’t includethe option, the users will be asked to activate Windows. You do not need administrativerights to activate Windows XP. If you activate via the Internet, you do not need to knowany information about the installation.

Chapter ReviewSuccessful installation requires planning. You must decide on the operating system thatbest meets your needs and budget, particularly with the server editions. You must alsoensure that your hardware meets the minimum hardware requirements, and that each ison the Hardware Compatibility List (HCL).




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Before you begin the install, decide how you want to partition your hard drive andwhich file system to use. The choice of file systems should only be dictated by a need todual-boot with another OS (such as Windows 95, 98, or 2000). If the computer willonly be running Windows XP, choose NTFS. If you are dual-booting, you might alsoneed to decide if you will format a partition at all or if you will install it on an existingpartition. Finally, you must choose between Typical and Custom networking settings.You need to use Custom if you want to set a static IP address or add services other thanMicrosoft standard networking services.

If you are rolling Windows XP out to a large number of computers, you might con-sider using an unattended installation method. You can run winnt.exe with the /u op-tion and include an unattend.txt file to create a custom installation. If you have anumber of computers with the same basic setup requirements, you can use oneunattend.txt file to configure all the computers. To provide unique values (such as com-puter names), you can also include an unattend.udf file. To make creating these fileseasier, Windows 2000 includes Setup Manager, which automatically generates them.

If you so choose, you can also create an image of an OS to deploy across the network.Images have the advantage of allowing you to deploy service packs and applicationsalong with the OS. You can deploy these images using a third-party utility or by usingRIS. Before you deploy these images, you need to prepare your model computer. Ifyou’re going to use RIS, you can do this with sysprep.exe or riprep.exe. Many require-ments exist for installing and configuring RIS. Most of these requirements involve thecreation of the RIS server and the configuration of the network. The only requirementfor the client is it must be PXE-compliant. If you configured your RIS server properly,distributing an image with RIS is as easy as turning on your computer.

Questions

1. You’re installing Windows XP Professional on a computer that already hasWindows 98 installed. The system has an application you need that will onlyrun on Windows 98. The computer has a single C partition and no free space.You want to format the partition to allow both Windows XP and Windows 98to run on the computer. What should you do?

A. Use FAT.

B. Use FAT32.

C. Use NTFS.

D. Don’t format the hard drive. Use the existing file system.

2. You have been asked to install Windows XP Professional on a number ofcomputers at a remote site. You have chosen to use an image to deploy Windows.You know the new machines have slightly different hardware than the machinethat you used to create the image. In particular, the remote computers may havedifferent sound cards or modems. However, all the hardware is on the HCL.You must prepare your image to make sure differences in hardware will notaffect the implementation of the image. What should you do?



A. Do nothing. SYSPREP can only be used if the target computer has the exactsame hardware.

B. Run sysprep.exe with the -pnp switch.

C. Run sysprep.exe with the -hwrescan switch.

D. Include a sysprep.inf file with the image that has the rescan =1 propertyincluded.

3. At the beginning of the month, one of your junior administrators installedWindows XP Professional for the sales manager in your department. Themanager has just called you because she can no longer access her applications.She informs you that she was able to work on the computer yesterday withoutany problems. What is the most likely cause of this problem?

A. The junior administrator did not include the CD key when he installedWindows XP.

B. The junior administrator did not activate Windows XP on the sales manager’scomputer.

C. The correct service packs were not installed.

D. The product was not registered.

4. You are planning to use a third-party imaging software package to create anddeploy an image of Windows XP Professional to multiple computers. Whichtool should you use to prepare the test machine before creating the image?

A. RIPrep.exe

B. Setup Manager

C. sysprep.inf

D. YSPREP.exe

5. You want to use sysprep.exe to prepare a Windows XP Professional computerfor imaging. Where is this file located?

A. In the I386\deploytools folder on a Windows 2000 or Windows 2003 CD.

B. In the deploy.cab file on the Windows XP CD.

C. In the I386\deptools folder on the Windows XP CD.

D. In the resource kit.

6. You are installing Windows XP Professional on a computer that will be usedby a graphic designer. The computer has four Processors. However, when XPis installed, it only uses two of the four processors. Why is this occurring?

A. You need the 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional to utilize fourprocessors.

B. You need the Developer Edition of Windows XP to utilize four processors.


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C. Windows XP Professional can only support two processors.

D. You need to manually configure Windows XP to recognize the other twoprocessors.

7. You’re using Setup Manager to create an unattended installation file. This filewill be placed on a network file share along with the installation files. You wanta junior help-desk employee to initiate the installations, but you want to hidethe actual installation process from him. Which user interaction option willgive you this level of functionality?

A. Hide Pages

B. Provide Defaults

C. Read Only

D. Fully Automated

8. You are a domain administrator who is currently installing Windows XPProfessional. You want to join the computer to the domain and have alreadycreated an account for the computer in Active Directory. However, when youtry to join the domain, the Setup program tells you that a domain controllercannot be found. Which two reasons could account for this error? (Choosetwo. Each correct answer represents a unique solution.)

A. You have not authorized the new computer in Active Directory.

B. DHCP is unavailable.

C. You have mistyped the domain name.

D. You have entered a different computer name than the one you created theaccount for in Active Directory.

9. Which of the following is not required to deploy a Windows XP image using RIS?

A. An Active Directory domain controller

B. DNS

C. DHCP

D. Sysprep.exe

10. You are a domain administrator and are planning to use an unattended installationto deploy Windows XP Professional on ten computers. You have three differentconfigurations, but each computer will only deploy one of those configurations.Which configuration accurately describes the files that are required?

A. One unattend.txt and ten .udf files

B. Three unattend.txt files and one .udf file

C. One unattend.txt files and three.udf files

D. Ten unattend.txt files



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Answers

1. D. If you choose to format the partition, it will overwrite Windows 98. Whenthe setup program detects an existing partition, it gives you the option ofinstalling on the partition without changing the formatting. In this case, youwill have a Windows folder contain the Windows 98 files and a Winnt foldercontaining the Windows XP folders. A, B, and C are incorrect because if youchoose a file system, it will overwrite the partition.

2. B. The -pnp switch will cause the mini-setup wizard to re-run the hardwaredetection phase when the image is applied. Since all hardware is on the HCL,the detection should load the appropriate drivers for any variant hardware. A isincorrect because some hardware differences, particularly in peripheral devices,are allowed with the -pnp options. C and D are incorrect because these optionsdo not exist.

3. B. If you do not activate Windows, it will cease working after 30 days. A is incorrectbecause you cannot install Windows XP without a CD key. C is incorrect because,although installing service packs is a good idea, they are not required for Windowsto function. D is incorrect because you do not need to register Windows, onlyactivate it.

4. D. sysprep.exe will remove the machine SID from the test machine and prepareit for imaging. A is incorrect because riprep.exe is used to prepare an image thatwill be distributed by an RIS server. B is incorrect because Setup Manager is usedto create unattended installation files. C is incorrect because the sysprep.inf fileis created by Setup Manager and is used to automate the mini-setup wizard thatruns when an image is deployed.

5. B. The deployment tools (including sysprep.exe) are compressed in a .cabfile called deploy.cab on the Windows XP CD. A and B are incorrect becausethese folders do not exist. D is incorrect because there is no such tool in theresource kit.

6. C. Windows XP Professional will only utilize a maximum of two processors,regardless of how many are actually installed. A and B are incorrect becausethere is no 64-bit version of Windows XP Professional, nor is there a DeveloperEdition. D is incorrect because there is no way to manually configure WindowsXP to recognize more than two processors.

7. D. If you choose fully automated as your interaction option, the unattendedinstallation will not show any of the steps that are taking place duringthe installation. A is incorrect because if any value is not provided in theunattend.txt file, the installation will prompt the junior administrator for avalue. B is incorrect because it will prompt the junior admin for each answerand only provide a preset default value. The admin can change that value atany time. C is not a valid option.


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8. B and C. If you used a typical network configuration and the DHCP server wasnot available, the Windows XP computer would have assigned itself an IP addressusing APIPA. This would isolate the computer from the rest of the subnet. B iscorrect because if you mistype the domain name, Windows will look for a domaincontroller in a domain that had the same name as the one you typed. A is incorrectbecause computers do not need to be authorized in Active Directory before theycan join the domain. As a domain administrator, you can add any computer to thedomain. D is incorrect because using the wrong computer name will not preventyou from contacting a domain controller.

9. D. sysprep.exe is not used when creating an image for RIS. For RIS to work, youmust have access to a domain controller, DNS, and DHCP.

10. B. Because you have three different configurations, you will need three differentunattend.txt files. The .udf file will only be used to add unique values (such asa computer name or IP address to the configurations). A is incorrect becauseyou only need one .udf file. You will use key values to differentiate between thedifferent elements in the .udf file. C is incorrect because regardless of the numberof possible configurations, you only need one uniqueness data file. D is incorrectbecause the presence of the .udf file makes multiple unattend.txt files to maintainuniqueness unnecessary.


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chapter installing windows xp professional and windows server 2003

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