Install Windows over Network?

[Naldo]

Is it possible to install windows over my lan? By this I mean have the CD/Install files on one PC that is on the lan and have windows install on another PC that is part of the lan.

 

[sandmanx]

In a server environment, there is RIS server, which allows PXE boot and install. For the home environment, I don't think there is a way to do this, unless you have a server OS installed and running.

 

[Dually]

Yes ... assuming you have a Network Boot Disk that will allow you map a share from the target machine ... you can use Winnt.exe. at a Windows 3.x or MS-DOS command prompt.

Type winnt /? for a list of available command-line parameters. You will most likely want to use the /s:SourcePath paramter to specify the location of the source files.

 

[Oldwolf]

Hmm... about 5yrs ago I was told by a supervisor to simply use DOS to network navigate to the appropriate server/drive/directory and then simply run setup across the network.

I never tried it, so I don't know if it'll work.

However, copying the win98se folder to the harddrive via DOS and doing an install off the drive is possible. I've heard this is possible with XP, but not sure.

 

[Naldo]

Thanks for the help thus far!

So what I need to do is extract the CD to the Harddrive on trhe hosting computer, then boot into DOS on the computer that needs windows and run the setup from the directory on the other pc?

How do I point to a directory on another computer via dos?

 

[hity645]

I think its //servername/directory/setup.exe

 

[Dually]

So what I need to do is extract the CD to the Harddrive on trhe hosting computer ...

Yes ... copy the CD to a directory on the Host Computer, and create a share.

How do I point to a directory on another computer via dos?

You will need to make a DOS boot disk that loads the network drivers for the target machine. Then you will be able to map a drive to the host share and execute winnt.exe

 

[Naldo]

You will need to make a DOS boot disk that loads the network drivers for the target machine. Then you will be able to map a drive to the host share and execute winnt.exe

How do I go about doing this?

 

[The_Mage18]

Yes ... copy the CD to a directory on the Host Computer, and create a share.

You only need to copy the i386 directory and all the directories inside it. The rest of the stuff on the CD is not needed for installation.

 

[Dually]

How do I go about doing this?

You will need to build a boot disk with the "Microsoft Network Client 3.0". You will need the appropriate drivers for your NIC.

You only need to copy the i386 directory and all the directories inside it.

Yep! ...