MS Server software for WDS...

[Altster]

Many of you know that I tout Open-Source software and when I can I use it as much as possible. But now I am really interested in working with WDS (Windows Deployment Server) and have even started to set it up on MS Server 2008 Std SP2 but am finding that I need to add more software to get it to do what I'd like it to do.

I am considering purchasing Server 2012 but don't really know which one to go after. The O/S will be running on a Dell PE2850(?) server with drives 0 & 1 in a raid 0 configuration and the rest of the drives (4 of them) in raid 5. At the moment I have Server 2008 SP2 (non-R2 version) with the drives set up as listed in the previous sentence.

To those of you who do run WDS with MDT, etc..- what release of Windows Server are you using and do you have any suggestions for me - be-it software, setup, etc.. Setting up the roles in Server 2008 Std (SP2) was rather interesting and fun and when I did them it sure seemed easier that I thought it would be. I have a much better understanding of how it all works now (I think LOL).

So any suggestions would be greatly appreciated and welcomed.

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

I have run WDS on Essentials, but did not need MDT so can't help there. I am curious as to why you would be running the OS in RAID 0 though? I would suggest RAID 1 since the RemoteInstall folder should be on the RAID 5 array anyway you won't really see a difference once the machine is booted.

 

[Altster]

My bad. It IS raid 1 for the OS drive(s) and raid 5 for the DATA drive(s). I initially posted the original from home. I'm now at work (don't have a server at home to play with) and I just checked to make sure.

BTW, I did d/load Server 2012 Essentials (trial) from MS yesterday and plan on giving that a go. Hopefully it will run WDS without having to add other software to make it work. I am still learning all of this stuph!

Thanks for the reply. Hmmmm, I see you are from Iowa. I just happen to have my Iowa 80 TruckStop T-shirt on today. Big place and good food to boot!

 

[Slaters Kustum Machines]

When I was going to school in Illinois I would stop there every weekend on the way home and back for fuel and at the time I was going to school for automotive technology so the truck shop was right up my alley!

 

[Altster]

I finally gave up on trying to get server 2012 R2 properly configured - just could never get it do allow a PXE boot. So I'm back to running Server 2008 R2 and it does very well with Windows 7 - so far without issues. But Vista.....that's another story.

I'd like to hear what those of you who use WDS handle Vista installs - that is, if you are still installing it. We will continue to load Vista until we no longer rec'v any Vista-based computer repairs / used builds. What software you are using...beit server or imaging or......?

Again, thanks for your input(s), it is greatly appreciated.

 

[cyabro]

I've got 2012 r2 server doing wds in our workshop.
I switched the default boot to syslinux so that we can do memtest etc via pxe boot as well.
We also have the Eset winpe boot on there for doing offline virus scans.
We have win7, win8, server2012 versions on the list of windows installations but not vista as we just don't get them anymore. If we do we use the systems built in recovery for those reinstalls or our DVDs.
We can also do uefi NetBoot from this server so can do gpt hdd formats during the windows install.

 

[OaksLabs]

Open source deployment? Look at FOG: https://www.fogproject.org/

I've never used it personally, but I know techs who have and they like it.

 

[Altster]

Open source deployment? Look at FOG: https://www.fogproject.org/

I've never used it personally, but I know techs who have and they like it.

I've looked at it - even played with it a time or two (with the latest release). Installed it on Ubuntu 12.04 recently. But this is another software package that I can't get to work properly. It is (probably) a case of me just not fully understanding it or how it works. But at least I don't give up without a fight first!

 

[ajgyomber]

What about using Serva (http://www.vercot.com/~serva/) instead?

 

[Altster]

What about using Serva (http://www.vercot.com/~serva/) instead?

I don't think I had ever heard of or about it. So I have downloaded and copy and will take a good overall look at it.

For the time being I'll be using ClonezillaSE for deploying images until something else changes. I've fought with 2008 R2 / WDS and was able to get it to deploy, but creating and sending an image to it has failed everytime. I have the computer loaded and sysprepped and follow the instructions to a "T" and yet when the image is re-deployed it fails. Oh well (for now). Everything is at the office and I am at home.