Install by using Remote Installation Services

  • Article

Applies To: Windows Server 2003 R2, Windows Server 2003 with SP2

You can install Windows Server 2003 R2 on remote computers using Remote Installation Services (RIS).

If this is your first time using RIS, you will need to install and configure RIS before performing these procedures. To learn about installing and configuring RIS, see "How To Use Remote Installation Services to Install Windows Server 2003 on Remote Computers" on the Microsoft Web site (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=50199).

Installing Using RIS

In the first procedure in this section, you will create an image of Windows Server 2003 (Disc 1). In the second procedure, you will add the Windows Server 2003 R2 installation files (Windows Server 2003 R2 Disc 2) to the image you created.

  • To create an image of Windows Server 2003 (Disc 1)

  • To add the Windows Server 2003 R2 installation files (Disc 2) to the image

To create an image of Windows Server 2003 (Disc 1)

  1. On a computer running RIS, log on as a user with administrative privileges.

  2. Click Start, click Run, type risetup.exe, and then click OK to start the RIS Setup Wizard.

  3. When the Welcome screen appears, click Next.

  4. Select Add a new OS image to this remote installation server, and then click Next.

  5. You are then prompted for the location of the client operating system installation files. Insert Windows Server 2003 R2 Disc 1 in the CD-ROM drive, and then click Next.

    Note

    Microsoft only supports the use of Microsoft media when creating a client operating system image. The use of non-Microsoft media is not supported.

  6. Type the folder name for the Disc 1 installation files on the RIS server, and then click Next.

  7. Type a friendly description for the operating system image. For example, you might type Windows-Server-2003. This is displayed to users after they start a remote client and run the Client Installation Wizard.

  8. Click Next.

  9. If you have created an operating system image on this server in the past, you will be prompted to specify what Setup should do with the old client installation screens. Select one of the following:

    • If you want to use the old installation screens at a later time, select Use the new client installation screens, and rename the old ones with a .bak extension.

    • If you want to delete the old installation screens, select Use the new client installation screens, and overwrite the old ones.

    • If you have made modifications to the installation screens that you would like to preserve, select Use the old client installation screens.

  10. Click Next.

  11. Click Finish, and then click Done.

To add the Windows Server 2003 R2 installation files (Disc 2) to the image

  1. Navigate to the image that you created in the previous procedure. The image will be located in Drive:\RemoteInstallFolder\Setup\Language\Images\ImageName. For example, E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003.

  2. In this directory, create an $OEM$ folder and a Cmpnents folder. For example, you should have the following:

    E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003\i386

    E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003\$OEM$

    E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003\Cmpnents

  3. In the $OEM$ folder, create the following directory: $OEM$\$1\R2.

  4. In the $OEM$\$1\R2 directory, create a file named R2comp.inf.

  5. In R2comp.inf, create a [Version] section and then create a [Components] section that lists the components that you would like to install. For example, the following example installs Active Directory Application Mode (ADAM) and Common Log File System:

    [Version]
Signature = "$Windows NT$"
[Components]
ADAM=on
CLFS=on

    For a complete list of the components that you can install, see Deploy.chm located in the \Docs folder of Windows Server 2003 R2 Disc 2.

  6. Copy the content of the Cmpnents folder of Disc 2, into E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003\Cmpnents

  7. Open the RISstndrd.sif file that is located in:

    E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003\i386\templates.

    Note

    For x64-based computers, this file is located in the Amd64\Templates folder.

  8. Make the following changes in RISstndrd.sif. This change specifies that Setup should copy the subfolders and files contained in the $OEM$ folder.

    [Unattended]
OemPreinstall = yes

  9. In RISstndrd.sif, add a [GuiRunonce] section. The [GuiRunonce] section contains commands to execute the first time an administrator logs on to the computer. In the following example, the /q option specifies that Setup should run in quiet mode, the /cs option creates a shortcut on the desktop to a document that describes the new Windows Server 2003 R2 components, and the /a option specifies that you accept the EULA. In addition, starting the command with "cmd /c" ensures that Windows Server 2003 R2 Setup is complete before executing the next command, and "ProductID" is the Product Key that comes with the two product discs. For a complete list of the options that you can add to this section, see Deploy.chm located in the \Docs folder of Windows Server 2003 R2 Disc 2.

    [GuiRunonce]
Command0="cmd /c \\RISServer\reminst\setup\Language\ImageName\Cmpnents\R2\setup2.exe /q /cs /a”
Command1="%windir%\system32\sysocmgr.exe /i:sysoc.inf /u:C:\R2\r2comp.inf"
[UserData]
ProductID = "XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX"

  10. If you want the administrator to be able to install a Windows Server 2003 R2 component in the future, copy the contents of Disc 2 into E:\RemoteInstall\Setup\English\Images\Windows-Server-2003\$OEM$\$1\R2. After installation, these files will be available in C:\R2 on the client computer.