RIS Server Setup 5

[Andrew26]

Could somebody explain RIS Servers. We are upgrading all our PC's to Windows 2000 and then our servers.

Could we create a RIS Server to automatically install Windows 2000 Clients from scratch.

Thanx,

A.

 

[Reepicheep]

RIS requires Active Directory, DNS and DHCP to work so you may want to rethink your order and set up your domain first.

RIS requires Pre-Boot Executable (PKE 2.0) network cards (or floppy bootable) to be able to boot from the NIC to get the advertised RIS services.

You need to set up a RIS server, setup clients with your applications (Office, etc.), using RIPREP create additional image(s) of your planned systems, then you can deploy them with RIS to any compatible system (keyword compatible hardrware).

Major concerns include: 1) bandwidth available,2) router compatibility 3) the target systems should be similar (VERY SIMILAR - e.g. same chipsets such as Intel 815).

We use successfully to a great extent but there are particular requirements and issues.

You may want to read up on it at the MS web site:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...hnol/windows2000serv/deploy/depopt/remote.asp

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prbc_cai_facb.asp

Pax, Richard

 

[mciwspmi]

We are currently testing RIS; so far we have been very successful, but we have current OEM hardware and PXE-compliant NICs. We were able to configure multiple images with security settings, installed apps, and service packs/hotfixes applied. It took us an average of 15-20 min. to fully config a workstation via RIS, compared to 2.5-3 hrs when done manually. Coupled with roaming profiles, you also have a rudimentary workstation bu solution, so long as data is not stored locally...very slick!

 

[donnie4564]

You should invest in Norton Ghost, It works real well.

RIS can only install the apps that are supported using the msi extension, unless you want to create your own custom package to install with RIS.

If you just want w2k prof with office or other supported software then RIS may be the way to go. But if you use any complex configuration then you will spend a lot of time at the desktop.

With Norton, just setup the PC like you want it, create your image then shoot that image to the client.

RIS, unless they have updated it, only supports a few nics on the market.

 

[Andrew26]

Hi All,

Thanks for the Answers, its helping alot.

Could I create one Server with Active Directory, DNS, DHCP and RIS - Or does the server have to be a PDC / BDC.

A Bit of a long shot........

Thanx,
A.

 

[donnie4564]

The RIS cannot run on the NT domain. You must have a 2000 domain with dhcp.

RIS will run on a member server or a Domain Controller

Depending on the size of your network, You should use a dedicated server. Bacause of the load that RIS puts on the server.

RIS must have it's own disk. (cannot be installed on the same disk as the OS)

 

[Andrew26]

Hi All,

Thanks for the info.

Will buy ghost until the W2K Domain is setup.

Cheers,

A.

 

[mickyjune26]

I successfully deployed RIS images, but then tried to deploy an alternate image w/office 2k installed.

I ran riprep.exe and made the image, but when deployed, my office 2k isn't installed.

Does RIS support applications along with OS configurations? or is this an error to research furthur should i rerun riprep?

 

[tlcscousin]

Yes you can by adding the following. As you can see I also added winzip and adobe that way. You will need to put the path to the setup.exe of the program. I had it stored on my RIS server. You can also slipstream SP3 into the OS image, and if so inclined slipstream SP1a into Office XP install. This will install everything after the OS is setup. I at the same time had IE6 install using the run once section. (I dont have the copy of that .sif handy) Ris is a great app, I have images ready to deploy for W2Ksp3 pro & Server as well as XP pro and .NET.

[ServicesSection]
[GuiRunOnce]
WinZip = "%servername%\WinZip\setup.exe"
Adobe = "%servername%\Adobe\ar505enu.exe"
Office = "\\%servername\officeXP\setup.exe"

 

[ShackDaddy]

Your RIS image can really have any app you want in it, not just MSI-based setup programs. I use it to easily deploy systems with Lotus, Outlook, and loads of custom, in-house apps. Remember, you pretty much have all the features of Ghost in RIS if you want, since you can take an image/snapshot of a full install and then deploy it. I currently use absolutely no scripts, just a nice, complete image of a 'perfect' system.

MickyJune26, you might not have actually finished the Office install before you ran RIPREP. Remember, when you do an office install, after the reboot, you need to log on and run Office from an Administrator account so that Office can finish up tying itself properly into the profile. If you forgot this, then when you try to logon as a user after imaging a system, Office will say that it hasn't finished setting up.

While we're on this subject, you should all also remember that if you sit down at a system that you want to make into an image, and log yourself in as the Admin and start installing all 27 apps that need to be on each system, remember that you are doing all this under the Administrator's profile. Before you make the image, you need to go to the System Control Panel -> User Profiles tab and copy the Administrator (or whoever you'd logged on as) profile to... the default user profile directory, which is usually c:\documents and settings\Default User. Then set the permissions so that Everyone can use the profile. Then no matter who logs onto the system after imaging, they get all the proper desktop shortcuts, etc.

ShackDaddy