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Windows Deployment Services

Prerequisites: Installed Windows Server 2022

Install WDS (Windows Deployment Services)

  • Change Server Name
    • Navigate to Control Panel
    • Navigate to System and Security
    • Navigate to System
    • Click Rename this PC
    • Enter a name. eg WDS-SERVER
    • Reboot
  • Open Server Manager App
    • Click Manage on top right corner
    • Add Roles and Features
      • Installation Type: Role-based or feature-based installation
      • Server Selection: Select a server from the server pool
        • Select your server
    • Server Roles
      • Select Windows Deployment Services
      • Click Add Features
    • Role Services
      • Select Deployment Server
      • Select Transport Server
    • Click Install

Configure WDS

  • Open Windows Deployment Services App
    • Open the Servers dropdown
    • Right click your server and select Configure Server
    • Select Standalone server
    • Set the Path for the PXE boot files.
    • Select Respond to all client computers (Or whatever suits your needs).
    • Unselect Add images to server now.

Install MDT

Configure MDT

  • Open Deployment Workbench (Find it on the Start Menu)
    • Right click Deployment Shares
    • Select New Deployment Share
    • Select a path
    • Click Next to the rest of the screens

Import OS to MDT

  • Mount your default Windows 11 Image
  • Go to Deployment Shares > MDT Deployment Share > Operating Systems
    • Right click Operating Systems
    • Select Import Operating System
    • Select Full set of source files
    • Select for Source Directory the mounted Win 11 Image
    • Set a name
    • Click Next to the rest of the screens

Add Images to WDS

  • Windows Server Images

    1. Prepare the images
      • Open your Windows ISO and navigate to sources
      • Copy boot.wim and install.wim to C:\RemoteInstall
      • Rename them to Server2022Boot.wim and Server2022Install.wim
    2. Add Boot Images
      • Navigate to WDS and right click Boot Images on the left sidebar
      • Click Add Boot Image...
      • Browse and select the Server2022Boot.wim image
      • Change name to Windows Server 2022 Boot.
      • Done
    3. Add Install Images
      • Navigate to WDS and right click Install Images on the left sidebar
      • Click Add Install Image...
      • Create an image group: Server-2022
      • Browse and select the Server2022Install.wim image
      • Unselect Use the default name and description
      • Change Image name to something shorter. eg. Server2022 Standard Core
      • Same for Image description
      • Repeat for all images
      • Done
    4. Cleanup
      • Delete Server2022Boot.wim and Server2022Install.wim from C:\RemoteInstall

  • Windows 10 Images

    1. Prepare the images

      • Open your Windows ISO and navigate to sources
      • Copy boot.wim and install.esd to C:\RemoteInstall
      • Rename them to Win10Boot.wim and Win10Install.esd
      • Open Powershell (Administrator) and execute the following
      Terminal window
      cd C:\RemoteInstall
      dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:Win10Install.esd
      # Note the index numbers of the images you want to extract.
      # Run the following command for each of the indexes you want to extract, remember to change
      # the name of the DestinationImageFile for each index.
      dism /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:Win10Install.esd /Compress:max /CheckIntegrity `
      /SourceIndex:6 /DestinationImageFile:C:\RemoteInstall\Win10ProInstall.wim

    2. Add Boot Images

      • Navigate to WDS and right click Boot Images on the left sidebar
      • Click Add Boot Image...
      • Browse and select the Win10Boot.wim image
      • Change name to Windows 10 Boot.
      • Done

    3. Add Install Images

      • Navigate to WDS and right click Install Images on the left sidebar
      • Click Add Install Image...
      • Create an image group: Windows10
      • Browse and select the Win10ProInstall.wim image
      • Unselect Use the default name and description
      • Change Image name to eg. Windows 10 Pro - VERSION
      • Same for Image description
      • Repeat these steps for all images
      • Done

    4. Cleanup

      • Delete Win10Boot.wim, Win10Install.esd and Win10ProInstall.wim from C:\RemoteInstall

  • You can now boot a PC with PXE from the network.

Attach Answer File to an Image

After you added an image, you can attach an answer file you created.

  • Right Click the Install Image and click Properties
  • Select Allow image to install in unattended mode
  • Click Select File...
  • Click Browse
  • Select the Answer File you saved earlier