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Windows Deployment Services

Prerequisites: Installed Windows Server 2022

Install WDS (Windows Deployment Services)

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

Section titled “Install MDT”

Configure MDT

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

Section titled “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

Section titled “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