Install Windows 7 over network with TFTPBoot

[Herath]

Writing this article just for fun and for the use of our members. . This guide is quite incomplete. Everyone is welcome to make it better.

Tools Used

• TFTPBoot
• An existing network OR a straight-through network cable
• Windows 7 DVD Image

TFTPBoot Download
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Part_5_8.44MB

First download and extract the tftpboot from the given links. Then start configuring the tftpboot. I will give a quick guide.

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Here my tftpboot.exe is at C:\tftpboot\tftpboot.exe. So I am using C:\tftpboot as the current directory. (Not the obvious reason, but this is to make simple and easy)
Here I have assigned a static IP address to the computer that I am running tftpboot. It makes things a little bit easier later on.
IP pool starting address is the IP which this DHCP server starts allocating address with. I have left pool size as 10. This will allow 10 computers to be connected to the tftpserver simultaneously.
Boot file is the file that will be initially loaded and then it will load Windows Pre-Installation Environment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Pr ... nvironment
The DNS server is not very important. But the default gateway should be the IP of the router you are connected to. Otherwise you might experience problems later.
Put something in Domain Name box and hit save. You will have to restart tftpboot in order to the changes to take effect.

Then click settings button at the bottom of the tftpboot main window

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Check your settings with this one.
Then extract your Windows 7 DVD image(ISO file) to somewhere with a short path. For an instance, you can extract it to C:\Win7Setup\ . Then make sure that you have setup.exe at C:\Win7Setup\Setup.exe in order to make it easy to follow this guide. Then make sure that you share the Win7Setup folder across the network for everyone. I am not covering how to do that here.
We have finished setting up the server. Now it is time to boot up via network card. Go to your CMOS utility and enable network boot. Then boot through network. That is simple. I have made a little video to demonstrate it.
Download Video(8.07MB)
Then you have to mount the Win7Setup folder in the Windows Preinstallation Environment after your computer has booted up from network to a command prompt.
I have observed that it is required to have a password for a user account on the host machine (the pc which runs tftpboot) for at least one account. I could not find a fix for this, sorry .
Now mount the share on the host machine as a network drive.

Code: Select all

Net use \\192.168.1.20\Win7Setup Z:  /User:Harindra-PC\Harindra

(Here /User:<name-of-your-host-pc>\<username-on-that-pc>)
Press enter
Then it will ask for the password for the user. Provide the password and it will mount your share as Z: drive.
Then change in to Z: ,

Code: Select all

Z: 

And press enter.
Start the windows setup by typing “setup” at the command prompt and press enter.
Go through the installation.

[Neo]

Excellent. Very very nice article.

[Nipuna]

Cool

[Mysoogal]

time saver, i actually only done few PXE network boots and never touched it again. this is good to know.

[julien27ph]

hi i tried this one but have no luck , the host became unreachable after windows loading file is finished, thanks for the response maybe im missing something

[Herath]

On the target computer, check if the network has setup properly. Use "ipconfig -all" command and see if the network cards are properly detected. Detecting just the card that will be used for the installation is enough. If the cards are not being detected, a new WinPE image will have to be compiled with drivers.

[julien27ph]

hi i tried the ipconfig - all command and here is the result:
host name........minint-10dfisj
primary DNS suffix.......
Node type .........hybrid
IP Routing Enabled.......No
WINS Proxy Enabled......No
how to create a new WInPE image, a big thanks again

[Herath]

Seems like your network interface cards has not been detected properly. And creating a new WinPE image is quite a process. It requires Windows Automated Installation Kit. Available at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download ... px?id=5753

Adding drivers to the WinPE image: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 10%29.aspx

Building WIn PE image: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/libr ... 10%29.aspx

[julien27ph]

hi thanks again for the reply, just finished downloading the winAIK and im installing it now, ill follow the link u gave and ill post for some developments.

[julien27ph]

i guess im finished creating a new windows PE, i have a winpe.wim file and also a boot.wim file , now im lost with the next step , these files are all in my root folder, thanks