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Tuesday, January 22, 2013

How to Install Windows 7 Over the Network Using PXE Booting and TFTP


How to Install Windows 7 Over the Network Using PXE Booting and TFTP

Here are the steps I used:

1.  Copy the contents of the Windows 7 installation disc to a server location and set it up as a network share.

2.  Download the following program to the server: download here

3.  Exact the files from the download to the C: drive.

4.  From the extracted files, run TFTP32.exe.

5.  Click settings and change the following:  Uncheck Option negotiation, Check PXE Compatibility, Check Allow '\' As virtual root.  Make sure Base Directory is a single dot.  Click Ok.






6.  Select the DHCP tab and setup the IP pool starting address and Size of pool for your network.  For Boot File, use: boot\pxeboot.com

7.  On the computer that you want to install Windows 7 on, enter the Boot Selection Menu (usually by hitting F12 when starting up the machine). 

8.  Select Network Boot (or PXE Boot).  If this option is not available, check the BIOS settings to make sure the feature is available and turned on.

9.  Follow any prompts and then wait.  After a while, the computer should boot to a CMD window.

10.  In the CMD window, type:net use z: \\{server IP}\{share name}

11.  Log in with a network username and password (Use the 'domain\username' format for username).

12.  Type Setup and the Windows 7 installation should begin.
It all worked surprisingly well in the end.  The TFTPboot setup appears to be complitcated at first glance, but it's actually just a few settings that need changing.  After you have set this up once, in the future you just turn TFTPboot back on and you are ready to install again.  No more hunting for discs

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