# Presentation: 618582

## Remote Installation Services

- Michel Jouvin
- LAL / IN2P3
- _[Jouvin](mailto:Jouvin@lal.in2p3.fr)__[@](mailto:Jouvin@lal.in2p3.fr)__[lal](mailto:Jouvin@lal.in2p3.fr)__[.in2p3.](mailto:Jouvin@lal.in2p3.fr)__[fr](mailto:Jouvin@lal.in2p3.fr)_

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## What is RIS

- MS implementation of a PXE server to allow system installation through the net
- Advantage over older technologies
- No need for a specific floppy : PXE client available in modern BIOS
- Integration with AD allows control on who can install what on a specific machine
- Based on imaging technologies
- Several preconfigured images can coexist on the server

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## RIS Server...

- Preferrably a DC but not mandatory
- If not a DC, DHCP server must be registered (authorized)
- RIS Management done in RIS server properties in ‘ActiveDirectory Users and Computers’ tool
- DHCP
- Address and bootfile discovered through DHCP
- Can be provided by different servers (normally)
- Bootfile = Client Installation Wizzard (OS chooser)
- Allow to restrict access to known (pre-staged) clients

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## ... RIS Server

- BINL : Bind Information Negociation Layer
- TFTP server
- Management of images
- Discovery of NIC driver during Setup startup
- AD interaction : computer account creation
- Possible generation of computer names based on customizable template

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## RIS Client

- BIOS based PXE client
- No configuration needed – Generally through F12
- Often buggy : BIOS upgrade needed (Dell Latitude)
- Generally requires address and bootfile in the same DHCP transaction (one DHCP server for both)
- Floppy based PXE client
- Generic but limited list of supported (PCI only) NIC
- No miniPCI support : don’t work with laptops
- Generated with Rbfg.exe in REMINST\Admin\I386
- Accept address and bootfile from different DHCP servers
- GUID based on MAC address (NIC) instead of computer

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Client Installation Wizzard...

- File booted through PXE (OS Chooser)
- Authenticate the person doing the install
- Logged in event viewer
- Ask configuration parameters (computer name...)
- Select image to install
- Launch installation (flat or Riprep images)
- Default CIW require F12
- REMINST\OSChooser\I386\Startrom.exe
- Use (rename) startrom.n12 to suppress F12

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## ... Client Installation Wizzard

- Form based interface
- Forms described in OSCML (HTML 2.0)
- Forms files in REMINST\OSChooser
- Easy to customize
- Parameters passed to installer through variables
- Preconfigured set of parameters attached to each images
- several per image
- similar to unattended.txt options

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Images

- Location
- Both under \REMINST\Setup\*language*
- One directory per image
- Image directory name can be changed
- Enumeration redone each time by OS Chooser
- 2 types of system image
- Flat image : CD like distribution
- Riprep image : copy of an installed and configured system (with applications)

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Flat Image

- Can install on every computer
- Run standard setup (pretty long)
- Added to RIS through RIS management tool
- Can be done manually by copying the CD and building the Template subdirectory
- Flat image with the same system version/SP must exist for a Riprep image installation to start
- Don’t integrate SP if used by Riprep image
- Generally restricted to administrators

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Riprep Images

- Differences from flat images
- Includes deployment of applications
- Deployment much faster than flat image (#20mn)
- Target computer must have the same HAL type
- Built with Riprep.exe (similar to Sysprep)
- Install and configure a system with application
- Run  Riprep from _[\\RIS_Server\REMINST\Admin\I386](file://RIS_Server/REMINST/Admin/I386)_
- Riprep uses sysprep.inf as input
- Sysprep.inf (in \Sysprep folder) allows a subset of SIF options
- Riprep reset registry on the Riprep computer

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Image Management

- SIF files
- Describe installation options for an image
- Domain to join, computer name, drivers path...
- Reside in I386\Template subdirectory of the image
- File organised in section (like an INI file)
- Several set of options per image
- Name presented to the user is defined in OSChooser section
- SIF ACLs
- SIF access done with the user authenticated by CIW
- ACLs can be placed on SIF files or Template subdir to restrict access to image (template) to some users

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Driver Addition (Flat Image)

- Create **under** I386 $OEM$\$1 subtree
- Create a subdirectory/subtree where to place drivers
- Ex: Driver, or Driver\NIC, Driver\Video...
- Copy the drivers in the appropriate location
- In SIF file [unattended] section, add :
- OEMPreinstall = yes
- OemPnpDriversPath = *DriverPath*
*DriverPath* is a semi-colon separated list
- Drivers must reside in the listed directories, not subdirectories

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Driver Addition (Riprep Image)

- Must be done before running Riprep
- Not necessary if flat image used is already configured
- On the reference computer, create a directory/tree
- Put the drivers in the appropriate location
- In Sysprep.inf file [unattended] section, add :
- OemPnpDriversPath = *DriverPath*
- Before running Riprep, be sure to deinstall all unknown devices (from Device Manager)

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Driver Addition (Miscellanous)

- New driver can be added to an existing images by copying them in the appropriate location
- No need to rebuild the image
- If the NIC used by RIS client is not supported by standard drivers, the driver (and .INF) must also be added to the flat image I386 directory
- Require restart of binlsvc service
- Reconstruct PNF file corresponding to the INF file (long)
- Easier to add new driver than replace...

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Server Troubleshooting

- Standard RIS logs in event viewer (DHCP and BINL) : not very detailed/helpful
- Detailed BINL logs
- Define (DWORD) value Debug to 1 in HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Binlsvc\Parameters
- Logs are in %SYSTEMROOT%\Debug\binsvc.log
- Need to be copied (locked) and opened with Wordpad

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Installation Troubleshooting

- GUI Setup part
- Log in setupapi.log in %SYSTEMROOT%
- Default log level is non verbose
- Define (DWORD) value LogLevel to xFFFF in HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Setup
- For flat images, must be done by adding the value to hivesft.inf
- For Riprep images, must be set on the computer used to build the image

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Current Problems/Restrictions

- New NIC integration
- Difficult if older driver version exists (Intel Pro 100)
- SP3 required on server but not enough...
- CIW assumes QWERTY
- DCHP restriction for BIOS based clients
- Tested with Intel and 3COM agents
- Drivers path limited to 10 elements in SIF files
- Only one sytem disk (with one partition)
- Target computer must have a disk equal or greater to source computer

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002

## Documentation on RIS

- W2000 Server Deployment White Papers
- W2000 Server Deployment Planning guide – Ch. 8
- Remote Operation System Installation
- Technical Guide to Remote Installation Services
- Step by Step guide to Remote OS Installation
- Lot of KB articles
- Mainly for toubleshooting installation start problems
- Keywords : RIS or PXE
- Machine or NIC vendors support sites
- Ex : Intel

- W2K RIS - HEPix Fall 2002

- 21/10/2002