How to: PXE Boot ISO

Reinstall Windows on all of the machines on your network simultaneously.

Windows is designed to only be installed using an installation CD, but Microsoft has provided some workarounds that allow you to use a local network as a PXE or Pre-boot Execution Environment. Microsoft has options that allow you to set up a Windows PE (Pre-boot Environment) using standard Windows installation CDs. Setting up a PXE allows you to install the same operating system onto multiple computers simultaneously with a single installation ISO file.

Things You'll Need

• Remote Installation Services (RIS) server for Windows
• Client computer
• Windows installation CD or ISO file

Instructions

1. Boot your RIS server. When the computer finishes booting, click the "Start" button and click "Run." Enter "risetup.exe," without the quotation marks, in the "Run" field. Click "OK."

2. Push the "Next" button when the welcome screen appears. At the prompt, enter the drive letter and folder where RIS is installed on your server. For example, "E:\RemoteInstall." Press "Next."

3. Click on "Respond to client computers requesting service," and push "Next."

4. Insert a Windows installation CD or DVD in the server CD/DVD ROM when the RIS wizard prompts you for the location of the installation files for the operating system. If you are using an ISO file saved on your computer, enter the file path for the ISO file in the Location field. You can find the file path if you navigate to the ISO file in the file browser, right click on the ISO file, and click "properties." The file path is displayed next to "Location."

5. Type the folder name for the installation files when the RIS server prompts you for it, and push "Next." Click "Next," "Finish" and "Done."

6. Power on your client computer, or the computer on which you want to install Windows using the PXE. Press the hot key listed on the post screen to enter the BIOS settings, and change the boot order so the network card is listed as first. Save your settings, and restart the client computer.

7. Allow the client computer to boot, and tap the <F12> key when the system prompts you to download the RIS client installation wizard. Press <Enter> when the welcome screen appears. Press <Enter> again when you see the message warning that you are erasing all the data on the computer. Press <Enter> a third time to begin the client computer setup, and follow the specific installation instructions for the Windows version you are installing on your client computer.

Tips & Warnings

• You can rip ISOs of Windows installation CDs and DVDs using any of your favorite ISO-ripping software packages, and save those images onto the hard drive of your RIS server.

• Microsoft's RIS servers only accept PXEs of Windows operating systems. You cannot install other operating systems using this method.

• Although you can install Windows using a ripped ISO file, you still need an individual license for each client computer using any version of Windows. Machines that came with Windows installed have a sticker on them with the license information. If you purchased a Windows installation CD, the sticker with the license information is on the case.

References

• Microsoft Technet: RIS Server PXE Environment
• Microsoft Support: How To Use Remote Installation Service to Install Windows Server 2003 on Remote Computers