Objectives
This chapter helps you to prepare for the exam by covering the following Microsoft objectives for the Installing Windows XP Professional section of the Installing, Configuring, and Administering Microsoft Windows XP Professional exam:
Perform and troubleshoot Remote Installation Services (RIS)
Install Windows XP Professional by using the System Preparation Tool.
Create unattended answer files by using Setup Manager to automate the installation of Windows XP Professional.
Microsoft includes this objective to ensure that you know how to perform automated, unattended installations of Windows XP Professional. How would you proceed if you were required to install Windows XP on hundreds of computers? What if you had to install thousands of computers? These objectives measure your ability to use RIS and the System Preparation Tool to perform unattended installations of Windows XP Professional on a large number of machines.
Outline
Performing an Unattended Installation of Windows XP Professional
Understanding the Role of Answer Files
Using Setup Manager to Create Unattended Answer Files
Unattend.txt Answer File Format
Sample Uniqueness Database File
Command-Line Usage and Options
Deploying an Unattended Installation
Using the Answer Files to Perform an Unattended Installation
Installing Windows XP Professional by Using Remote Installation Services (RIS)
Creating a Remote Boot Floppy Disk
Folders Created on the RIS Server
Installing Windows XP Professional by Using the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep)
About the System Preparation Tool
Creating an Image with Sysprep
Deploying an Image with Sysprep
Study Strategies
This chapter addresses several methods you can use to perform unattended installations of Windows XP Professional. Practical experience in this field is vital to understanding how these methods work and which situations are best suited for each.
If possible, have two or three computers available that do not contain any data of value for practicing the various exercises.
Practice installing Windows XP Professional using each of the three methods discussed in this chapter: Use Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe along with answer files, Sysprep.exe install, and Remote Installation Services.
Have copies of Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) and a couple of applications available for installation on the test computers, so that you can observe the behavior of the installations performed by the automated methods. It is also helpful to have a trial version of disk cloning software such as Norton Ghost available.