Issue

New hardware does not always have CD/DVD Drive installed. This makes creating a base image on this hardware more of a challenge.

Solution

Configure a USB pendrive to boot to Windows PE and install Windows from there.

Requirements

  • Imaging Toolkit

  • Windows ADK

  • USB Pendrive

Procedures

Done Task
 
1. Create Unattend Media using Deployment Wizard
 
2. Review the MakeWinPEMedia script
 
3. Run the MakeWinPEMedia script
 
4. USB Boot and install Windows


  1. Create Unattend Media using Deployment Wizard

    • Open and validate project within Build Console.

    • Launch Deployment Wizard.

    • From the Task Selection page, select "Base image preparation", then click Next.

    • Select "Boot from Windows PE" and select "Automatically run Sysprep Wrapper at the end of the unattended installation", then click Next.

    • Enable all "Boot Media Options"

      • Create Windows Preinstallation Environment ISO.

      • Include unattended installation files in ISO.

      • Automatically start unattend installation.

    • Click Next.

    • Click Next.

    • Once the wizard has completed open project folder structure and make a note of the path to the "WinPE" subfolder.

      e.g. "C:\ProgramData\ENGL\ImagingToolkit\8.0\Projects\w7x86-basic\WinPE".

  2. Review the MakeWinPEMedia script

    Windows ADK has a script built into it that will let you take a WinPE structure and apply it to a USB pen drive. More information here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/hh825232.aspx

    However there appears to be an issue with the script file that needs to be corrected to get things working properly.

    • Browse to the "Windows Preinstallation Environment" folder.

      This will be under "C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.0\Assessment and Deployment Kit\" on x86 machines and "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\8.0\Assessment and Deployment Kit\" on x64.

    • Review the "MakeWinPEMedia.cmd" file.

      • Check line 162.
          xcopy /herky "%WORKINGDIR%\%TEMPL%" "%DEST%\" >NUL 
         This should be: 
         xcopy /herky "%WORKINGDIR%\%TEMPL%\*" "%DEST%\" >NUL
         otherwise the script errors when attempting to copy the file.

      • If the script has not been updated, make a backup copy of the "MakeWinPEMedia.cmd" file then make the change to the file.

  3. Run the MakeWinPEMedia script

    • Launch the ADK "Deployment and Imaging Tools Environment" Command prompt as administrator. This will be listed under the "Start Menu" .

    • Insert USB Pendrive in to Admin machine and make a note of the drive letter.

    • Run the following commandline:

      MakeWinPEMedia.cmd /UFD <WorkingDirectory> <DestinationLocation>
       Where:

       <WorkingDirectory> is the project folder. e.g. "C:\ProgramData\ENGL\ImagingToolkit\8.0\Projects\w7x86-basic\WinPE"

       <DestinationLocation> is the USB Device drive letter. e.g. "E:"

      MakeWinPEMedia.cmd /UFD C:\ProgramData\ENGL\ImagingToolkit\8.0\Projects\w7x86-basic\WinPE E:
    • There will be a prompt to continue:
      WARNING, ALL DATA ON DISK DRIVE E: WILL BE LOST!
Proceed with Format [Y,N]?
       Press "Y" to continue.

    • The script will then continue.
      Formatting E:...

Setting the boot code on E:...

Copying files to E:...

Success
    • The USB device should now be configured for PE booting and will contain the Unattend source files for a scripted install of Windows.

  4. USB Boot and install Windows

    • Insert USB Device into workstation to be used to create Windows base image.

    • Power on workstation. Set boot option to boot from USB device.

    • Workstation will boot to Windows PE and a Windows Unnattent install will start.

If you have an issue with the steps in this TID, please report it to ENGL via  https://www.engl.co.uk/Support.aspx .