NT Workstation duplication

[Schlomo Schapiro]

Yes, I use a bootdisk just now. A different one for EACH computer. Sigh.

I am currently working on changing THAT. Our computers are fairly new IBMs
that have Wake On LAN. 

The idea is to switch on the PCs via WOL since then they can boot from a
different boot device (a feature of the IBM BIOS). The best would be
bootable network cards of course since then you don't need anything at the
client itself.

If you don't have bootroms everywhere (as we do :-() then I can suggest
another solution: (especally if you can't or won't be able to buy ROMs)

Put a floppy drive into each computer INTERNALLY (e.g. without access to
it for the normal user, or with the opening in a slot etc.) and another
floppy (B:) normally (or no floppy if you can use a central computer to
download stuff to diskettes). In the BIOS set the boot sequence to HD only
and the alternative boot sequence (if started by WOL) to FD only. Thus if
you switch on the computers from the net they boot from the bootdisk and
install the PC. I'll make an intelligent bootdisk this week that will
detect the name to be set automagically.

Of course all this is MUCH nicer with boot roms (I have some other classes
with bootroms and it works just PERFECT !). Especially newer Intel NICs
are great since they have the bootrom builtin :-)

Schlomo

PS: I would be more than glad to hear other solutions / improvements /
ideas in that area.

PPS: Is PCRDIST freeware / Linux / multicating ?

On Mon, 31 Jan 2000, Alfredo Ramos wrote:

> Schlomo,
> Thanks for the reply. It sounds good. In fact it sounds very similar to
> what is done here. The difference is in the imaging software used. You use
> GHOSTWALKER, we use PCRDIST. What I want to get away from is using a boot
> disk on every machine to jump start the process. Or, maybe I miss-
> understood your reply. You do get the imaging process going from each NT
> with a startup disk right? That is what I want to eliminate.
> 
> Thanks;
> 
> Al.
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>                                          | Alfredo Ramos
> This space available for rent.           | New Media & Student Computing
> Get your product moving. Advertise here! | Rice University.
>                                        | Email: ralf at is.rice.edu
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> 
> On Tue, 1 Feb 2000, Schlomo Schapiro wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> >
> > I'll be glad to help.
> >
> > That's it. Works very smooth (I start the NTs from a diskette, they
> > connect to the multicast server, dump their image, ghostwalker changes the
> > name & SID, the client reboots and is ready for use and registered in the
> > domain.
> >
> > Schlomo
> >
> > --
> > Schlomo Schapiro
> > Computation Authority
> > Hebrew University of Jerusalem
> >
> > Tel: ++972 / 2 / 65-84404
> > email: schapiro at clerk.pi.huji.ac.il
> >
> >
> 

-- 
Schlomo Schapiro
Computation Authority
Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Tel: ++972 / 2 / 65-84404
email: schapiro at clerk.pi.huji.ac.il