Installing and Configuring Windows Deployment Services in Windows Server 2012 - Part 1

Windows Deployment Services is a role of Windows Server 2012 for deploying operating systems to a workstation by network. It supports the following operating systems for deployment.

• Windows XP
• Windows Server 2003
• Windows Vista
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows 8
• Windows Server 2012

In Windows Server 2012, it supports to deploy Windows on ARM machines.

Installing Windows Deployment Services

Lab environment

Server Name: DC01.corp.contoso.com

Server Roles: Domain Controller with DNS

IP Address: 192.168.2.10

Server Name: MS01.corp.contoso.com

Server Roles: DHCP

IP Address: 192.168.2.11

Server Name: MS02.corp.contoso.com

Server Roles: Windows Deployment Services

IP Address: 192.168.2.12

The Active Directory, DNS and DHCP are functioning. All servers were joined to corp.contoso.com domain. The DHCP pool of this network is 192.168.2.100 - 192.168.2.200.

I will install and configure Windows Deployment Services in MS02.

1. On MS02, log in as Domain Administrator.

2. Launch "Server Manager".

3. On "Dashboard" window, click "Add roles and features".

4. On "Before You Begin" window, click "Next".

5. On "Installation Type" window, select "Roles-based or feature-based installation".

6. Click "Next".

7. On "Server Selection" window, click "Next".

8. On "Server Roles" window, check "Windows Deployment Services".

9. Click "Add Features".

10. Click "Next" twice.

11. On "WDS" window, click "Next".

12. On "Roles Services" window, check "Deployment Server" and "Transport Server".

Normally, When you deploy WDS in your Active Directory environment, both roles services are required. However, If you just install "Transport Server" role service, you need to write a custom PXE provider, and register the provider with Windows Deployment Services because Transport Server only contains the PXE listener.

Reference:

Using Transport Server

For more information:

Windows Deployment Services Server Components

Customizing Windows Deployment Services

13. Click "Next".

14. On "Confirmation" window, click "Install".

15. On "Results" window, click "Close".

Remark: We can perform "Install-WindowsFeature -Name WDS -IncludeManagementTools" in PowerShell to install Windows Deployment Services.

This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights!