Remote Installation Services

1
Remote Installation Services

• Michel Jouvin
• LAL / IN2P3
• Jouvin_at_lal.in2p3.fr

2
What is RIS

• MS implementation of a PXE server to allow system
  installation through the net
• Advantage over older technologies
• No need for a specific floppy PXE client
  available in modern BIOS
• Integration with AD allows control on who can
  install what on a specific machine
• Based on imaging technologies
• Several preconfigured images can coexist on the
  server

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RIS Server

• Preferrably a DC but not mandatory
• If not a DC, DHCP server must be registered
  (authorized)
• RIS Management done in RIS server properties in
  ActiveDirectory Users and Computers tool
• DHCP
• Address and bootfile discovered through DHCP
• Can be provided by different servers (normally)
• Bootfile Client Installation Wizzard (OS
  chooser)
• Allow to restrict access to known (pre-staged)
  clients

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RIS Server

• BINL Bind Information Negociation Layer
• TFTP server
• Management of images
• Discovery of NIC driver during Setup startup
• AD interaction computer account creation
• Possible generation of computer names based on
  customizable template

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RIS Client

• BIOS based PXE client
• No configuration needed Generally through F12
• Often buggy BIOS upgrade needed (Dell Latitude)
• Generally requires address and bootfile in the
  same DHCP transaction (one DHCP server for both)
• Floppy based PXE client
• Generic but limited list of supported (PCI only)
  NIC
• No miniPCI support dont work with laptops
• Generated with Rbfg.exe in REMINST\Admin\I386
• Accept address and bootfile from different DHCP
  servers
• GUID based on MAC address (NIC) instead of
  computer

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Client Installation Wizzard

• File booted through PXE (OS Chooser)
• Authenticate the person doing the install
• Logged in event viewer
• Ask configuration parameters (computer name)
• Select image to install
• Launch installation (flat or Riprep images)
• Default CIW require F12
• REMINST\OSChooser\I386\Startrom.exe
• Use (rename) startrom.n12 to suppress F12

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Client Installation Wizzard

• Form based interface
• Forms described in OSCML (HTML 2.0)
• Forms files in REMINST\OSChooser
• Easy to customize
• Parameters passed to installer through variables
• Preconfigured set of parameters attached to each
  images
• several per image
• similar to unattended.txt options

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Images

• Location
• Both under \REMINST\Setup\language
• One directory per image
• Image directory name can be changed
• Enumeration redone each time by OS Chooser
• 2 types of system image
• Flat image CD like distribution
• Riprep image copy of an installed and
  configured system (with applications)

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Flat Image

• Can install on every computer
• Run standard setup (pretty long)
• Added to RIS through RIS management tool
• Can be done manually by copying the CD and
  building the Template subdirectory
• Flat image with the same system version/SP must
  exist for a Riprep image installation to start
• Dont integrate SP if used by Riprep image
• Generally restricted to administrators

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Riprep Images

• Differences from flat images
• Includes deployment of applications
• Deployment much faster than flat image (20mn)
• Target computer must have the same HAL type
• Built with Riprep.exe (similar to Sysprep)
• Install and configure a system with application
• Run Riprep from \\RIS_Server\REMINST\Admin\I386
• Riprep uses sysprep.inf as input
• Sysprep.inf (in \Sysprep folder) allows a subset
  of SIF options
• Riprep reset registry on the Riprep computer

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Image Management

• SIF files
• Describe installation options for an image
• Domain to join, computer name, drivers path
• Reside in I386\Template subdirectory of the image
• File organised in section (like an INI file)
• Several set of options per image
• Name presented to the user is defined in
  OSChooser section
• SIF ACLs
• SIF access done with the user authenticated by
  CIW
• ACLs can be placed on SIF files or Template
  subdir to restrict access to image (template) to
  some users

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Driver Addition (Flat Image)

• Create under I386 OEM\1 subtree
• Create a subdirectory/subtree where to place
  drivers
• Ex Driver, or Driver\NIC, Driver\Video
• Copy the drivers in the appropriate location
• In SIF file unattended section, add
• OEMPreinstall yes
• OemPnpDriversPath DriverPath
• DriverPath is a semi-colon separated list
• Drivers must reside in the listed directories,
  not subdirectories

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Driver Addition (Riprep Image)

• Must be done before running Riprep
• Not necessary if flat image used is already
  configured
• On the reference computer, create a
  directory/tree
• Put the drivers in the appropriate location
• In Sysprep.inf file unattended section, add
• OemPnpDriversPath DriverPath
• Before running Riprep, be sure to deinstall all
  unknown devices (from Device Manager)

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Driver Addition (Miscellanous)

• New driver can be added to an existing images by
  copying them in the appropriate location
• No need to rebuild the image
• If the NIC used by RIS client is not supported by
  standard drivers, the driver (and .INF) must also
  be added to the flat image I386 directory
• Require restart of binlsvc service
• Reconstruct PNF file corresponding to the INF
  file (long)
• Easier to add new driver than replace

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Server Troubleshooting

• Standard RIS logs in event viewer (DHCP and BINL)
  not very detailed/helpful
• Detailed BINL logs
• Define (DWORD) value Debug to 1 in
  HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Binlsvc\Par
  ameters
• Logs are in SYSTEMROOT\Debug\binsvc.log
• Need to be copied (locked) and opened with Wordpad

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Installation Troubleshooting

• GUI Setup part
• Log in setupapi.log in SYSTEMROOT
• Default log level is non verbose
• Define (DWORD) value LogLevel to xFFFF in
  HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Set
  up
• For flat images, must be done by adding the value
  to hivesft.inf
• For Riprep images, must be set on the computer
  used to build the image

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Current Problems/Restrictions

• New NIC integration
• Difficult if older driver version exists (Intel
  Pro 100)
• SP3 required on server but not enough
• CIW assumes QWERTY
• DCHP restriction for BIOS based clients
• Tested with Intel and 3COM agents
• Drivers path limited to 10 elements in SIF files
• Only one sytem disk (with one partition)
• Target computer must have a disk equal or greater
  to source computer

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Documentation on RIS

• W2000 Server Deployment White Papers
• W2000 Server Deployment Planning guide Ch. 8
• Remote Operation System Installation
• Technical Guide to Remote Installation Services
• Step by Step guide to Remote OS Installation
• Lot of KB articles
• Mainly for toubleshooting installation start
  problems
• Keywords RIS or PXE
• Machine or NIC vendors support sites
• Ex Intel