Deploy a Departmental Classroom OS Image via MDT - Network Boot

Most departmental classroom computers are registered with network names in LUNET, Lehigh's DNS / DHCP server system. Check your classroom's user spec doc (and hardware details spreadsheet) to see what these names are. These records and the appropriate firmware / BIOS configuration enable the systems to be booted to the network to run the OS deployment wizard.

Specific contact staff have been granted permission to access the CAS MDT server, and are able to run this procedure. Contact the CAS Mid-Level Computing Consultant for more information and assistance.

Note that this method will erase the hard disk of the machine in question, so be sure that any desired user data has been backed up. To use a non-data-destructive method, see Deploy a Departmental Classroom OS Image via MDT - Share Script.

1. Connect the PC to mouse, keyboard, display, ethernet and power.

2. Boot to the network: Turn on the machine, and when the manufacturer's BIOS logo appears, press the proper function key to either display the boot options menu (example shown) or directly initiate PXE booting.

Select the option that boots to the network using "IPV4". The MDT server is not configured for IPV6 services.

On Dells and Lenovos, F12 gives access to the 'One-Time Boot' Menu, from which the Network card can be selected for booting. On Lenovo's F12 often takes one directly to the Network boot option. On HPs, F9 gets the Boot Options screen. The screen will look different for depending on the age and model of the machine.

For most systems, booting to the network card will only be available in one or the other of the two boot modes, Legacy or UEFI. If you have a choice (unusual), choose UEFI.

For most CAS departmental classroom computers, the LUnet network reservation for the machine has been set up already, and the machine will boot properly to the correct network boot server. If not, a CC may need to update the LUnet record for that machine. The DHCP option must be set to "CAS-MDT BIOS" for BIOS-booting machines, or "CAS_MDT - UEFI" for UEFI-booting machines.

Also note: if your system is brand new, and the Mid-Level Computing consultant hasn't created a LUnet record for it yet, none of the following will steps work.

3. Load MDT WinPE from Network: Watch for the offer of the "Network Service Boot" (or network boot service). Depending on the setup of the classroom's machines, you'll need to press either 'F12' or 'Enter' to accept the network boot. It can go past in a few seconds if you're not watching.

When it starts downloading the mini-OS for the wizard, you'll see a progress bar indicating that files are loading . . .

4. Once the mini-OS (Windows PE) has loaded, you'll see the white Microsoft Deployment Toolkit background, and a a window will open showing a wizard, displaying a screen with two options:

a. Run the Deployment Wizard to install a new Operating System or

b. Exit to the Command Prompt.

Click 'Run the Deployment Wizard' to proceed.

5. You'll need to log in with your Lehigh credentials. If you are denied access, you'll need to request it from the Mid-Level Computing Consultant. Most CAS lab managers should have access.

Don't forget to enter "ad" for the domain in the last box.

6. The next screen allows the choice of image you'd like to deploy.

Be kind, and don't deploy images (and software licenses) for departments you don't work for. Choosing your image may depend on which machine model you're working on -- some machines have multiple drives, and require them to be deployed in a certain layout.

Click the radio button next to the 'task sequence' you'd like to run (the image you'd like to deploy), and click 'Next'.

7. In the last screen, simply make sure that no errors are indicated (i.e. that a machine name like 'FS<this machine's MAC address> has been automatically entered), and click 'Next'

8. While the deployment runs, there will be progress bars . . .

9. The deployment should finish in the local 'Administrator' account, with an indication of success (yellow screen).