In addition to installing from a CD-ROM, you can install Windows 2000 over the network. This lesson demonstrates the similarities and differences between installing from a CD-ROM and installing over the network. The major difference is the location of the source files needed to install Windows 2000. This lesson also lists the requirements for an over-the-network installation.

Preparing for a Network Installation

In a network installation, the Windows 2000 installation files are located in a shared location on a network file server, which is called a distribution server. From the computer on which you want to install Windows 2000 (the target computer), you connect to the distribution server and then run the Setup program.

The requirements for a network installation are shown in Figure 2.7 and are explained in more detail in the list that follows.

Figure 2.7 Requirements for a network installation

Locate a distribution server. The distribution server contains the installation files from the I386 (or Alpha) folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. These files reside in a common network location in a shared folder. This shared folder allows computers on the network to gain access to the installation files. Contact a network administrator to obtain the path to the installation files on the distribution server.

NOTE
Once you have created or located a distribution server, you can use the over-the-network installation method to concurrently install Windows 2000 on multiple computers. For more information on creating a distribution server, see Chapter 14, "Deploying Windows 2000."

Create a FAT partition on the target computer. The target computer requires a formatted partition on which to copy the installation files. Create a 685 MB (1 GB or larger recommended) partition and format it with the FAT file system.

Install a network client. A network client is software that allows the target computer to connect to the distribution server. On a computer without an operating system, you must boot from a client disk that includes a network client, which enables the target computer to connect to the distribution server.

Installing over the Network

The Windows 2000 Setup program copies the installation files to the target computer. After Setup copies the installation files, you start the installation on the target computer by booting from the Setup boot disks. From this point on, you install Windows 2000 in the same way as you do when installing from a CD-ROM.

The steps shown in Figure 2.8 describe the process for installing Windows 2000 over the network.

Figure 2.8 Installing Windows 2000 over the network

These steps describe the process for installing Windows 2000 over the network:

On the target computer, boot from the network client.

Connect to the distribution server. After you start the network client on the target computer, connect to the shared folder on the distribution server that contains the Windows 2000 installation files.

Run Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe to start the Setup program. Winnt.exe and Winnt32.exe reside in the shared folder on the distribution server. When you run Winnt.exe from the shared folder, it creates the $Win_nt$.~bt temporary folder on the target computer and copies the Windows 2000 installation files from the shared folder on the distribution server to the $Win_nt$.~bt folder on the target computer.

NOTE
From a computer running MS-DOS or Windows 3.x, run Winnt.exe. From a computer running Windows 9x, Windows NT, or a version of Windows 2000, run Winnt32.exe.

Winnt.exe and Winnt32.exe reside in the shared folder on the distribution server. When you run Winnt.exe from the shared folder, it creates the $Win_nt$.~bt temporary folder on the target computer and copies the Windows 2000 installation files from the shared folder on the distribution server to the $Win_nt$.~bt folder on the target computer.

NOTE
Setup does not create the Setup floppy disks as it did in Windows NT 4.0. For instructions on how to create the Windows 2000 Setup boot disks, see Appendix B, "Creating Setup Disks."

Install Windows 2000. Setup restarts the local computer and begins installing Windows 2000.

Modifying the Setup Process Using Winnt.exe

You can modify a server-based installation by changing how Winnt.exe runs the setup process. Table 2.2 describes the switches that you can use with Winnt.exe to control Setup.

Table 2.2 Available Switches for Winnt.exe

Switch	Description
/a	Enables accessibility options.
/e:command	Specifies the command to be executed at the end of GUI setup.
/i:inffile	Specifies the file name (no path) of the setup information file. The default is Dosnet.inf.
/r:folder	Specifies the optional folder to be installed.
/rx:folder	Specifies the optional folder to be copied.
/s:source_path	Specifies the source location of Windows 2000 files. Must be a full path of the form x:\[path] or \\server\share\[path]. The default is the current folder.
/t:drive_letter	Specifies a drive to contain temporary setup files. If not specified, Setup will attempt to locate a drive for you—the drive with the most available space.
/u:script_file	Performs an unattended installation by using an optional script file. Unattended installations also require use of the /s switch.
/udf:id [,UDF_file]	Indicates an identifier (id) that Setup uses to specify how a Uniqueness Database File (UDF) modifies an answer file. The /udf parameter overrides values in the answer file, and the identifier determines which values in the UDF are used.

NOTE
Winnt.exe no longer includes switches for creating Setup disks. To create the Setup disks, run the Makeboot.exe program from the Bootdisk folder on the Windows 2000 CD-ROM. Use the command line makeboot a:. For more detailed instructions on how to create the Windows 2000 Setup boot disks, see Appendix B, "Creating Setup Disks."

Modifying the Setup Process Using Winnt32.exe

You can modify a server-based installation by changing how Winnt32.exe runs the setup process. Table 2.3 describes some of the switches that you can use with Winnt32.exe to control Setup.

Table 2.3 Available Switches for Winnt32.exe

Switch	Description
/copydir: folder_name	Creates an additional folder within the systemroot folder (the folder that contains the Windows 2000 system files). For example, if your source folder contains a folder called My_drivers, type /copydir:My_drivers to copy the My_drivers folder to your system folder. You can use the /copydir switch to create as many additional folders as you like.
/copysource: folder_name	Creates an additional folder within the systemroot folder. Setup deletes files created with /copysource after installation completes.
/cmd: command_line	Executes a command before the final phase of Setup.
/cmdcons	Copies additional files to the hard disk that are necessary to load a command-line interface for repair and recovery purposes.
/debug[level][:file_name]	Creates a debug log at the specified level. By default, it creates C:\Winnt32.log at level 2 (the warning level).
/s:source_path	Specifies the source location of Windows 2000 installation files. To simultaneously copy files from multiple paths, use a separate /s switch for each source path.
/syspart: drive_letter	Copies Setup startup files to a hard disk and marks the drive as active. You can then install the drive in another computer. When you start that computer, Setup starts at the next phase. Use of /syspart requires use of the /tempdrive switch.
/tempdrive: drive_letter	Places temporary files on the specified drive and installs Windows 2000 on that drive.
/unattend [number] :answer_file	Performs an unattended installation. The answer file provides your custom specifications to Setup. If you do not specify an answer file, all user settings are taken from the previous installation. You can specify the number of seconds between the time that Setup finishes copying the files and when it restarts. You can specify the number of seconds only on a computer running Windows 2000 that is upgrading to a newer version of Windows 2000.
/udf:id [,UDF_file]	Indicates an identifier (id) that Setup uses to specify how a Uniqueness Database File (UDF) modifies an answer file. The .UDF file overrides values in the answer file, and the identifier determines which values in the .UDF file are used. For example, /udf:RAS_user, Our_company.udf overrides settings that are specified for the RAS_user identifier in the Our_company.udf file. If you do not specify a .UDF file, Setup prompts the user to insert a disk that contains the $Unique$.udf file.

Lesson Summary

The main difference between an over-the-network installation and an installation from CD-ROM of Windows 2000 is the location of the source files. Once you connect to the shared folder containing the source files and start Winnt.exe or Winnt32.exe the installation proceeds like an installation from CD-ROM. There are several switches for Winnt.exe and Winnt32.exe to modify the installation process.