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Windows 98 Professional Reference

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Network Installation


Network installation is an installation method in which the source files for the installation reside on a network server. The client machines (on which the product is being installed) can connect to the server and execute the Setup program through a network connection. This method saves the time and effort a network administrator would have to spend visiting each PC with the installation CD and executing every installation locally.

In recent years, network installation has become an essential technique for large networks, and it is becoming increasingly viable for mid-sized and even smaller deployments. This trend continues with Windows 98. Microsoft actively promotes network installation as an effective and efficient means of installing Windows 98 on multiple machines.

Almost any deployment in which you install Windows 98 in a networking environment is a candidate for a network installation. The network installation options discussed in this chapter are easily adaptable to specific situations, and the automation and customization features provided by Windows 98 installation files, although (theoretically) available for local installations, are specifically designed to support fast and efficient network installations.

Understanding Network Installation

In its most basic form, a network installation is identical to a local installation except that the installation files reside on a network share (either a hard drive or a shared CD-ROM drive) rather than on the workstation's local CD-ROM drive. The basic steps for a network installation are as follows:

1. Create a network share that contains the contents of the Windows 98 installation CD--either share a CD-ROM drive or copy the contents of the installation CD to a shared hard drive.

NOTE: See Chapter 21, "Understanding Windows 98 Networking," for more information about sharing files and directories on Microsoft networks.

2. Make a connection from the PC on which you want to install Windows 98 to the network share.
3. Locate the Windows 98 Setup program (setup.exe) in the installation share and run it from the client PC.

Running Setup over the network is, of course, of little benefit if a network administrator has to sit in front of the local workstation and answer screen prompts. In practice, a network install is almost always implemented by using a Windows 98 installation script. (Refer to Chapter 2, "Installing Windows 98," for more information about the Windows 98 Setup program and Windows 98 installation scripts.)

Some administrators find it advantageous to shave still more time from the installation process by placing the Setup command in a logon script that executes on the workstation or by creating a batch file that includes the Setup command and placing an icon for the batch file on each user's desktop. The following sections discuss some of these so-called push installation techniques and provide a description of network installation methods.

Network Installation in Windows NT Domains

To install Windows 98 across the network on a Windows NT domain, share the installation files on the network, then enter the following command from the workstation on which you want to install Windows 98:

\\server\share_name\setup W98_scrpt.inf

In this command, server is the name of the server on which the installation files reside, share_name is the name of the installation file share you created on the Windows NT machine, and W98scrt.inf is the name of the Windows 98 installation script that contains settings for the installation. The installation script name can also include a path.

NOTE: Remember that you must obtain a valid license for every copy of Windows 98 you install. If you put the installation files on the server, take precautions to ensure that no one can perform an unauthorized (and unlicensed) installation.

As noted previously, an installation script is optional for network installations, but an installation script almost always accompanies a network installation because the primary purpose of a network installation is usually to reduce the need for user intervention. Refer to Chapter 2 for a discussion of Windows 98 installation scripts and the Batch98 tool for creating installation scripts. (For further information about installation scripts, see Appendix D, "Installation Script.") If you don't specify an installation script with a network installation, Setup will display all the same screen prompts on the client machine that it typically displays for local scriptless installations.

To perform a network installation on an NT domain, follow these steps:

1. Share the Windows 98 installation files on the network, either by placing the installation CD in a shared CD-ROM drive or by copying the files to a network hard drive and sharing the installation files. Using a hard drive is faster--especially if you're going to be installing several systems at once, but directly sharing the CD saves the step of copying all the files to the server hard drive.


NOTE: Windows 98 remembers the location of its installation files. If you add a driver or an applet at some later date, Windows 98 will automatically check for the required files along the original installation path. If you place the installation files at some permanent storage location such as a hard drive, you won't have to reinsert the Windows 98 CD whenever you make a change to your configu-ration.

2. Set share, directory, and file permissions so that any user who performs the installation will have read and execute access to the installation files. Your security arrangements will depend on your network configuration and your deployment strategy.
3. Create a Windows 98 installation script with configuration settings for the installation (optional). Review Chapter 2 and Appendix D for more information about Windows 98 installation scripts. Settings that produce an automated installation are particularly useful when installing across the network. Also, pay particular attention to the Workgroup, PrimaryLogon, Security, and PassThroughAgent settings in the [Network] section of the installation script. During the last phase of installation, the computer restarts, and the user must log on under the new configuration to complete the installation. If the new network settings do not provide access to the installation share, you won't be able to resume the installation. The following [Network] section settings represent familiar parameters you'll find in the Control Panel Network application for Windows 95 and Windows 98 machines:
You do not have to provide values for these settings in the installation script. If you're upgrading an existing network-enabled Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 system, Setup will preserve settings from the old operating system.


NOTE: If you're using Batch98's Gather Now option to scan the Registry for installation script settings on a computer with more than one adapter, Batch98 sometimes doesn't base the script settings on the adapter that supports the local network logon. Refer to Chapter 2 for further information.

4. Log on from the client that is to receive Windows 98. If the client does not presently support network communications (for example, it is a new machine or a machine with a reformatted hard drive), you can boot the client and make the connection to the installation share using a network-enabled boot disk. Network-enabled boot disks are discussed later in this chapter.
5. From the prospective Windows 98 client, execute the Setup utility in the top-level directory of the installation share, as follows: 
\\server\share_name\setup W98_scrpt.inf
In this command, server is the name of the server on which the installation files reside, share_name is the name of the installation file share on the Windows NT machine, and W98scrt.inf is the name of the Windows 98 installation script that contains settings for the installation. The installation script name can also include a path.

Network Installations on NetWare Networks

You can also perform a network installation from a NetWare server on a NetWare network. Conceptually, the procedure is similar to the network-installation procedure on an Windows NT network, as follows:

1. Mount the installation CD as a NetWare volume (or place the installation files on a NetWare volume).
2. From a NetWare-enabled client, log on to the server.
3. Map a drive letter to the installation directory.
4. Run Setup.

The details of this procedure may depend upon your network and your deployment strategy. You can designate an installation script and any Setup command-line switches for a NetWare-based installation just as you would for any network installation. You can also employ push installation techniques by placing the Windows 98 Setup commands in a NetWare logon script.

A NetWare-based installation is like other network installations in that, for the installation to succeed, the client machine on which you're installing Windows 98 must be capable of accessing the installation files for the final phase of the installation. Make sure the new Windows 98 machine will support the protocol, network client, and logon information necessary to make the connection. Perform a test installation to make sure the procedure is working properly before you begin the entire network upgrade.

Specifying Installation Scripts for Network Installations

If you're performing several network installations, your deployment strategy should include some consideration of how to manage the necessary installation scripts. Some possible approaches are as follows:

Your situation may, of course, require you to draw from some combination of the preceding options in order to successfully migrate to Windows 98. The installation script template automate.inf (described in Chapter 2 in the section "Using Installation Script Templates") provides minimal settings for automated Setup. You can use automate.inf to specify automated Setup without imposing other settings. Automate.inf contains comments describing each of the settings and providing instructions for preparing the script. Open automate.inf with a text editor and make modifications as necessary.

If you want to define computer-specific settings in the installation script, you'll need computer-specific installation scripts. Every computer on a Microsoft network, for instance, must have a unique computer name. If you are using the installation script to define a computer name (as would be the case if you were automating installation for a new machine without a preexisting configuration), you do not have the option of using a generic script for all installations. The Batch98 utility includes a Multiple Machine-Name Save feature that will automatically generates predefined installation scripts with unique computer names and (optional) IP addresses. (See Chapter 2 for information about on Batch98's Multiple Machine-Name Save feature.) You can use Batch98 to list-process a group of installation scripts that are identical except for unique computer names and IP addresses. After you've created the scripts, you may want to devise a scheme for naming and managing the files so that the correct file runs on the correct PC. (Batch98 provides the illuminating monikers BSTP001.INF, BSTP002.INF, and so on, for scripts created using the Multiple-Machine Name Save feature.) One solution is to give each script a name that refers to the computer name it creates. If you choose the machine-generated names, make sure you have a list that associates script names with computer names.

If you decide to use descriptive names for the installation scripts, you may find it easier to simply use Batch98's File Save feature rather than using the script generator, as follows:

1. Configure Batch98 settings as described in Chapter 2. Save the settings to an INF file. Specify a descriptive name for the file.
2. Make any necessary changes to the Batch98 settings.
3. Choose Save As from the File menu and specify a descriptive name for a second installation script.
4. Change the settings and save additional scripts as required.

Push Techniques

Microsoft uses the term push to describe an installation in which the commands that execute the installation are imposed on the installing PC. The PC is thus forced into performing an installation. The most common method for push installation is to create a logon script that connects to the network share and then executes Setup.

The commands necessary for connecting to the server and beginning Setup require only a few lines in the logon script. The following sections discuss the logon-script commands for push installations on the following PCs:

If you tie the installation logon script to a user account and the user logs on more than once, Setup performs more than one installation. Also, tying the installation logon script to a user's regular account forces the upgrade at the next logon--the user won't have a chance to plan an ideal time for the upgrade. For these reasons, one common method for push installation (and a method Microsoft recommends) is to create a user account called Upgrade and configure it to run the installation logon script. You can then tell users to log on to the Upgrade account to begin the upgrade.

Consult a Windows NT reference for a complete discussion of how to add new user accounts with User Manager for Domains. Microsoft recommends that you use the following password settings for the Upgrade account:

Place the script in the Windows NT Domain Controller's winnt\system32\repl\export\scripts directory. To add a logon script to a user account by using Windows NT's User Manager for Domains, click on the Profiles button in the User Properties dialog box or the New User dialog box and, in the User Environment Profile dialog box, enter the script name in the box labeled Logon Script Name.

NOTE: The Upgrade account method causes all PCs to use a common installation script. This method therefore presupposes that you won't need to set computer-specific values (such as computer name and IP address) through the installation script. In an upgrade situation in which the clients are already configured to access a Windows NT domain, a common script with automation settings is typically all that is required.

Logon Script Installation Commands for MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, and Windows 95

The logon script for a push installation on a MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, or Windows 95 machine should map a drive to the installation share and then run Setup using a path with the network drive letter, as follows:

net use driveID \\server_name\install_share
driveID:\setup driveID:W98scrpt.inf
where driveID is a drive letter for the network drive (e.g., X or Y or Z)
server_name is the name of the server that contains the installation files
install_share is the name of the share with the installation files
w98scrpt.inf is the name of the installation script.

that in the preceding example, the installation script is located in the same directory as the Setup utility. (Both are in the top-level driveID directory.)

If the MS-DOS, Windows 3.x, or Windows 95 machine is using a real-mode client, precede these commands with the net start full command, as follows:

net start full
net use driveID \\server_name\install_share
driveID:\setup driveID:W98scrpt.inf

Push Installations for Windows for Workgroups

When a Windows for Workgroups computer logs on to a Windows NT network using a protected-mode client, the logon script runs in a virtual machine. Because Windows 98 Setup cannot run in a virtual machine, you cannot place the Setup command in the logon script when logging on from a Windows for Workgroups protected-mode client. Fortunately, Microsoft suggests a workaround for this problem. The idea is to create a Startup program group and then place a command-line program item within the Startup group that executes the Setup command, as these steps describe:

1. Using File, New in Word for Windows Program Manager, create a new Startup program group (startup.grp) that contains the following command line program item: 
driveID:setup
2. Copy the Startup.grp file you created in step 1 to the directory that contains the domain logon script.
3. Add the following lines to the logon script. These commands preserve the existing Startup group and copy the Startup group you created in step 1 to the WfW machine. 
Net use driveID: \\server\install_share
rename C:\Windows\Startup.grp *.sav
copy  \\Servername\netlogon\startup.grp C:\Windows\startup.grp
4. The following installation script entries restore the original startup group: 
[install]
renfiles=replace.startup.grp
[replace.startup.grp]
startup.grp startup.sav
[destinationdirs]
replace.startup.grp=10

See the Windows 98 Resource Kit for more information about this method. For more about Windows 98 installation scripts, see Appendix D.

Other Methods for Initiating Setup

Some other options for delivering Setup commands and initiating the Setup process are as follows:

Creating a Network Boot Disk

For new installations over the network, you can save yourself considerable trouble by creating a network boot disk. A network boot disk is a bootable system disk that is capable of connecting to a network share and initiating a network installation. A network boot disk is useful for situations in which you want the speed and ease of unattended network installation, but the machines on which you're installing Windows 98 are not network enabled (for instance, new computers or computers with newly reformatted hard drives).

You can generate a network boot disk by using Windows NT Server's Network Client Administrator tool. If you don't have a Windows NT Server system, Microsoft provides a method (described on the TechNet CD) for creating a network boot disk using Windows for Workgroups. The following sections discuss these methods for creating a network boot disk.

Using Windows NT's Network Client Administrator to Create a Network Boot Disk'

Windows NT Server's Network Client Administrator utility lets you create a network-enabled boot disk that you can use to connect to an installation share. Network Client Administrator's boot disk feature is designed to provide access to the client installation files included with the Windows NT Server CD-ROM, but with some minor alterations, you can use a Network Client Administrator boot disk to connect to another directory or share name with the required Windows 98 installation files.

The following instructions refer to Windows NT Server 4.0 Network Client Administrator. The instructions for Windows NT Server 3.5 are similar. Microsoft will most likely include a method for installing Windows 98 along with the Windows NT Server 5.0, but details of that method are not available at this writing.

To create a network boot disk using Network Client Administrator, follow these steps:

1. Create an MS-DOS system disk (place a newly formatted floppy in the A: drive and type C:\sys A: from the DOS prompt).
It is helpful to also copy the file EDIT.COM (the DOS text editor) to the system disk. EDIT.COM is not necessary for the system disk to function, but a text editor will prove useful if you're installing more than one PC and you need to make computer-specific changes to the disk.
2. On a Windows NT Server system, select Network Client Administrator from the Administrative Tools group (Start/Programs/Administrative Tools/Network Client Administrator). In the Network Client Administrator dialog box, choose the Make Network Installation Startup Disk option button and click on Continue.
3. The Share Network Client Installation Files dialog box appears (see Figure 3.1). Insert the Windows NT Server installation disk in the CD-ROM drive. In the box labeled Path, select the \CLIENTS directory on the Windows NT installation CD-ROM. You must set up the installation disk using the Windows NT \CLIENTS and then modify the path later to access the Windows 98 CD-ROM.

Figure 3.1

The Share Network Client Installation Files dialog box in Windows NT's Network Client Administrator.

NOTE: Network Client Administrator is designed to install client files that are present on the Windows NT Server CD-ROM. This example modifies the network boot floppy so that you can use it to install directly from the Windows 98 CD-ROM. The purpose of the Network Client Administrator network startup disk is to simplify the installation process--not to circumvent any licensing requirements. You still need a valid license for every workstation whether you use the Windows NT Server CD-ROM or the Windows 98 CD-ROM as a source for network installations. Network Client Administrator warns you that the "license accompanying Windows NT Server does NOT contain a license to install and use Windows 95"--the same warning applies to Windows 98.

4. Select the Share Files option button and enter a share name. (The share name can be anything because you won't really be accessing the Windows NT \CLIENTS directory. Just enter a name so Network Client Administrator will let you proceed.) Click on OK.
5. In the Target Workstation Configuration dialog box (see Figure 3.2), select the option button describing the floppy disk size (3.5" or 5.25"). Choose Windows 95 in the network client list. Click on the arrow to the right of the box labeled Network Adapter Card and select the new workstation's network adapter card from the drop-down list. If you can't find the correct network adapter in the list, choose the default (for now) and see the discussion at the end of this procedure.

Figure 3.2

The Target Workstation Configuration dialog box in Windows NT's Network Client Administrator.

6. A warning appears, notifying you that you'll need a valid client license to install Windows 95. This warning also applies to Windows 98--all licensing requirements are independent of installation method. Read the warning and click on OK.
7. In the Network Startup Disk Configuration dialog box (see Figure 3.3), enter a computer name for the new workstation. Verify the User Name and the Domain name that floppy-boot client will use to connect to the installation share, and select a network protocol from the drop-down list. (Your network configuration must, of course, be capable of supporting the protocol you choose from the list.) If you choose TCP/IP, enter TCP/IP settings in the boxes provided. To enter an IP address and subnet mask, you must clear the DHCP configuration checkbox. The Destination Path box specifies the location of the floppy disk drive for the NT Server system that is creating the boot floppy. Click OK to create the network-enabled boot disk.
8. After you've created the network-enabled boot disk, open the autoexec.bat file on the boot disk by using NotePad or another text editor. that the final three lines of the autoexec.bat file map a network drive to the client installation files, display the message Running Setup...., and execute the Setup program on the installation share. You need to modify these lines so that they map a drive to the Windows 98 installation share and execute the Windows 98 setup program, as follows: 
net use z: \\computer_name\share_name
echo Running Setup...
z:\setup.exe z:\W98_script.inf
In this example, computer_name and share_name are the computer name and share name specifying the location of the Windows 98 installation files.
See Chapter 2 for a discussion of the Setup command. In most cases, you will want to specify an installation script file when performing a network installation. You can specify an installation script and any of the optional setup-command switches, along with the setup command in the autoexec.bat file.

Figure 3.3

The Network Startup Disk Configuration dialog box in Windows NT's Network Client Administrator.

If the network adapter for the workstation on which you're installing Windows 98 doesn't appear in the Network Adapter list (see step 5 of the preceding procedure), you must manually configure the network boot disk to access your adapter. You must find the disk that accompanied the network adapter card in order to make the necessary adjustments to the network installation disk. Specifically, you'll need to accomplish the following tasks:

1. Copy the appropriate NDIS-compatible .dos driver from the manufacturer's disk to the \net directory of the network boot floppy.
2. Look for a sample protocol.ini file on the network card manufacturer's disk. Change the value of the drivername parameter in the net\protocol.ini file of the boot disk to match the drivername value in the sample protocol.ini file of the manufacturer's disk. If you can't find a sample protocol.ini file, consult other documentation on the manufacturer's disk. If you have to guess a drivername, try the name of the .dos driver (refer to step 1) without the extension and followed by $. For instance, the drivername line for the NDIS-compatible driver pcind.dos is drivername=PCIND$.
3. In the net\system.ini file on the boot disk, change the value of the netcard setting (in the network drivers section) to the name of the NDIS-compatible driver (refer to step 1).

Using Windows for Workgroups to Create a Network Boot Disk

Microsoft provides an interesting alternative method for creating a network boot floppy. This alternative uses Windows for Workgroups. The basic idea is to run a shared network installation to a directory on a hard drive (using Windows for Workgroups Setup with the /n switch), and then delete nonessential Windows for Workgroups files from the directory until the contents of the directory is small enough to fit on a floppy disk. You must create autoexec.bat and config.sys for the boot disk and make some minor changes to system.ini. Although Microsoft describes this method, they make it clear that they do not officially support it. You should test this method first and experiment with it until it works for your network.

To create a network boot disk using Windows for Workgroups:

1. Create a bootable DOS disk. (You can delete DBLSPACE.BIN from the boot floppy if you're not using DoubleSpace.)
2. Create a new directory on the hard drive and run Windows for Workgroups Setup with the /n switch; create a shared network installation in the new directory.
3. Delete all of the following from the directory you created in step 2: 
BOOTLOG.TXT
        EMM386.EXE
        MOUSE.INI
        MSCDEX.EXE
        NCDINFO.INI
        SPART.PAR
*.CLN
        *.WIN
4. Copy the contents of the new directory to the boot disk you created in step 1.
5. Create an autoexec.bat file in the root directory of the boot floppy. Autoexec.bat should contain these lines: 
a:\SMARTDRV A+
path=a:\;z:
a:\NET LOGON user_name user_password
a:\NET USE z: \\computer_name\share_name /p:No
6. Create a config.sys file on the boot floppy. Config.sys should contain the following lines: 
Files=30
Buffers=20
Lastdrive=z
Device=A:\HIMEM.SYS
Device=A:\IFSHLP.SYS
Also include any 3rd party device information that may be appropriate for �your network.
7. In the boot disk's system.ini file, set DEVDIR (in the [Network Drivers]) to A:\. Delete AutoStart=FULL from the [Network] section of system.ini.
8. Use the boot floppy to boot a workstation that is connected to the network. Be prepared to enter the username and password you specified in autoexec.bat.
9. In step 5, you mapped the Z: drive to the installation share. Enter Z: at the command prompt to see whether you can connect. To start Setup, enter the following: 
z:\setup z:\W98_install.inf

that the preceding method requires that the network card and network settings for the new workstation match the network card and network settings for the machine on which you created the shared installation (refer to step 2). If the network settings for the new machine are different, you'll need to edit the protocol.ini and system.ini settings on the floppy disk accordingly. Consult a Windows for Workgroup reference for more information about configuring network adapters and network settings.

Troubleshooting Network Installation

A network installation is similar to a local installation, and the troubleshooting strategies for network installations and local installations are similar. See Chapter 2 for a discussion of Windows 98 installation troubleshooting.

The unique aspect of a network installation is the network connection. Needless to say, you must have already made a network connection before you even begin a network installation. If you can't make the initial connection to the installation share, your problem is not an installation problem but a networking problem. (See Chapters 21-25 in Part IV, "Networking Windows 98," for details about network connections and network troubleshooting.)

After the final reboot in the installation process, your computer starts for the first time under Windows 98. The installation, however, is not yet complete, and your system still must reconnect to the installation share. If Windows 98 changes your network configuration for some reason, you may not be able to reconnect to the installation share. For instance, if the installation files are located on a Windows NT domain and Setup configures Windows 98 to use the Windows logon instead on the Client for Microsoft Networks domain logon, you won't be able to finish the installation. If Setup senses that you can't complete the network connection, Setup may ask if you want to change your network configuration. If you choose YES, Setup displays a dialog box similar to the Network Control Panel, and you'll have a chance to change your network settings. Changing the settings at this point, however, doesn't always solve the problem.

The best way to avoid the reconnect problem described in the preceding paragraph is to not let it happen. Make extra certain that Setup will deliver the network configuration you're expecting. Keep the following facts in mind:

If you're going to perform multiple installations, it is best to test your network installation process in a controlled setting before unleashing it on the network.

Conclusion

Network installation is a popular method for installing Windows systems in corporate environments. Network installation is fast and it minimizes the need for human intervention. This chapter described how to perform a network installation. This chapter is a continuation of the material presented in Chapter 2. Refer to Chapter 2 for more information about installation scripts, the installation process, or installation troubleshooting.

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