FAQ

Technical Questions Active@ Disk Image

How to load Active@ Boot Disk over the network via PXE environment?

There are several steps required, configuring WinPE WIM, Boot Manager and PXE Server.

For the configuration steps, let's assume that inserted Active@ Boot Disk has a D: letter in our configuration environment.

Step 1: Copy WinPE Source Files onto PXE Server

• Map a network connection to the root TFTP directory on the PXE/TFTP server and create there a \Boot folder
• Copy the Boot.sdi file from D:\Boot folder of Active@ Boot Disk to the \Boot folder on PXE/TFTP server
• Copy the bootable Windows PE image (D:\ Sources\Boot.wim) to the \Boot folder on PXE/TFTP server

Step 2: Configure boot configuration

• On a Windows® 7 computer or in a Windows PE environment, create a BCD store by using the BCDEdit tool
• Create the RAMDISK setting, BOOTMGR and OSLoader settings for the Windows PE image
• Copy the BCD file to the \Boot folder on PXE/TFTP server
• Configure your PXE/TFTP server to point PXE clients to download Wdsnbp.com

Step 3: Deployment process

• A client is directed (by using DHCP Options or the PXE Server response) to download Wdsnbp.com
• Wdsnbp.com validates the DHCP/PXE response packet and proceeds to download PXEBoot.com
• PXEBoot.com downloads Bootmgr.exe and the BCD store. The BCD store must reside in a \Boot directory in the TFTP root folder. Additionally, the BCD store must be called BCD
• Bootmgr.exe reads the BCD operating system entries and downloads Boot.sdi and the Windows PE image
• Bootmgr.exe begins booting Windows PE by running Winload.exe within the Windows PE image

For more detailed instructions, read Microsoft TechNet official documentation

Read More:

We are using a WinPE environment that is booted into via PXE from a Windows Deployment Server. I am wondering if there is a way for us to copy registry information and files into the WIM file that we boot from so the applications are already installed and registered? Or will I need to script the installation and registration to occur each time we boot into WinPE?