Can you repair Windows over network?

[ztein]

Hi.
Can you somehow repair Windows XP using boot cd over the network on many computers at the same time instead of doing it one by one?

[SpywareDr]

If you mean a "Windows XP Repair Install" on a 'normal' XP setup, I seriously doubt it. As soon as a computer starts to reboot it is disconnected from the network.

Wikipedia: Network booting
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_booting

Wikipedia: PXE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Preboot...on_Environment

[ztein]

No, repair won't help me, tried.

I got 20 computers and a server in the same room.
I have to reinstall Windows XP Pro on all of them, but they are ancient so to do it individually on each pc will take about 2 weeks.
How can I install Windows over network so it will take maximum 2 days?

[SpywareDr]

Sourceforge.net - Unattended, A Windows deployment system
http://unattended.sourceforge.net/

Introduction

This is a system for fully automating the installation of Windows 2000 Professional and Server, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003.

Features include:

• Automated install of operating system, hotfixes and applications.
• Full documentation and source code.
• Support for floppy, CD-ROM, and "nothing but net" installs.
• True unattended installation, not disk imaging.
• No Windows servers required; use your Unix servers instead.
• No Unix servers required; use your Windows servers after all.
• Completely free.

When you are finished setting up Unattended, you will be able to boot any PC from a floppy, from a CD-ROM, or directly from the network, answer a few questions, and come back an hour or two later to a fully-installed Windows workstation.

But be warned: This is not a ./configure && make install kind of project, and it is not a slick GUI app. You will need to understand at least a little of what goes on "under the covers", and you will need to perform some customization for your site.

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