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I am looking to create a custom boot DVD to run my unattended installs of windows 2008. I would like to have a menu system that lets the tech select what version of the OS they would like to install and version (x86/x64). I know you can run the windows 2008 setup, and exit to command prompt, but I would like there to just be a menu that will kick off whichever script needed.

What would be the best way to do this?

Thanks

TheDave1022
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  • After researching a bit, I am going to use a PE disk and inject the OS files into that. Then I will have a batch file on the disk that I will call that will call each unattended file. – TheDave1022 Oct 27 '09 at 18:42

2 Answers2

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On a related note - using a flash drive instead of a DVD for this has multiple advantages.

  • Speed
  • Rewritable
  • Ease of use (not all servers have built in DVD players)
  • You can keep the drive updated with other drivers, software and tools

This is the way I use to prep the USB stick.

I use this for client installs because we're a rather small operation and everyone are local admins and are allowed to have their latptops the way they want. I find it is far easier than to try to keep a distro server updated with drivers and software. A bit more manual, but totally flexible.

You could of course do zero or light touch install from a USB just as well as from a DVD, if that is your preference. It still has the speed and rewrite advantages over a DVD.

Hope this helps.

Gomibushi
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What you're looking for is HTA files "HTML Application". The feature is built into WinPE and lets you script similar to vbscript a menu system much like a HTML file that can autostart with your WinPE disk and let you do just about anything you can imagine.

I've made one that: logged you into AD mapped drives launch batch files formatted hard drives copy drivers file and edit ini files on drive pulled user data off drive let you choose the OS (.wim) to imagex to the drive etc.

To get HTA files to work on WinPE you need to add it to your WinPE image, similar to this: peimg /install=HTA c:\winpe_x86\mount\Windows

HTA is frustrating to code as it's not a common scripting language and not well documented but it works. Our solution was pure Windows Deployment Toolkit and WinPE 2.0 based for over dozens of different hardware setups to over 3000 computers all done via DVD or USB stick.

Google "winpe script hta" for all the help you need.

Bret Fisher
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