Installing Windows over the network (LAN)

This howto demonstrates steps to install Windows XP, Vista and Seven over the network.

What do you need:

Hiren's Boot CD 9.8 and greater, tftpboot.exe (mirror), usb flash drive (min. 256 MB), FTP cable to connect the onmputer and Windows installation CD or DVD.

For installation follow these steps:

1. copy the downloaded tftpboot.exe to the USB flash drive, insert the Hiren's CD to the drive and boot it.
2. choose the option: Start Mini Windows XP
3. after the Mini Windows boots up, activate the network by double-clicking on the Network icon and connect the second PC on which you like to install Windows.
4. connect the USB drive with tftpboot.exe, open it and extract to the drive b:\
5. now run b:\tftpboot\tftpd32.exe
6. click on the Settings and deselect Ping address before assignation and select PXE compatibility. The result should look like this:
7. 
8. Confirm with OK and click on the tab DHCP Server and set up it like following:
9. Save the changes and on the main panel open the Network settings.
10. 
11. click on Renew IP address, after that tftpd32.exe crashes. Start tftpd32.exe again and wait. The computer should get an IP address after a while.
12. now insert the DVD with Windows Seven (Vista, XP), you don't need Hiren's CD anymore
13. in the window PE Network Manager click on the tab Sharing, now click on the Start and enter the Username and Password, confirm with Set password
14. click on Add to add a shared folder. Chose the sharing name (e.g. seven) and choose the path to the device with the installation CD/DVD and confirm with Apply.
15. now its all set up and ready. Turn on the second PC and in BIOS set booting from the network or in the Boot menu (usually accessed by pressing F11 or F12 during start-up) choose LAN network. During the boot PC gets an address and the welcome screen appears. Proceed with pressing F12 key.
16. the installation files will start copying
17. after the system boots up you will have the CMD (commander) opened. Here you will connect the shared folder (in our case seven), login and run the Windows installation as following:

• net use y: \\192.168.10.1\seven
• user name: 192.168.10.1\admin
• password: admin (this name and password has been set in the 13. step)
• after successful login type y: and confirm
• for Windows Seven and Vista run SETUP.EXE (type it into the CMD and conform)
• for Windows XP: cd i386 and run WINNT32.EXE. This command will copy the installation files to the HDD. After copying write into CMD: exit or close it by clicking on the 'X' button, the PC will restart and the Windows XP installation will start (don't to disconnect the LAN cable)