During installation, you can choose to install both Deployment Server and Transport Server role services, which provides the full functionality of Windows Deployment Services. You can then configure and remotely install Windows operating systems. Deployment Server is dependent on the core parts of Transport Server (which is why you cannot install only Deployment Server without Transport Server).

Note

See the Windows Deployment Services Step-by-Step Guide (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=84628) for information about setting up your server.

Installing Windows Deploying Services

You can install Windows Deployment Services by using the Initial Configuration Wizard, Server Manager, or the command line.

  • To install the role by using the Initial Configuration Wizard, click Add roles on the Initial Configuration Tasks startup screen. Click Next and then select Windows Deployment Services.

  • To install the role by using Server Manager, click Add roles, which is located in the Roles Summary pane. Click Next and then select Windows Deployment Services.

  • To install the role by using the command line, run ServerManagerCmd -install WDS.

Configuring Windows Deployment Services

After you install Windows Deployment Services, you will need to configure the server.

To configure using the Windows interface
  1. Ensure that you are a member of the Domain Admins group.

  2. Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and then click Windows Deployment Services. If there is not a server listed under the Servers node, right-click the Servers node and click Add Server to add the local computer.

  3. In the left pane of the Windows Deployment Services MMC snap-in, expand the Servers node.

  4. Right-click the server, and then click Configure Server.

  5. Follow the instructions in the wizard.

  6. When the configuration is complete, ensure that the Add images to the server now check box is selected and then click Finish.

  7. Follow the instructions in the wizard to add at least one boot and one install image. For more information, see Add a Boot or Install Image.

  8. If you want to modify any of the settings of the server, right-click the server in the MMC-snap in, and click Properties. For a list of configuration tasks and instructions, see How to Manage Your Server (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=143379).

To configure using a command line
  1. Click Start, right-click Command Prompt, and then click Run as administrator.

  2. Type the following command where <path> is the location where you want the RemoteInstall folder to be located. This folder must be an NTFS partition that is large enough to hold all of the images that you will have, and it should not be the system partition.

    WDSUTIL /initialize-server /reminst:<path>
  3. To set the answer policy, run the following command. If you set this value to Known, a computer must be prestaged in Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS) before it will be answered by the Windows Deployment Services server.

    WDSUTIL /Set-Server /AnswerClients:{all|known|none}
  4. If you are installing Windows Deployment Services on a computer with the DHCP Server role installed, run the following command. For more information about why you must configure these options, see DHCP Tab.

    WDSUTIL /Set-Server /UseDHCPPorts:no /DHCPoption60:yes
  5. Perform additional configurations as needed for your environment. For a list of additional configuration tasks and instructions, see How to Manage Your Server (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=143379).

  6. Now that you have configured the server, you will need to add images. These images include a boot image (which is the bootable environment that you initially boot the computer into, and the install images (which are the actual images that you deploy). For instructions, see Add a Boot or Install Image.

Additional references