Getting started with OS Deployment

Owned by Martin Gudme Søndergaard
May 23, 2022
2 min read

Introduction

The following is a description of the steps that you have to go through to set up OSD. In the following table, the steps are described one by one.



Phase

Description

Setup

Run the CapaInstaller setup to install CapaInstaller OS Deployment.
 

How to install.

Build WinPE Image

In the File menu choose to Create Boot File to create the customized Windows PE boot image.

WAIK and ADK

You cannot successfully complete this step unless the Windows Automation Installation Kit (WAIK) or Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) is already installed.

Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) & The Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK)

Define OS Deployment Administrator

In the Options menu choose OS Deployment, security. Specify the user or group of users that should be able to manage the solution. It is highly recommended to specify a domain/AD security group.
 


Create OS Deployment Point(s)

Create the appropriate OS Deployment Points. It is recommended to create at least 2 OS Deployment Points. These could have the following feature set:
 
Development OS Deployment Point: Within this environment, the solution is developed and tested before it is promoted to the Production environment.
 
Production OS Deployment Point: Within this environment, the actual OS deployment is performed.
 

Create a new OS Deployment point.

Configure OS Deployment Point

To configure the OS Deployment Points, right-click on the object and choose Configuration. As a minimum, a user name and password have to be specified, however, it is recommended to do a full configuration before proceeding.
 

Configure an OS Deployment point.

Create and configure a PXE boot server

To be able to deploy an Operating System, a PXE boot server has to be created. The server should handle network boot requests from the clients.
 

Create a new PXE server.

Create Image

Create the OS Image needed. The CapaInstaller OS Deployment solution does not support Image files with multiple Operating Systems built in. This has been decided to reduce network traffic when the image is downloaded. Consequently, you have to create an image for each of the operating systems needed.
 

Prepare a Windows Image for OSD

Create Model and add drivers

Create the Models that the solution should support and add appropriate drivers.

For creating models: Create a new model.
For creating drivers: Create a new driver.

Create a configuration script

During the installation, you can customize the installation using scripts. By default, 6 different scripts are invoked at different phases in the installation.
 

Create a new script.

Create OS Deployment Server

Create at least one OS Deployment Server. For obvious reasons, an OS Deployment Point can hold the OS Deployment Server role as well.
 

Create a new OS Deployment server.

Boot the Client and install the desired operating system

Boot the client using Network boot, select the OS Deployment Server and launch the Windows PE with the CapaInstaller OS Deployment Client. Select name, operating system and disk configuration.
 

OSD client process


System is ready

The computer is now installed with the desired OS and packages are ready to be deployed to the client.