Remote Installation Services (RIS) for 64-bit Operating Systems

Applies To:Windows Server 2003 with SP1
What does Remote Installation Services (RIS) do?
The RemoteInstallation Services featuresimplifies thetask of installing an operating system on computers throughoutan
organization. It provides a mechanism for computers to connect to a network server during theinitial boot process, whilethe
server controls a local installation of Windows.This can be used either to install thecorrect configuration of the operating
system on a new computer, or to restorea failed computer to a known operating system configuration.
Who does this feature apply to?
This featureapplies to IT professionals who want to use RIS to deploy x64-based operating system images in an enterprise.
What new functionality is added to this feature in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1
Support for x64 operating system images
Detailed description
RemoteInstallation Services in Windows Server 2003 supported theinstallation of Windows Server 2003 Itanium-based
editions using RISETUP.With Windows Server 2003 SP1, RemoteInstallation Services now supports the deployment of both
RISETUP and RIPREP images for thex64 architecture.
Therearetwo methods for adding operating system images to a RemoteInstallation Services (RIS) computer – RISETUP and
RIPREP. RISETUP images areimages built from the Windows CD media.When adding theimages,a path to the Windows setup
files,either on CD or on a network share, must bespecified. RISETUP images are generally added by one of three methods:
Using the Remote Installation Services Setup option from the Start menu of the RIS server.To start Remote
Installation Services Setup,click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools,and then click Add a new
OS image to this remote installation server.
Using the Add a new installation image option availablefrom the Properties tab of the RIS server in the Active
Directory Users and Computers Microsoft Management Console(MMC) snap-in.
Running the RISETUP /add command from a command prompt on the RIS server.
RIPREP-generated images arealso filesystem based images located on a RIS server. However, unlike RISETUP images, RIPREP
images moreclosely resemblethe hard disk images created using a third-party disk-imaging tool and the Windows System
Preparation tool (Sysprep). RIPREP images arecreated by running the RIPREP wizard (Riprep.exe) on a master computer that
has the operating system configuration,applications and settings,and desktop customizations thatareto becaptured and
deployed to client computers in the organization.
With thechanges in Windows Server 2003 SP1, RISETUP and RIPREP images created for x64-based operating systems can be
deployed from a RIS server of any architecture– bethata 32-bit operating system,an x64-based operating system, or an
Itanium-based operating system.
Why is this change important?
This changeenables therapid deployment of x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP throughoutan
enterprise by leveraging RemoteInstallation Services (RIS) as theimage deployment mechanism.
What works differently?
In order to support x64-based RIPREP and RISETUP images, several pieces of functionality wereadded to RemoteInstallation
Services (RIS).
RISETUP
Beginning with Windows Server 2003 SP1, RISETUP now allows for theaddition of x64-based images to the RIS server. Prior
to Windows Server 2003 SP1, trying to add a RISETUP x64-based image would result in thefollowing error message:
A file that is needed to set up the installation image on the server was not found.
This may indicate that the image source is corrupt or that the source is not a valid Windows installation source.
Verify that the path you entered points to a valid Windows installation source.
This message occurred because prior to Windows Server 2003 SP1 RISETUP did not includethex64-based imagestructure
when examining thesource media. RISETUP would find an i386 directory in the CD imagesource; however, RISETUP would not
find all of thefiles defined for thesource.Therefore, the program determined that theimagesource was missing files and
displayed theappropriateerror condition.
Changes to RISETUP werealso necessary to populatethe\\RIS_Server\RemInst\Admin\amd64 folder with thex64-based
version of RIPREP.Thex64-based version of RIPREP only ships on x64-based editions of Windows (both clientand server).
However, it is possibleto deploy x64-based images from x86-based and Itanium-based Windows Server 2003 SP1 RIS servers.
In thesecases, thex64-based RIPREP files would not natively be on thex86-based and Itanium-based servers.
Each RIPREP imagerequires a supporting RISETUP image.So, beforea RIPREP image of an x64-based version of Windows
Server 2003 SP1 can be made,a RISETUP image of an x64-based version of Windows Server 2003 SP1 must first beloaded to
the RIS server. On theinitial RISETUP load of thex64-based image, the necessary 64-bit files for RIPREP – Riprep.exe,
Riprep.inf,and Setupcl.exe– arecopied from thex64-based RISETUP imagelocation (either flat image or CD) and placed in the
\RemoteInstall\Admin\amd64 folder. In addition,a fileversion checking mechanism has been put in placeto ensurethat the
most up-to-dateversions of Riprep.exe, Riprep.inf,and Setupcl.exearein place on the RIS server. If thefileversions in the
copied x64-based RISETUP imageare newer than theexisting x64-based versions on the RIS server, the RIS server versions will
be updated to contain thelatestavailableversions of thefiles.This is the desired behavior since Riprep.exe, Riprep.inf,and
Setupcl.exeare backwards compatible. If theexisting x64-based versions in thecopied x64-based RISETUP imagearethesame
as or older than theexisting x64-based version on the RIS server, thefiles on the RIS server will remain untouched.
Client Installation Wizard
RemoteInstallation Services (RIS) provides a set of Client Installation Wizard (CIW) screens that prompta user through the
installation of an operating system.Thesescreens are maintained as simpletext files in an OS Chooser Markup Language
(OSCML) formatand stored with an .oscextension.
You can customizeand tailor thesescreens to include Help Desk phone numbers,additional contact information, or any other
additional information using Hypertext Markup Language(HTML) 2.0.The Client Installation Wizard screens arekept in the
RemoteInstall\OSChooser\Language directory.
Windows Server 2003 SP1 includes changes to the Client Installation Wizard (CIW) screens to allow for theselection of 32-bit
or 64-bit operating systems when both areavailableas installation options.
A new .osc screen, x8664.osc, was added.This new screen, in conjunction with its associated registry settings,allows thesystem
administrator to restrict or filter operating system selection based on architecturefor x64-based RIS clients.
With thex64 architecture,computers can run either 32-bit or 64-bit operating systems.To assist in theselection process, the
new .osc screen, x8664.osc, is placed in the RemoteInstall\OSChooser\Language directory upon copy of thefirst Windows
Server 2003 SP1 RISETUP image. If the Windows Server 2003 SP1 RISETUP imageis thefirst imageto be uploaded to the RIS
server, the new x8664.osc screen will becopied by default. If thereareexisting images on the RIS server at thetimethefirst
Windows Server 2003 SP1 imageis added, theinstaller must choosethe option to overwrite(or backup and overwrite) the.osc
screens during theinstallation to get the new screen.
Note
If custom actions or automations exist in the.osc screen flow,choosing to overwritethe.osc screens upon RISETUP of an
image may causethosecustomizations to belost.
Thex8664.osc screen is used to determine whether the operating system choices displayed to theend-user will be 32-bit x86-
based or 64-bit x64-based when the booting client computer is x64-based.The behavior is controlled using manual selection
of theappropriateinstallation choice on x8664.osc. Alternatively,a new registry setting, DefaultPlatformforX8664, found at
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\BINLSVC\Parameters, may be used to forceall x64-based clients
to see only onearchitecture of images, x86-based or x64-based.For example, if theregistry valueis set to i386, only i386
operating system images will be displayed in OSChoice.osc. If theregistry valueis set to amd64, only x64-based operating
system images will be displayed in OSChoice.osc. If theregistry valueis not set, then the default behavior will causethe
x8664.osc screen to prompt for user input. At that point the user can choose one of two availablechoices:
Install Microsoft Windows 32-bitEdition
Install Microsoft Windows 64-bitEdition
Choosing thefirst option limits installation imagechoices to only 32-bit operating systems. If only one 32-bit operating system
imageexists, the CIW will proceed directly on to warning.osc. Choosing thesecond option limits installation imagechoices to
only 64-bit operating systems. If only one 64-bit operating system imageexists, the CIW will proceed directly on to
warning.osc.
Some other points of clarification regarding the new x8664.osc screen behavior:
Thex8664.osc screen will only beseen by x64-based client computers. Computers running x86-based and Itanium-based
operating systems will not seethe new screen.
If no Windows Server 2003 SP1 RISETUP images (or Windows XP Professional x64 Edition images) exist on the RIS
server, the new behavior will not bein place.This is becausethe new x8664.osc screen is not copied to theserver until
thefirst upload of a Windows Server 2003 SP1 (or Windows XP Professional x64 Edition) RISETUP image.
If the new x8664.osc screen was not copied on upload of thefirst x64 RISETUP image(for example, if the Administrator
choseto keep thecurrent .osc screens and not copy the new .osc screens on x64-based RISETUP imagecreation), the new
functionality will not bein place.To obtain the new functionality to restrict x64-based RIS client computers to only view
x86-based 32-bit or x64-based 64-bit operating system images, the new .osc screens must bein placeand theregistry
value must beconfigured appropriately.
A third option, Install Default Windows,can beseen in thex8664.osc screen source.This option allows thex8664.osc
screen to beautomatically processed with no user interaction.This option will be used in thefollowing situations:
If the booting client computer is not x64-based. If theclient computer is x86-based or Itanium-based, installation
using the Client Installation Wizard will continueautomatically and the user will not be prompted for input in
x8664.osc.
If a Windows Server 2003 SP1 x86-based or Itanium-based RISETUP imageis placed on a RIS server that is
running Windows Server 2003 withoutService Pack 1. In this case, it is possiblethat the new x8664.osc will be
placed on a Windows Server 2003 RIS server if the option to replace.osc screens was chosen upon image upload.
Sincethe RIS server has not been updated it does not havetheability to process the new Install 32-bit
Windows and Install 64-bit Windows options in x8664.osc.Sincethe default option is the only menu choice
populated, it is processed and thescreen is bypassed.
Maintenance and Troubleshooting menu
64-bit maintenanceand troubleshooting tools can be provided to users through the Client Installation Wizard (CIW).To do this,
theexisting tools.osc screen was repurposed and a new CIW screen,Tlchoice.osc, was implemented.
Therearetwo paths that can betaken when choosing an operating system imageto deploy from within the Client Installation
Wizard.Thefirst path involves selection of either Automatic Setup or Custom Setup from the Choice.osc screen.When
choosing either of these options,a computer account, if one does notalready exist, will becreated in Active Directory. In the
former case, RemoteInstallation Services creates theaccount on behalf of the user based on policy as stored in Active
Directory. In thelatter case, the user may choose both thecomputer nameand location (for example, Organizational Unit)
when creating thecomputer account.Thesecond path involves selection of the Maintenance and Troubleshooting menu
option from the Choice.osc screen.This installation method differs from thefirst in that no computer account will becreated.
The most common use of starting an operating system from the Maintenance and Troubleshooting menu option is starting
the Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE) to aid in operating system deployment. Because Windows PE is
usually an “interim” operating system – used to starta computer temporarily beforeapplying an operating system image–
creating a computer account in Active Directory at this point is not useful.
Therearetwo ways that Windows PE images can be madeavailablefrom the Maintenance and Troubleshooting menu
option on the Choice.osc screen:
Setting ‘Imagetype=WinPE’ in the [OSChooser] section of Ristndrd.sif answer file.
Creating a \Tools folder at thesamelevel as \Images (for example, \RemoteInstall\Setup\Language\Tools) and placing
thefolder structurecontaining the Windows PE imageinto the\Tools folder.
X64-based computers can run either 32-bit or 64-bit maintenanceand troubleshooting tools.To assist the user in theselection
process, theTools.osc screen has been updated to present the user a choice of two options:
Display 32-bit Tools
Display 64-bit Tools
Choosing thefirst option displays only 32-bit tools in the new Tlchoice.osc screen.Selecting thesecond option displays only
64-bit tools in theTlchoice.osc screen.Functionality that was previously in theTools.osc screen has been moved to the
Tlchoice.osc screen.
Some points of clarification regarding the new Tools.oscand Tlchoice.osc behavior:
TheTools.osc screen will only beseen by x64-based clients. X86-based and Itanium-based clients will not seethescreen.
If no Windows Server 2003 SP1 RISETUP images (or Windows XP Professional x64 Edition images) exist on the RIS
server, the new behavior will not bein place.This is becausethe new Tlchoice.osc screen and the updated Tools.osc
screen will not becopied to theserver until thefirst upload of Windows Server 2003 SP1 (or Windows XP Professional
x64 Edition images) RISETUP image.
If the new Tlchoice.osc screen and updated Tools.osc screen were not copied on upload of thefirst x64 RISETUP image
(for example, theadministrator choseto keep thecurrent .osc screens and not copy the new .osc screens on x64 RISETUP
imagecreation), the new functionality will not bein place.To obtain the new functionality to restrict x64 RIS client
machines to only view x86 32-bit or x64 64-bit maintenanceand troubleshooting tools, the new .osc screens must bein
placeand theregistry value must beconfigured appropriately.
Thesameregistry valuethat controls thex8664.osc behavior in the Automatic Setup and Custom Setup choices,
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\ BINLSVC\Parameters\DefaultPlatformForX8664
(REG_SZ),also controls the Maintenance and Troubleshooting behavior.
In somesituations theTools.osc screen will beautomatically processed with no user interaction required.This is accomplished
through thethird option Display Default Tools that can beseen in theTools.osc screen source.This option is used in the
following situations:
The booting client computer is not x64-based. If theclient computer is x86-based or Itanium-based, installation via the
Client Installation Wizard will continueautomatically and the user will not be prompted for input in Tools.osc.
A Windows Server 2003 SP1 x86 or Itanium RISETUP imageis placed on a Windows Server 2003 RTM RIS server. In this
case, it is possiblethat the new Tools.osc is placed on a RIS server running Windows Server 2003 RTM if the option to
replace.osc screens was chosen upon image upload of a Windows Server 2003 SP1 image. Becausethe RIS server
program has not been updated to Windows Server 2003 Service Pack1, the RIS server does not havethelogic to process
the new Display 32-bit Tools and Display 64-bit Tools options in theTools.osc screen. Becausethe default option is
the only menu choice pre-populated, it is processed and thescreen is bypassed.
Note
As a consequence of thechanges in Windows Server 2003 SP1, thescreen menu order for the Maintenance and
Troubleshooting menu option has changed as follows:
1. Choice.osc
2. Tools.osc
3. TLchoice.osc
What settings are added or changed in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1?
Setting name Location Previous
default value
Default
value
Possible values
DefaultPlatformForX8664 HKLM\System \CurrentControlSet
\Services\BINLSVC \Parameters
N/A Not set Not set
(Platform typeto beselected by
users in x8664.osc)
i386
(Only display x86-based images
in OSChoice.osc)
amd64
(Only display x64-based images
in OSChoice.osc)