Network Boot: How?

[Terminat.]

To make a computer do a network boot you just set it in the bios.

However: how do you set the disk to be the network boot disk? How is it supposed to know which computer to boot from as the network computer? Do you set a disk to be booted from by other computers doing network boots or do you have to buy an expensive network disk setup?

 

[XWRed1]

Usually you set up a server for the machines to boot from.

 

[WiNd]

It requires you to setup a Remote Installation Services better known as a RIS server.

edit:
Its kind of advance, i remember setting these up in korea for hundreds of computer to install a remote bulid over a period of months.
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;304992&sd=tech

do a google search for it, i hope you find what your looking for.

 

[XWRed1]

An RIS server isn't required to network boot.

 

[BigRod]

You also have to have a network card that supports booting to LAN (PXE or something else).

 

[Como]

i did an RIS, but its only one use for network booting.

At school the tech dude set up this nifty citrix desktop that all the computers booted from the citrix server. the year that i used that room the computers had to load windows 2000 then remote connect to the server to use its desktop, this is much more efficient. (and feels verry fast!)

i've yet to get this working correctly, but i would like to know how as well. Having 3 computers as clients just boot off a server and have the same stuff installed, smae resources, i would love that. Kind of like a server/client domain without the resource hog in the background.
Would also allow me to put 1.2 gig hard drives in the clients for temp storage, i could take the decent drives for myself

i mean, my family would love to save something in a folder, then have it in that folder on EVERY computer....that way if someone was on the computer they daved it on, it wouldnt matter.

 

[BigRod]

You could just build one computer to act as a file server where all of their "My Documents" are stored. You could then set up roaming profiles and synchronization so whatever computer they are on they have all of their documents, printers, and network drives.

 

[BigRod]

Then of course you will still have to install apps on each computer, but I know there is a way to distribute apps as well.

 

[JezterVA]

In order to boot from the network, you must have a machine that is PXE compliant and have a DHCP server running on the network to supply an IP address. Your DHCP server must be on the same subnet as your RIS server if your intention is to RIS new machines.

Cheers!!