Network Installation Startup Disks

To deploy Windows NT Workstation to computers that are not currently running networking software, you need to provide some way for them to connect to the distribution sharepoint and begin the installation process. This is done with a Network Installation Startup Disk.

A Network Installation Startup Disk is a bootable MS-DOS system disk containing just enough network client software to connect to the distribution server. You can then use the winnt command to install Windows NT Workstation over the network. You can include the winnt command line in the Autoexec.bat file on the disk, so that installation begins automatically when the computer is started with the Network Installation Startup Disk in the drive.

This disk can be used to do additional tasks, by adding lines to the Autoexec.bat file on the disk. For example, a series of Network Installation Startup Disks can be produced for an entire division or organization, with each disk specifying a different uniqueness ID in a common UDF. The end users can simply insert the disk into their primary floppy drive , turn on the computer, and walk away, returning to a completed custom installation of Windows NT Workstation.