Microsoft KB Archive/316663

= How to Modify the Default Group Policy for Remote Installation Services =

Article ID: 316663

Article Last Modified on 2/28/2007

-

APPLIES TO


 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition
 * Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition (32-bit x86)

-



This article was previously published under Q316663



SUMMARY
This article describes how to modify the default group policy for Remote Installation Services so that users have more options to choose from during a remote setup procedure.



MORE INFORMATION
When you use Remote Installation Services to install a client computer, the default group policy provides the Automatic Setup option that is displayed in the Client Installation Wizard. The following list describes the additional options that are included in the Choice.osc file:
 * Automatic Setup: When you use this option, the client is configured with only the default unattended settings. The user is prompted to chose the image that they want to use for installation. You can customize the Setup Information File (SIF) that is used to automate Setup to fit your organization's needs. When you select this option, a computer name is automatically generated and the administrator's selected organizational unit is used for the computer account. If an account already exists in the Active Directory forest, Setup reuses this computer account object.

NOTE: If a duplicate globally unique identifier (GUID) is detected in Active Directory when you use the Automatic Setup option, an error message is displayed. Setup does not continue until you remove the duplicate GUID.
 * Custom Setup: When you use this option, users can type a computer name and specify an organizational unit in which to place the newly created computer account object. If the user does not specify either the computer name or the organizational unit, the default settings from the Remote Installation Services server are used (this behavior is similar to behavior of the Automatic Setup option).

NOTE: When the user specifies a name and a location for a computer object that match the name and the location of an existing computer account object, if the GUID of this client matches the GUID of the existing computer account object, the existing computer account object is reused. If either the GUID, the name, or the location matches, a &quot;duplicate name&quot; error message or a &quot;duplicate GUID&quot; error message is displayed.
 * Restart Setup: If computer problems occur before GUI-mode Setup is reached (for example, a power outage occurs, you have problems with network connectivity, and so on), you can use this option to restart Setup so that the user does not have to start Setup from the beginning. After you start Setup, the answer file that is used to start Setup is placed in a folder on the volume that contains the remote installation images (the folder is the Tmp folder in the Remote Install tree). The file name is the name of the GUID of the system that is performing the installation followed by a .sif file extension.

NOTE: If you use the Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE) boot disk to start the client, the file name is the media access control address prepended by 24 zeros.
 * Tools (Maintenance and Troubleshooting): When you use this option, the user can gain access to diagnostics tools and maintenance tools that are created by third-party manufacturers, for example, system basic input/output system (BIOS) updates and possible remote control software.

To allow users to gain full access to these options, modify the default group policy from either the Remote Installation Services domain controller or a workstation that has the Active Directory administrative tools installed:  Click Start, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers. In the left pane, right-click either the domain or the organizational unit in which the policy that you want to edit is applied, and then click Properties. Click the Group Policy tab. Click the default domain policy, and then click Edit. In the left pane, click to expand the following items:  User Configuration Windows Settings</li></ul>

</li> Click Remote Installation Services.</li> In the right pane, double-click Choice Options.</li> Click the appropriate options that meet your security requirements and your user requirements.</li> Click OK.</li></ol>

Keywords: kbenv kbinfo KB316663

-

[mailto:TECHNET@MICROSOFT.COM Send feedback to Microsoft]

© Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.