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I've been searching for a way to complete an unattended Windows 10 installation with only bad luck. I have found lots of information on loading and running 10 from a PXE server but nothing saying it is or isn't possible to run what I'm describing here. Is there a way to do this that is supported by Windows or can be at least run by a Windows machine?

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  • So just to confirm you are looking to confirm it’s possible to install Windows through PXE? It is indeed possible
    – Ramhound
    Commented Nov 24, 2020 at 0:39
  • That's right. Not just boot Windows but install it to a drive so it can boot independently in the future.
    – Christian
    Commented Nov 24, 2020 at 0:40
  • I have seen that article and was apprehensive due to it mentioning Windows 10 Enterprise in the first few lines. I am not installing Enterprise edition but rather Pro.
    – Christian
    Commented Nov 24, 2020 at 0:46
  • Any answers to that concern?
    – Christian
    Commented Nov 24, 2020 at 1:12
  • @Christian Booting WinPE on a machine via PXE is separate from Automating Windows Setup or configuring an LTI/ZTI [Lite/Zero Touch Install]. It is possible to configure an LTI/ZTI that upon loading the WinPE boot.wim via PXE and booting it, it auto deploys Windows on the machine with no user interaction required. I cover Automating Windows Setup via a ZTI here
    – JW0914
    Commented Jul 4 at 18:31

2 Answers 2

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The Microsoft supported way is to run Windows Server and WDS.

All versions and editions of Windows can be installed this way, most even supported by Microsoft, and often used in PC manufacture.

I would use iPXEs wimboot You can find a guide on how to run winpe

The basic steps is to start the normal setup environment, which requires boot.wim from the installation media. Then before starting the actual setup, open cmd (Shfit+F10) and mount the installation share with net use ... and then run the setup from that share.

If the PXE setup itself is the issue, and you only want to run Windows software then we are back to Server again, An intersting read even if you are not using iPXE is this MS DHCP howto

You also mention running Windows directly, then iSCSI over PXE is possible, but that has the possibility of getting you in to a deep hole, just say that it is possible, but maybe not worth it.

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  • WDS with MDT(or SCCM)
    – Danijel
    Commented Mar 5 at 5:51
  • @Danijel MDT/SCCM/MEM/Intune isn't required - all that's needed is to serve the WinPE boot.wim to the machine via PXE over HTTP, TFTP, or another supported protocol for booting the machine. MDT/SCCM/MEM/Intune would only be needed if doing a highly customized LTI/ZTI [Lite/Zero Touch Install] or customized mass deployments.
    – JW0914
    Commented Jul 3 at 16:44
  • Actual implementation of what I suggested at github.com/NiKiZe/wimboot-install/tree/main/win10
    – NiKiZe
    Commented Jul 4 at 7:54
  • @JW0914, yes, but explaining to him how to manually edit boot image is, complicated to say the least. Since he was "searching" wds and mdt seemed like fast and easy(er) way to do it, and handle it in a long run. That said, without TFTP there wont be any PXE deployment ;)
    – Danijel
    Commented Jul 4 at 13:47
  • @Danijel All of this is separate from deploying Windows via PXE, which is simply loading the WinPE boot.wim and booting it. MDT is only needed when configuring a Task Sequence (example of one I created a while back for my laptop) - automating Windows setup is done via an answer file, which can further be customized via an LTI/ZTI, and further customized still via a Task Sequence, which is highly customized, taking a significant amount of time to configure and test. I cover Automating Windows Setup via a ZTI here
    – JW0914
    Commented Jul 4 at 18:23
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You can do that with Serva (automated PXE server).

https://www.vercot.com/~serva/an/WindowsPXE1.html

https://www.vercot.com/~serva/an/WindowsPXE2.html#unattended

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