Hi guys, here is another step-by-step tutorial with a video on how to Configure Windows Deployment Service on Windows Server 2012.

Windows deployment services is a Microsoft Server service which provides minimum administrative effort preparing Computers in your domain/Network for use.

In this tutorial we would be configuring WDS on our Server called DC1 which is also the domain controller of contoso.com.

Roles required before configuring WDS are; ADDS, DNS, DHCP
So since DC1 is already our domain controller, we have ADDS and DNS already installed. we just need to add DHCP and WDS.

Follow  the steps below

Step 1 –  Add DHCP and WDS role from the ‘add roles’ intall menu

• Go to the Server Manager
• Select both roles, then click ‘next’ all-through till you get to Role services and thick ‘Deployment Server’ and ‘Transport’, then click finish.

Step 2 – After installing the roles. First, switch to the DHCP Console for its configuration

• There would be a notification at the right top which calls for DHCP role completion. Click it
• For ‘next’, then ‘commit’

Step 3 – Add a DHCP scope with its appropriate IP Addresses

• Open the DHCP console from the Tools menu at the right-top of the server manager
• After the window opens, on the left pane, go for the server name, right-click and go for new scope
• A new dialog box opens up, go for new scope, specify its name and description and click ‘next’

• Enter the range of IP address you prefer, precisely the class you use on your network e.g from 192.168.0.10 to 192.168.0.40
• Just Click ‘next’ all through, check activate scope and click ‘finish’ to end configuration

Step 5 –  Now switch to the WDS Console to configure it

• Open the WDS console from the Tools menu on the right-top of the server manager window
• On the left pane, go for the server domain name e.g. DC1.contoso.com, and right-click and go for configure server
• The dialog box for configuration opens up.
• Go for ‘next’ all though when you get a System volume Warning, go for ‘Yes’
• Go for ‘next’ all through, when you get to PXE Server initial settings, go for ‘Respond to all client computers known and unknown

NOTE: we selected this for practical purpose, on the field you should probably go for ‘respond on to know computers’

• Go for next and then ‘finish’

Step 6 – Now we need to feed the ‘Install Images’ and the ‘Boot Images’ as you now see on the left pane.

• Insert your Windows 8 DVD or make the image available in ISO or a folder.
• Now right click on the Install Images, go for add, now browse for the file from your DVD.
• e.g. E:\Sources\Install.wim
• Now go for next, thick the editions you need out of the images or select all of needed.
• Go for next and finish to add the image

• We need to right click on the Boot Images, go for add, now browse for the file from your DVD.
• e.g. E:\Sources\boot.wim
• Go for next and finish to add the image
• Now right-click on your Server domain name e.g. DC1.contoso.com, go for all taskand select ‘Start’ to start the service

Now just go to your client PC and set it the boot sequence to Network PXE boot, so it can lnstall the OS from the network.
We are done 🙂
If it worked please comment and Subscribe 🙂

See the Video Tutorial below; if your are not comfortable with the steps above.

Read also Configuring File screening on Windows Server 2012 R2

Watch WDS video