Adding Windows Operating System Images

This chapter contains the following sections:

Windows Operating Systems Images for Cisco UCS Director Baremetal Agent

After installing and adding Baremetal Agent to UCS Director, and running inventory, UCS Director shows as if Windows images are added by default. But no Windows images are added. Install Windows images manually, as discussed in the "Adding Windows Operating System Images" appendix.

Cisco UCS Director Baremetal Agent (Baremetal Agent) supports the following Windows operating system (OS) images and the automated creation of their required answer files:

  • Windows Server 2008 R2 x64

  • Windows Server 2012 x64

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 x64

You can set up all three OS images in Baremetal Agent. However, a single Baremetal Agent cannot simultaneously provision more than one version of the Windows OS. For example, you can use a single Baremetal Agent to simultaneously provision several servers with Windows Server 2012 R2, but you cannot use the same Baremetal Agent to simultaneously provision both Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012 R2.

You can use the same answer file for local boot and SAN boot.

The steps for setting up a Windows OS image depend upon the operating system. Make sure you use the appropriate procedure for the OS image that you are setting up.

Guidelines and Limitations for Windows Operating System Images

Consider the following guidelines and limitations when you set up Windows Server OS images for provisioning:

Follow a Strict Naming Convention

You must follow a strict naming convention when you configure the files for Windows OS images. The paths and file names are case sensitive.


Note

Mistakes in naming will require you to modify the names throughout the Baremetal Agent data infrastructure.

Ensure That File Names, Drive Letters, and Other Information Match in All Files

If you use the automatically generated answer file, Baremetal Agent ensures that the file names, drive letters and other information match.

However, if you manually edit the answer file, you must ensure that the drive letter in the WinPE.wim matches the drive letter provided in the answer file. With this configuration you are defining WinPE.wim such that it installs Windows from a particular location by using an answer file setup option. The static names, paths, IP addresses, drive letters, answer file name, and user name credentials must be correct.

File and folder names are case sensitive: WinPE.wim names must exactly match entries in the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store.

Use Single Path Workflow for SAN Boot


Note

Because the Windows installation does not support multi-path SAN boot, you must use the single path workflow to achieve SAN boot.

Determining the Windows OS Flavor Name

The flavor name is required for successful PXE boot of a Windows Server image. You must enter the exact character string used by Windows PE (WinPE). This string is case sensitive. The OS flavor name follows a consistent naming convention. Some examples of OS flavor names are as follows: 

Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARD
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERENTERPRISE
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERENTERPRISECORE
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERDATACENTER
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERDATACENTERCORE
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERWEB
Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERWEBCORE
Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARD
Windows Server 2012 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARD
Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERDATACENTER
Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERDATACENTERCORE
Procedure
    Step 1   Navigate to the extracted ISO files for the Windows OS image.
    Step 2   For a Windows 2012 R2 image, navigate to C:\win2k12r2\sources\install.wim and use a PowerShell cmdlet to find the flavor name.

    An example of the use of this cmdlet is as follows: 

     
PS C:\Windows\system32> Get-WindowsImage -ImagePath 
C:\win2k12r2\sources\install.wim
Index       : 1
Name        : Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Description : Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Size        : 6,653,342,051 bytes
Index       : 2
Name        : Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARD
Description : Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERSTANDARD
Size        : 11,807,528,410 bytes
Index       : 3
Name        : Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERDATACENTERCORE
Description : Windows Server 2012 R2 SERVERDATACENTERCORE
Size        : 6,653,031,430 bytes
<etcetera>
    Step 3   For a Windows 2008 image, use the DISM.EXE syntax from the machine on which you installed the WAIK tools.

    An example of the use of this syntax is as follows: 

     
C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools\>dism 
/get-wiminfo /wimfile:e:\\Win2k8r2x64\sources\install.wim
Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool
Version: 6.1.7600.16385
Details for image : e:\Username_Windowsbits\Win2k8r2x64\sources\install.wim
Index : 1
Name : Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARD
Description : Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARD
Size : 10,510,503,883 bytes
Index : 2
Name : Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Description : Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE
Size : 3,563,695,852 bytes
<etcetera>

    Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Operating System Images

    The Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 OS (Windows 2008 OS) supports PXE boot and installation operations. You can use this OS image in baremetal provisioning workflows.

    Prerequisites for Setting Up Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Operating System Images

    To install and set up the environment and files that are required for the setup of Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 OS images, you must first download the following:


    Note

    You do not need to manually create a Windows answer file when setting up Windows OS images. Baremetal Agent builds the Windows answer file necessary to support your PXE Boot request, based on the information you provide when you create the PXE boot request.

    Before you can install the Windows 2008 operating system image in the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory of the Baremetal Agent VM, you must install and set up the following prerequisites:

    • A customized Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE)

    • Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file

    • Windows installation files (the files extracted from the ISO)


    Tip

    We recommend that you use the ISO download file, which contains all editions, including Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, and Web. You can typically remove all editions except for Standard and Datacenter.

    After the system image is in place, you must do the following:

    • Set up WinPE and copy the supporting files to the Network Service Agent server for the PXE boot.

    • Copy the Windows installation files to the server path.

    Creating a Customized WinPE

    You need to create and customize the Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) for Windows 2008 R2 x64. The initial WinPE includes the minimum boot image necessary to load kernel and default device drivers supported by the Windows OS. Most servers require additional drivers, such as storage controller drivers that enable Windows to detect disks during installation. You must add these drivers into WinPE.wim.

    You use Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM.exe), which is installed with WAIK tools, to add the drivers to WinPE. Make sure that you download the required drivers before you execute the associated DISM commands.

    Important:

    The following procedure includes sample data that is for reference only. The sample data might not work in your applications. For information about adding drivers to WinPE through DISM.exe, see the documentation provided by Microsoft.

    Before You Begin

    Complete the prerequisites listed in Prerequisites for Setting Up Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 Operating System Images.

    Download the following:

    • Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) specifically for Windows 2008 R2 x64.

    • Required drivers, to be added to WinPE.wim.

    Procedure
      Step 1   Add the drivers from their folder locations to the WinPE image.

      Use the following DISM.exe command when you know the paths to the drivers that you want to add. 

       
DISM.exe /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win2k8r2x64\WinPE.wim /index:1/mountdir:c:\win2k8r2x64\mount
DISM.exe /image:c:\win2k8r2x64\mount /Add-Driver /driver:C:\test\drivers\1.inf
/driver:C:\test\drivers\2.inf /driver:C:\test\drivers\3.inf

      Use the following DISM.exe command when you do not know the paths to the drivers that you want to add and need to query all subfolders. 

       
DISM.exe /image:c:\win2k8r2x64\mount /Add-Driver /driver:C:\test\drivers
/Recurse
      Step 2   Unmount the image and commit the changes. 
       
DISM.exe /unmount-wim /mountdir:c:\win2k8r2x64\mount /commit

      When all of the drivers have been added, the image is ready.

      What to Do Next

      Create a Boot Configuration Data (BCD) store to hold the boot configuration parameters.

      Creating a Boot Configuration Data File

      The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file contains the boot configuration parameters. It controls how the operating system is started in Windows and is used to load the base kernel (WinPE.wim) from the PXE server. You do not need to create a BCD file. Baremetal Agent provides a BCD file with default paths that you can use. The BCD file can be used by any Windows OS version, if you have not changed the basic settings.

      By default, the BCD file points to the /Boot/WinPE.wim and boot.sdi files. These filenames are case sensitive.


      Note

      We recommend that you use a set of standard names for Baremetal Agent configuration purposes. The folder name should be Boot. The winpe file name should be WinPE.wim. Use corresponding filenames such as boot.sdi. The created BCD file should be in uppercase, and this file will not have any file extension. Baremetal Agent delivers the BCD file to /opt/cnsaroot/Boot, which contains a default path pointing to /opt/cnsaroot/Boot/WinPE.wim.

      Procedure
        Step 1   Navigate to the directory that contains the bcdedit.exe command and run the following sequence of commands to create the BCD file.

        The bcdedit.exe command is commonly available in the Windows operating systems root directory: c:\windows\system32.

        Step 2   bcdedit.exe /createstore BCD
        Step 3   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create {ramdiskoptions} /d "Ramdisk options"
        Step 4   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdidevice boot
        Step 5   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdipath \Boot\boot.sdi
        Step 6   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create /d "My WinPE Boot Image" /application osloader

        At this point, the GUID is displayed. Replace {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} in the following steps with the GUID from your system.

        Step 7   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} systemroot \Windows
        Step 8   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} detecthal Yes
        Step 9   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} winpe Yes
        Step 10   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} osdevice ramdisk=[boot]\Boot\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
        Step 11   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} device ramdisk=[boot]\Boot\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
        Step 12   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create {bootmgr} /d "Windows 2008r2 BootManager"
        Step 13   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {bootmgr} timeout 30
        Step 14   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /displayorder {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7}
        Step 15   Use the following command to verify that the configuration names are correct: bcdedit.exe /store BCD /enum all
        What to Do Next

        Verify that you have the correct download version of the Windows installation files extracted from the ISO version.

        Verifying the Version of the Windows Installation Files

        You use the Windows 2008 ISO version of the Windows installation files to set up the answer file template. This version of the Windows installation files supports all editions of Windows 2008 OS. Otherwise, you have to use the Windows AIK tools to create the entire answer file, which is a more complicated and labor-intensive task.

        Before You Begin

        Install the ISO version of Windows 2008 R2 OS.

        Procedure
        Verify that you have the correct (ISO) version of Windows installation files by making sure the following .CLG files are present in the SOURCE folder after you have extracted the ISO version:

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERDATACENTER.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERDATACENTERCORE.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERENTERPRISE.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERENTERPRISECORE.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARD.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERSTANDARDCORE.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERDATAWEB.clg

        • install_Windows Server 2008 R2 SERVERDATAWEBCORE.clg


        What to Do Next

        If the WinPE.wim file does not point to the Baremetal Agent IP address in the startnet.cmd file, then you must edit the WinPE.wim file as described in Customizing and Copying the WinPE.wim and PXE Boot Files.

        Customizing and Copying the WinPE.wim and PXE Boot Files

        Procedure
          Step 1   Mount WinPE.wim to a folder.
          Step 2   Edit WinPE.wim so that it includes the correct Baremetal Agent IP address.

          See the following example. Your filenames may differ. 

           
DISM.exe /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win2k8r2x64\WinPE.wim /index:1
/mountdir:c:\win2k8r2x64\mount
          Step 3   In WinPE.wim, add the required PowerShell packages and edit the paths in each command with the correct mount point and ADK installation path for your environment.
          Note   

          The Powershell package files shown below are provided for your reference only. The PowerShell packages and file names that you need to add to WinPE.wim are dependent upon the version of Windows and WinPE.wim.To determine which PowerShell packages you need to add, see the compliance report on the Microsoft website. For information about the commands to add the necessary packages for PowerShell, see the WinPE: Adding PowerShell support to Windows PE Technet Page. 

          Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-WMI.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-WMI_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-NetFX.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-NetFX_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-Scripting.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-Scripting_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-PowerShell.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-PowerShell_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-StorageWMI.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-StorageWMI_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-DismCmdlets.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k8r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-DismCmdlets_en-us.cab"
          Step 4   Navigate to the mount folder (c:\win2k8r2x64\mount in the code example above) and verify that you can see the data inside the mount folder.
          Step 5   Navigate to \windows\system32 in the mount folder and do the following:
          1. Edit startnet.cmd.
          2. Paste the following entries into the file in the order shown, to update the IP address and other details as required for your environment: 
          wpeinit
wpeutil.exe InitializeNetwork
wpeutil.exe disablefirewall
ECHO OFF
net use R: \\Baremetal_Agent_PXE_IP_Address\bits /user:user_id password
ECHO ON
R:
@echo
Powershell.exe -NonInteractive -NoLogo -ExecutionPolicy bypass -command R:\enroute.ps1
          Note   

          • Use the drvload command when a driver has failed to be installed. For example, include the following line in the startnet.cmd file to install a fnic driver: 

            drvload <ipaddress of share>:\\<the_fnic.inf>

            Use the drvload command only when you face issues in installing drivers. Otherwise, follow the standard process to inject a driver to WinPE.

          • Make sure that you modify the IP address in all the entries so that they point to the Baremetal Agent IP address.

          • All drive letter references (such as the reference to an R: drive) must match in both the startnet.cmd file and the Windows answer file. By default, Baremetal Agent comes with an R: drive letter assignment.

          Step 6   Save the startnet.cmd file.
          Step 7   Copy all files that support the PXE boot from the mount folder to the Baremetal Agent VM, as follows:
          1. Copy all files from Windows\Boot\PXE to the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM and rename pxeboot.n12 to startrom.0.
          2. Copy the BCD file that you created earlier to the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
          3. Copy only the folders from Windows\Boot\EFI to the opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM .
          4. Copy wgl4_boot.ttf from Windows\Boot\Fonts to the /Boot/Fonts/ directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
          5. Copy boot.sdi to the /Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
          6. Copy the renamed startrom.0 and bootmgr.exe to the opt/cnsaroot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
          Step 8   After you have confirmed that the startnet.cmd is updated correctly, unmount WinPE.wim with the DISM Unmount command and use the /commit option to save the modified startnet.cmd file. 
           
DISM.exe /Unmount-Wim /Mountdir:c:\win2k8r2x64\mount /commit
          Caution   

          Do not leave any files open that are located in the mounted directory when you unmount WinPE.wim. If you have any files open, the unmount process might fail.

          Step 9   Copy WinPE.wim to the opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
          What to Do Next

          Copy the Windows installation files to the server folder path.

          Copying the Windows Installation Files to the Server Folder Path

          Before You Begin

          You must have the following in place:

          • Customized WinPE.wim and PXE boot files in the opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.

          • Configured BCD file in the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.

          • Windows installation files (ISO version)

          • The setup.exe file from the extracted ISO in the /samba/Win2k8R2x64 folder.

          • Baremetal Agent directories, completed .cfg files and a .remap file.

          Procedure
            Step 1   Extract the downloaded ISO that you obtained and validated.
            Step 2   Copy the folders and files from the downloaded ISO to the /samba/Win2k8R2x64 directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
            Note   

            Do not change the folder paths, filenames, or folder names.

            Step 3   Open the /samba/notifications/notify.ps1 file and verify that the IP address in that file matches the PXE IP address of Baremetal Agent.

            Windows Server 2012 x64 and 2012 R2 x64 Operating System Images

            Cisco UCS Director Baremetal Agent (Baremetal Agent) supports PXE boot and installation operations for Windows 2012 x64 OS or 2012 R2 x64 OS images and PXE boot tasks used in baremetal provisioning workflows.

            Note

            If you need to support both Windows 2012 and 2012 R2, you must perform the image setup process twice, once for each OS. Although it is possible to set up a single WinPE file that supports multiple Windows OS versions, we recommend that you set up a separate WinPE file for each OS.

            Prerequisites for Setting Up Windows Server 2012 x64 and 2012 R2 x64 Operating System Images

            Before you can install a Windows 2012 or 2012 R2 OS image in the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory of the Baremetal Agent VM, you must install and set up the following prerequisites:

            • Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK, version 8.0 or later recommended, depending on the Windows version compatibilities with respect to the WinPE.wim file)

            • A customized Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE.wim) and PXE supporting files

            • Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file

            • Windows installation files (the files extracted from the ISO)


            Note

            You do not need to manually create a Windows answer file when setting up Windows OS images. Baremetal Agent builds the Windows answer file necessary to support your PXE Boot request, based on the information you provide when you create the PXE boot request.

            To install and set up the images, you will first need to download the following:


            Tip

            We recommend that you use the ISO download file, which contains all editions, including Standard, Enterprise, Datacenter, and Web. You can typically remove all editions except for Standard and Datacenter.

            After the system image is in place, you must perform additional procedures:

            • Set up WinPE and copy the supporting files to the Network Service Agent server for the PXE boot.

            • Copy the Windows installation files to the server path.

            Creating a Custom WinPE and Copying the PXE Supported Files for Windows 2012


            Note

            The /opt/cnsaroot/Boot folder is static, and each Baremetal Agent can have only one boot folder.

            Before You Begin

            Complete the prerequisites listed in Prerequisites for Setting Up Windows Server 2012 x64 and 2012 R2 x64 Operating System Images.

            Procedure
              Step 1   Download an ADK version that supports Windows 2012 and install it on a Windows 2012 machine.
              Note   

              When you specify the features to include in the download, you must include the Windows PE and Deployment Tools.

              Step 2   Navigate to the Windows Pre-installation Environment folder in the ADK tools and execute copype.cmd to create the files that WinPE requires. 
               
Copype.cmd amd64 C:\WinPE_amd64

              The target directory contains the WinPE.wim file. The latest ADK versions create a boot.vim file, which needs to be renamed to WinPE.wim.

              Step 3   In the Windows machine that has the ADK tools installed, create a directory. Copy the WinPE.wim file from /opt/cnsaroot/Boot to the directory you have created.
              Step 4   At the command line, navigate to the ADK installed folder.
              Step 5   Add the drivers from their folder locations to the WinPE image.

              Use the following DISM.exe command when you know the paths to the drivers that you want to add. 

              // The DISM.exe command mounts the WinPE to a folder.
// In this example, the c:\win2k12x64 directory and the \mount subdirectory have been created before running the command.
DISM.exe /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win2k12x64\WinPE.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\win2k12x64\mount

// To add individual driver files to WinPE image, use the following format.
DISM.exe /image:c:\win2k12x64\mount /Add-Driver /driver:C:\test\drivers\1.inf /driver:C:\test\drivers\2.inf /driver:C:\test\drivers\3.inf

              Use the following DISM.exe command when you do not know the paths to the drivers that you want to add and need to query all subfolders. 

               // The DISM.exe command mounts the WinPE to a folder.
// In this example, the c:\win2k12x64 directory and the \mount subdirectory have been created before running the command. 
DISM.exe /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win2k12x64\WinPE.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\win2k12x64\mount

// To add individual driver files to WinPE image, use the following format.
DISM.exe /image:c:\win2k12x64\mount /Add-Driver /driver:c:\test\drivers /Recurse
              Step 6   Mount WinPE.wim to a folder.
              Step 7   In WinPE.wim, add the required PowerShell packages and edit the paths in each command with the correct mount point and ADK installation path for your environment.
              Note   

              The PowerShell packages and file names that you need to add to WinPE.wim are dependent upon the version of Windows and WinPE.wim.To determine which PowerShell packages you need to add, see the compliance report on the Microsoft website. For information about the commands to add the necessary packages for PowerShell, see the WinPE: Adding PowerShell support to Windows PE Technet Page. The PowerShell package files shown below are provided for reference and will vary depending on the version of Windows and WinPE.wim. 

              \\ Sample PowerShell package files. 
\\ The PowerShell packages and file names that you need to add to WinPE.wim vary depending on the version of Windows and WinPE.wim.

Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-WMI.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-WMI_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-NetFX.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-NetFX_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-Scripting.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-Scripting_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-PowerShell.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-PowerShell_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-StorageWMI.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-StorageWMI_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-DismCmdlets.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-DismCmdlets_en-us.cab"
              Step 8   Navigate to \windows\system32 in the mount folder. In the startnet.cmd, update the IP address for Baremetal Agent.
              Note   

              • Do not change any information in the startnet.cmd file, except for the Baremetal Agent IP address.

              • Make sure that you modify the IP addresses in all the entries so that they point to the Baremetal Agent IP address.

              • All drive letter references (such as the reference to an R: drive) must match in both the startnet.cmd file and the Windows answer file. By default, Baremetal Agent comes with an R: drive letter assignment.

              Step 9   Unmount the WinPE, commit the changes, and copy the file to the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM. 
              DISM.exe /Unmount-Wim /Mountdir:c:\win2k12x64\mount /commit
              What to Do Next

              Install and set up (as necessary) the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file.

              Creating a Custom WinPE and Copying the PXE Supported Files for Windows 2012 R2

              For Windows Server 2012 R2 x64, Baremetal Agent provides the WinPE and supported PXE files. You need only add any required drivers to the WinPE.wim file, and then edit the WinPE.wim file to change the IP address in the startnet.cmd file to the PXE IP address for your Baremetal Agent.


              Note

              The /opt/cnsaroot/Boot folder is static, and each Baremetal Agent can have only one boot folder.

              Before You Begin

              Complete the prerequisites listed in Prerequisites for Setting Up Windows Server 2012 x64 and 2012 R2 x64 Operating System Images.

              Procedure
                Step 1   Download an ADK version that supports Windows 2012 R2 and install it on a Windows 2012 R2 machine.
                Note   

                When you specify the features to include in the download, you must include the Windows PE and Deployment Tools.

                Step 2   In the Windows machine that has the ADK tools installed, create a directory. Copy the WinPE.wim file from /opt/cnsaroot/Boot to the directory you created.
                Step 3   At the command line, navigate to the ADK installed folder.
                Step 4   Add the drivers from their folder locations to the WinPE image.

                Use the following DISM.exe command when you know the paths to the drivers that you want to add. 

                // The DISM.exe command mounts the WinPE to a folder.
// In this example, the c:\win2k12r2x64 directory and the \mount subdirectory have been created before running the command.
DISM.exe /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win2k12r2x64\WinPE.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\win2k12r2x64\mount

// To add individual driver files to WinPE image, use the following format.
DISM.exe /image:c:\win2k12r2x64\mount /Add-Driver /driver:C:\test\drivers\1.inf /driver:C:\test\drivers\2.inf /driver:C:\test\drivers\3.inf

                Use the following DISM.exe command when you do not know the paths to the drivers that you want to add and need to query all subfolders. 

                 // The DISM.exe command mounts the WinPE to a folder.
// In this example, the c:\win2k12r2x64 directory and the \mount subdirectory have been created before running the command. 
DISM.exe /mount-wim /wimfile:c:\win2k12r2x64\WinPE.wim /index:1 /mountdir:c:\win2k12r2x64\mount

// To add individual driver files to WinPE image, use the following format.
DISM.exe /image:c:\win2k12r2x64\mount /Add-Driver /driver:c:\test\drivers /Recurse
                Step 5   Mount winPE.wim to a folder.
                Step 6   In WinPE.wim, add the required PowerShell packages and edit the paths in each command with the correct mount point and ADK installation path for your environment.
                Note   

                The PowerShell packages and file names that you need to add to WinPE.wim are dependent on the version of Windows and WinPE.wim. To determine which PowerShell packages you need to add, see the compliance report on the Microsoft website. For information about the commands to add the necessary packages for PowerShell, see the WinPE: Adding PowerShell support to Windows PE Technet Page. The PowerShell package files shown below are provided for reference and will vary depending on the version of Windows and WinPE.wim. 

                \\ Sample PowerShell package files. 
\\ The PowerShell packages and file names that you need to add to WinPE.wim vary depending on the version of Windows and WinPE.wim.
  
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-WMI.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-WMI_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-NetFX.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-NetFX_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-Scripting.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-Scripting_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-PowerShell.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-PowerShell_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-StorageWMI.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-StorageWMI_en-us.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\WinPE-DismCmdlets.cab"
 
Dism /Add-Package /Image:"C:\win2k12r2x64\mount" /PackagePath:"C:\Program Files\Windows Kits\8.1\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\WinPE_OCs\en-us\WinPE-DismCmdlets_en-us.cab"
                Step 7   Navigate to \windows\system32 in the mount folder. In the startnet.cmd, update the IP address for Baremetal Agent.
                Note   

                • Do not change any information in the startnet.cmd file, except the IP address for Baremetal Agent.

                • Make sure that you modify the IP address in all the entries so that they point to the Baremetal Agent IP address.

                • All drive letter references (such as the reference to an R: drive) must match in both the startnet.cmd file and the Windows answer file. By default, Baremetal Agent comes with an R: drive letter assignment.

                Step 8   Unmount the WinPE, commit the changes, and copy the file to the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM. 
                DISM.exe /Unmount-Wim /Mountdir:c:\win2k12r2x64\mount /commit
                What to Do Next

                Install and set up (as necessary) the Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file.

                Installing and Setting Up the Boot Configuration Data File

                The Boot Configuration Data (BCD) file contains the boot configuration parameters. It controls how the operating system is started in Windows and is used to load the base kernel (WinPE.wim) from the PXE server. You do not need to create a BCD file. Baremetal Agent provides a BCD file with default paths that you can use.

                By default, the BCD file points to the /Boot/WinPE.wim and boot.sdi files. These filenames are case sensitive.


                Note

                We recommend that you use a set of standard names for Baremetal Agent configuration purposes. The folder name should be Boot. The winpe file name should be WinPE.wim. Use corresponding filenames such as boot.sdi. The created BCD file should be in uppercase, and this file will not have any file extension. Baremetal Agent delivers the BCD file to /opt/cnsaroot/Boot, which contains a default path pointing to /opt/cnsaroot/Boot/WinPE.wim. This file can be used by any Windows OS version, unless you change the path names.

                The command bcdedit.exe used to create BCD files is commonly available in the Windows operating systems root directory: c:\windows\system32.

                Before You Begin

                Create a custom WinPE and copy the PXE supported files

                Procedure
                  Step 1   Navigate to the directory that contains the bcdedit.exe command and run the following sequence of commands to create the BCD file.

                  The bcdedit.exe command is commonly available in the Windows operating systems root directory: c:\windows\system32.

                  Step 2   bcdedit.exe /createstore BCD
                  Step 3   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create {ramdiskoptions} /d "Ramdisk options"
                  Step 4   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdidevice boot
                  Step 5   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {ramdiskoptions} ramdisksdipath \Boot\boot.sdi
                  Step 6   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create /d "My WinPE Boot Image" /application osloader

                  At this point, the GUID is displayed. Replace {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} in the following steps with the GUID from your system.

                  Step 7   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} systemroot \Windows
                  Step 8   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} detecthal Yes
                  Step 9   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} winpe Yes
                  Step 10   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} osdevice ramdisk=[boot]\Boot\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
                  Step 11   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7} device ramdisk=[boot]\Boot\WinPE.wim,{ramdiskoptions}
                  Step 12   One of the following:
                  • bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create {bootmgr} /d "Windows 2012r2 BootManager"
                  • bcdedit.exe /store BCD /create {bootmgr} /d "Windows 2012 BootManager"
                  Step 13   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /set {bootmgr} timeout 30
                  Step 14   bcdedit.exe /store BCD /displayorder {a20f8db8-7459-11e2-8ec3-00155d37efa7}
                  Step 15   Use the following command to verify that the configuration names are correct: bcdedit.exe /store BCD /enum all
                  What to Do Next

                  Copy the Windows installation ISO image to the server folder.

                  Copying the Windows Installation Files to the Server Folder

                  Before You Begin

                  You must have the following in place:

                  • Customized winPE.wim and PXE boot files in the opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.

                  • Configured BCD file in the /opt/cnsaroot/Boot directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.

                  • Windows installation files (ISO version).

                  Procedure
                    Step 1   Extract the downloaded ISO that you obtained and validated.
                    Step 2   Copy the folders and files from the downloaded ISO to the appropriate directory in the Baremetal Agent VM.
                    Windows OS Version Server Path

                    Windows 2012 R2

                    /samba/Win2k12R2x64

                    Windows 2012

                    /samba/Win2k12x64

                    Note   

                    Do not change the folder paths, filenames, or folder names.

                    The following is a sample of the contents of a Win2k12R2x64 folder after the Window installation files have been copied to it: 

                    boot
efi
sources
support
autorun.inf
bootmgr.efi
setup.exe
                    Step 3   Open the /samba/notifications/notify.ps1 file and verify that the IP address matches the PXE IP address of Baremetal Agent.

                    Simultaneous Deployment of Windows Server Operating Systems

                    You can use Baremetal Agent to run parallel workflows and simultaneously deploy Windows server images on multiple baremetal servers.

                    Prerequisites for Simultaneous Deployment

                    To ensure that you can perform simultaneous deployment of Windows Server operating system images, you must perform the appropriate configuration required for the versions of the operating system that are described in the following topics, including:

                    • Adding the PowerShell packages to the WinPE.wim file

                    • Updating startnet.cmd with the IP addresses and other information required for your environment

                    Baremetal Workflows

                    You do not need to make any changes to your existing baremetal provisioning workflows to support simultaneous deployment of Windows server operating systems.

                    A PXE boot task in a workflow can only provision one server with a Windows operating system. You cannot use a single PXE boot task to provision multiple servers, but you can execute PXE boot tasks simultaneously multiple times.

                    Maximum Number of Simultaneous Deployments

                    The maximum number of simultaneous deployments is dependent upon the bandwidth of your TFTP and PXE networks.

                    One Windows Version for Each Baremetal Agent

                    Due to a limitation in the process of the Windows unattended installation, you can only deploy one version of Windows with each Baremetal Agent added to Cisco UCS Director. If you want to deploy a different version of Windows, you must add another Baremetal Agent to Cisco UCS Director.

                    Minimum Supported Level of Baremetal Agent

                    Simultaneous deployment of Windows server operating systems requires a minium of Baremetal Agent, Release 5.4. It is not supported in earlier releases of Baremetal Agent.

                    Files and Folders Used In Simultaneous Deployment

                    The following files and folders are used during simultaneous deployment of Windows operating systems:

                    PXElinux.cfg File

                    The PXElinux.cfg file contains the MAC addresses for each of the servers and points to the WinPE.wim file.

                    Samba Folder

                    The /samba folder contains a folder for each of the following items. Additional information about the script and folder is provided below.

                    • Windows images to be deployed on the baremetal servers

                    • EnRoute.ps1 script

                    • as-repository folder

                    AS-Repository Folder

                    The /samba/as-repository folder contains a folder for each MAC address of the servers for which a Windows operating is to be deployed. The PXE boot task creates and stores a separate Windows answer file for each of these servers in the appropriate MAC address folder. This folder might not be created until after the first PXE boot workflow is run.

                    EnRoute.ps1 Script

                    The EnRoute.ps1 script determines which Windows answer file in the as-repository folder belongs to the server that is being provisioned. If desired, you can customize this script. However, when you add the Baremetal Agent to Cisco UCS Director, the script in the as-repository folder will revert to the default script without the customizations.


                    Note

                    By default, the EnRoute.ps1 script is hardcoded with the Windows Server 2012 R2 operating system. To deploy a different supported Windows Server operating system, replace the default value of $OsPath="R:\Win2k12R2x64\" with one of the following values:

                    • For Windows Server 2012: $OsPath="R:\Win2k12x64\"

                    • For Windows Server 2008 R2: $OsPath="R:\Win2k8R2x64\"

                    Windows Answer File

                    The Windows answer file contains settings and values that are used during the deployment of a Windows operating system. This answer file is typically named unattend.xml. During simultaneous deployment, a separate Windows answer file is created in each MAC address folder and then sent to the server to be used during the Windows operating system setup.

                    When the installation is successfully completed, the name of the answer file is changed to include "Completed."

                    For more information, see the Microsoft TechNet article on Understanding Answer Files.

                    Example: Simultaneous Deployment of Windows Server Operating Systems

                    This example describes what actions Baremetal Agent performs when you execute two workflows at the same time, with each workflow designed to provision a baremetal server with a Windows operating system. The illustrations below describe how server 1 and server 2 are provisioned when the PXE tasks in the workflows are executed.

                    Figure 1. Server 1 Provisioning



                    When the PXE boot task is executed in the workflow that provisions Server 1, the steps shown in the above illustration occur:

                    Step

                    Action

                    1

                    Server 1 boots up. The WinPE.wim file, together with its PowerShell packages and Startnet.cmd, is copied to the server.

                    2

                    The Startnet.cmd calls the EnRoute.ps1 script from the /samba folder on the Baremetal Agent VM.

                    A folder is created under /samba/as-repository/ with MAC address of Server 1 as its name, for example, /samba/as-repository/MAC 1, and a Windows answer file is placed into that folder.

                    3

                    The EnRoute.ps1 script compares the MAC address on Server 1 with the MAC address folders available in the /samba/as-repository folder and finds the Windows answer file for Server 1 in the /samba/as-repository/MAC 1 folder.

                    4

                    Using the Windows answer file, the appropriate Windows operating system (shown as Windows installation files) is installed on Server 1.

                    When the installation is successfully completed, the name of the answer file is changed to include "Completed."

                    Figure 2. Server 2 Provisioning



                    At the same time as Server 1 is being provisioned, when the PXE boot task is executed in the workflow that provisions Server 2, the steps shown in the above illustration occur:

                    Step

                    Action

                    5

                    Server 2 boots up. The WinPE.wim file, together with its PowerShell packages and Startnet.cmd, is copied to the server.

                    The Startnet.cmd calls the EnRoute.ps1 script from the /samba folder on the Baremetal Agent VM.

                    A folder is created under /samba/as-repository/ with MAC address of Server 2 as its name, for example, /samba/as-repository/MAC 2, and a Windows answer file is placed into that folder.

                    6

                    The EnRoute.ps1 script compares the MAC address on Server 2 with the MAC address folders available in the /samba/as-repository folder and finds the Windows answer file for Server 2 in the /samba/as-repository/MAC 2 folder.

                    7

                    Using the Windows answer file, the appropriate Windows operating system (shown as Windows installation files) is installed on Server 2.

                    When the installation is successfully completed, the name of the answer file is changed to include "Completed."