Booting a computer through LAN is totally based on IP (Internet Protocol), UDP (User Datagram Protocol), DHCP (Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol) and TFTP (Trivial File Transfer Protocol). It requires two computers: LAN boot server and client. For LAN Bppting you can use the CCBoot support. The CCBoot support and install windows xp and its upgraded Windows OS variants over the LAN and install them over the network.
Steps of Boot a Computer through LAN
For LAN Booting Solution you have to need follow the bellow -
Power on the system
Load BIOS,
PXE stack built-in the NIC (Network Information Center),
Download NBP (Network Boot Program) from server to client’s RAM by TFTP,
NBP’s responsibility to perform the next step (a.k.a. 2nd stage boot).
And by the Help of CCBoot to Build a LAN Boot Server-
Install the LAN Boot Server with CCBoot – An All-in-one LAN Boot Software – Now Download the LAN boot software – CCBoot server installation package from here!. Now you have to Launch the CCBootsetup.exe on the LAN boot server and keep pressing the next button at the end.
Note : Please shut down the other DHCP services on the LAN, especially the DHCP service in the router. Launch CCBoot and you will get the main interface as bellows :
Now you have to Initialize The LAN Boot Server
Demo Environment
Server IP: 192.168.1.10
Gateway : 192.168.1.1
DNS Address : 192.168.1.1
IP Mask : 255.255.255.0
DHCP Range : 192.168.1.101-192.168.1.254
Now Launch the LAN boot software by following these steps – CCBoot, menu “Options”->”Options Wizard” and configure step by step as bellow:
After that you had to select a correct local IP address as “DHCP Server IP”. And then Press “Scan DHCP” to check if there are other DHCP services on the LAN. If it is wrong, then you have to check again.
Now you have to set “Server IP Address“. Normally, it’s the same as “DHCP Server IP”. And also set the “Write-back File Path” and “Image Save Path” as you want. “Write-back File Path” is used to store the LAN booted clients’ write-back data. You would better use a big volume hard disk as “Write-back File Path“. This disk should be formatted as NTFS and 64K bytes per cluster. The”Image Save Path” is used mainly to store the images for LAN booting. This disk should be also formatted as NTFS and 64K bytes per cluster.
Keep default values in “Server Cache Settings”. Always Keep the default values in “Other Settings”. And Press the “Finish” button and confirm the popup dialog box.
Create Image for LAN Boot Windows Operating System (Here we use the Microsoft Windows XP)
To boot Windows XP with the LAN boot software – CCBoot, you first of all need to create a system image and here’re the steps -
First of all you has to choose one client PC as a master PC, which is used to create a LAN boot image. And Attach a hard disk on the PC.
After that you have to delete all partitions first. Install Windows XP and the latest SP into this partition.
After complete Windows installation, now you has to open the local area connection network properties and configure as bellow:Click “Properties”
Now”Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)” and click “Properties“.
Select “Obtain an IP address automatically” and “Obtain DNS server address automatically”, then click “OK” to save.
On the CCBoot LAN boot server, you will find a client in the client list that was added by CCBoot automatically when the client PC got IP address from the CCBoot DHCP service.
Now you have to Double click the client to edit and check both “Enable Upload Image” and “Keep Write-back File“, when press “Save” button it will be ask from you “Are you sure to delete write-back file? ” Just press “No“.
After that you have downloaded CCBoot client installation package from here! And then launch the ccbootsetupclient.exe and keep pressing the next button at the end. Then launch CCBoot client and you will see the main interface as bellows:-
After reboot, launch CCBootClient again, input the correct “Server IP address“, it should be the IP address of the PC on which CCBoot server has been located. The input image file name as you want in the “Image File Name“. After that you have to Press the “Upload Image” button to upload the image to the CCBoot server. Then CCBoot will be creating an image in the server “Image Save Path“.Note: CCBoot has supported the two type image file format. First is the VMDK if you are using Windows 2003 as CCBoot server system. And It will support both VMDK and VHD if you are using Windows 7 or upgraded versions.
LAN Boot Windows XP over Network
On CCBoot LAN boot server, double click PC101 in the master PC’s properties dialog box, uncheck “Enable Upload Image” and “Keep Write-back File“.
Now removes the HDD from the master PC, set it firstly boot from network (or LAN, PXE ROM, or any other similar settings) in BIOS settings by which it will start LAN booting Windows XP.
Then first time LAN boot Windows XP on the master PC, you can modify its computer name
Set the computer name according to your choice then press enter key to boot it over the network
On CCBoot server, “Options” -> “Settings” -> “Default Client Settings” -> “Disk Group” -> press the “>>” button, select “XP01.vmdk” as the default boot image in “System Image Selection” section.
Do the same as Step 2 and Step 3 for other client PCs with the same specifications as the master PC to implement LAN boot resolution for them.