Installing XP from network share problem

snagrat · 13 Oct 2007 at 09:35

HI All. I have a tablet PC which came with Vista and the client wants XP on it so I am downgrading it however having lots of problems.

First of al there is no CDROM so can't do it the normal way. Have tried a USB CDROM drive but I get BSOD after the files are copied in dos.

So I thought I'd try and install from a network share. I have built disk that seems to run fine but when I type net use x: \\server\share I get the following error:

Error 53: The computer name specified in the network path cannot be located.

Has anyone here installed XP this way before? Any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong? The server is 2k3 SP2 running DHCP/DNS/WINS/TCPIP/IPX

Any help would be great as I am at loose ends now

swinnie · 13 Oct 2007 at 09:56

its not in a workgroup/domain is it?

snagrat · 13 Oct 2007 at 10:08

swinnie said:
its not in a workgroup/domain is it?

The server is a domain controller but the client isn't everything yet

oddjob62 · 13 Oct 2007 at 10:48

Do a read up on RIS, makes network installs a walk in the park.

swinnie · 13 Oct 2007 at 10:52

Surely the tablet needs to have access to the domain??

waso_dude · 13 Oct 2007 at 11:05

swinnie said:
Surely the tablet needs to have access to the domain??

It doesn't need that to install

First of mate, you need RIS and SMS setup on the 2003 server, and then pxe booting enabled on the client comp.

snagrat · 13 Oct 2007 at 11:12

waso_dude said:
It doesn't need that to install

First of mate, you need RIS and SMS setup on the 2003 server, and then pxe booting enabled on the client comp.

Have looked at RIS before but had problem when the network adaptor and hard drive drivers were not standard in windows. Had to do lots of changes but still kept on blue screening. Will look again though.

Why do I need SMS? RIS will work on its own won't it.

Only really I'm doing it over the network now is because I need it working for monday :eek:

m_cozzy · 14 Oct 2007 at 09:29

When you use your boot disk have you tried \\ip address rather than \\server name incase name resolution is not working? Can you ping the tablet? it may be it has odd drivers that are not on your boot disk so will not be able to see the network anyway.
Agreed about ris, great when it just works but for just trying to get one machine built its a big time investment.

snagrat · 14 Oct 2007 at 13:44

Have got RIS working fine now but I didn't mention that I am actually installing Tablet edition 2005 and didn't realise it was a different XP code for volume license customers.

Need to get a key now before I can get it working

IAmATeaf · 14 Oct 2007 at 15:48

Your original problem re: computer name specified is simply cause your DOS boot disk is unable to resolve the computername to an IP address. Find and locate a file on the boot disk called LMHOSTS and add an ip/servername entry there, reboot and it should then find the server/share.

snagrat · 14 Oct 2007 at 15:58

IAmATeaf said:
Your original problem re: computer name specified is simply cause your DOS boot disk is unable to resolve the computername to an IP address. Find and locate a file on the boot disk called LMHOSTS and add an ip/servername entry there, reboot and it should then find the server/share.

But I am unable to net use \\ipaddress\share so that won't help will it?