Booting Windows from a network

[jtr1962]

As some of you may know from the tech support forum I recently set up a small LAN. After playing around a bit and searching I was able to create a boot disk (Bart's network boot disk) that lets me boot into DOS and maps the drives from a remote machine to another drive letter. Theoretically, this will let me run a DOS machine without a hard drive.

I want to know if it would be possible to boot into Win98SE via a network. My goal here is to get rid of the hard drive in the machine I use in my workroom for repairing taximcam controllers. Basically, I want to be able to run everything off the machine in my bedroom after booting from a CD which will contain whatever is needed to connect to the network and load Windows. I can't use Linux-based programs since the Taxicam repair software works under Windows only. Is what I want to do at all possible?

 

[Corvair]

What's a Taximcam Controller?

 

[jtr1962]

The box that stores the pictures taken by a small camera in a taxi. Here is a picture and description. Here is the web site of the company I repair them for.

 

[jtr1962]

I found further information at the website of the company that makes them.

 

[The JoJo]

They are talking about you:

"We have excellent trained technicians ready to meet your demands."

:wink:

Interesting, thanks for the links!

 

[miksmi]

I want to know if it would be possible to boot into Win98SE via a network.

Bart's boot disk ROCKS!

I may have some info that helps:

c't 11/99, page 206 - Booting Windows From CD-ROM
by Tobias Remberg, Hajo Schulz

It's been a while since I configured Bart's boot disk but there may be a way to load a .iso after loading DOS and network drivers. If so, copy the .iso to a DOS-addressable network share, boot Bart's CD, and load the .iso. All theory, I haven't tried it.

Apologies for my tardiness.

 

[jtr1962]

Thanks for the info, miksmi, and welcome to StorageForum! 8)

I'm thinking along the lines of booting into DOS via CD, loading the network drivers, mapping the remote folder where the Windows files are stored to drive C:, and then starting windows with the "win" command. I tried it once without success so maybe a few ideas in that link, such as using a RAM drive for the registry, will make it work. Worst case, I'll boot completely into Windows via CD by following the procedure outlined, and then run whatever software I need to off the network. Either way it'll be a workstation without hard disks which is my main goal here.

 

[miksmi]

Thanks for the welcome! I usually lurk because the brainiacs around here know waaayy more than I do.

Let us know how it goes.

 

[jtr1962]

After spending quite a bit of time with this, I'm able to get Windows to boot off of a CD. There are quite a few omissions/errors in that article that I had to find by trial and error. In and of itself booting off a CD is very useful. However, no luck yet booting off the network. I copied the exact contents of the CD to a shared folder on the PC in my bedroom. I can boot the computer downstairs into DOS, and connect to the shared drive. I mapped the drive as X:, same on on the CD. When I type the win command on the PC downstairs Windows fails to initialize. I get messages about registry corruption and VFAT fails at some point. I'll try again with Windows 95. I've heard Win95 can run from a network by design.