Scripting Tool Kit and WIN PE

[SRowe]

I am trying to use the SmartStart scriting tool kit 2.2 on a ML370. Instead of DOS I would like to use WIN PE, microsoft's Preinstallation Enviroment. Has anyone tryied this?

[David Marks · Accepted solution]

Yup ... the scripting kit utilities that I tried [conrep, arc, cpqfmt, cpqdisk] don't work in WinPE.

When I come up with a decent solution, I'll post it here ...

[Jeff Allen_5]

All of the SSSTK utils are DOS-ONLY. they don't work in any Win32 environment - including PE.

[SRowe]

OK, so does anyone know if there will be a version that works with PE?

Scott

[David Claypool]

So far, WinPE adoption is very low and is useless to a significant portion of the ProLiant population using Linux. However, memory size limitations of DOS, continued availability of 16-bit drivers, and the 2GB partition limitation will eventually force the consideration of something other than DOS.

Other than that, comments on future product plans are only conducted under NDA.

[Reade Bricker]

We were going to totally rewrite our install system using Ghost32 and Gdisk32 along with VBscripted installs using WINNT32.EXE.

The scripting toolkit utilities aren't all that necessary anymore for new boxes.

The issue we ran into was getting PE to PXE boot.

RIS can do it, but no one else can without custom boot proms on your NICs (16MB TFTP limit).

We used Bart's PE Builder to create our custom PE build. http://www.nu2.nu/pebuilder/index.php
!!! Highly Recommended !!!

Until we can make this work, we'll hold off.

[David Marks]

Mr. Claypool wrote:

>So far, WinPE adoption is very low and is >useless to a significant portion of the >ProLiant population using Linux.
>

Linux is useless to a significant portion of the ProLiant population using Windows ... that didn't stop HP from moving to Linux-based setup / configuration utilities.


>However, memory size limitations of DOS, >continued availability of 16-bit drivers, >and the 2GB partition limitation will >eventually force the consideration of >something other than DOS.
>

Hallelujah ... !

I hope this is a very-near-future eventuality.


>Other than that, comments on future product >plans are only conducted under NDA.
>

Where do I sign ... ?

[David Claypool]

Mr. Marks:

I think you're commenting on how SmartStart 6 and later moved to a Linux boot. SmartStart is provided as a self-contained package and doesn't require the user to know anything about Linux, not even the lowly 'ls' command.

On the other hand, it is a steep uphill learning curve for those without Unix/Linux experience to build expertise in shell scripting which will be essential to guiding and controlling the flow of which and how the utilities would be applied. I agree, it's tremendously powerful, but the skills aren't there in many IT organizations (or maybe not in the right part of the organization).

All I can say is that when you're selling a million plus servers a year, there's a broad range of users in the community that need to be taken into account. Even the most trivial decision can have a non-trivial effect sometimes. ;)

[David Marks]

Actually, Mr. Claypool, I was poking a bit of fun at the statement that making an accommodation to the WinPE users would be useless to those in the Linux world.

While you are correct, in one sense, that the move to a Linux-based SmartStart does not require knowledge of the *nix world ... it has done very little to enhance the value of SmartStart to those of us in large corporate environments who are using the SmartStart scripting toolkit in conjunction with Microsoft's *new* installation environment technologies.

Since it is clear that Microsoft is moving toward broader use of the WinPE environment for the installation & configuration of its operating systems, it seems short sighted [at best], or arrogant [at worst], to ignore this environment.

The ability to run most, if not all of the SmartStart Scripting Toolkit utilities in the WinPE environment would be a great enhancement to the tools themselves, and would - in my opinion - lead to broader adoption of these tools in many environments.

[Derek_31]

I completely agree! Please support WinPE so that we aren't stuck in the ancient DOS environment. We are a 100% Windows shop, and thus can't spend the effort to learn Linux scripting.

Windows is the most popular OS on the Proliants, and so I hope HP produces WinPE utilities.