Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

 What Is the Remoteboot Service?

 Starting and Stopping the Remoteboot Service

 Checking the Remoteboot Installation

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Creating a Profile

 Changing a Profile

 Deleting a Profile

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Enabling Remoteboot on a Workstation's Hard Disk

 Viewing an Adapter Record

 Adding a New Workstation

 What You See on the Workstation

 Changing a Workstation Record

 Deleting a Workstation

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

 Backing Up the Remoteboot Database

 Restoring the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 New Workstation

 New Profile

 Convert Adapters

 Copy

 Delete

 Properties

 Set Focus

 Exit

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 All Workstations

 Workstations in Profile

 Refresh

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Fix Security

 Check Configurations

 Backup Database

 Options Menu Commands


Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 View Menu Commands

 Configure Menu Commands

 Options Menu Commands

 Confirmation

 Save Settings on Exit


Contents -- All Topics
Contents for Remoteboot Manager Help

Introduction

 Remoteboot Service Overview

 What Is the Remoteboot Service?

 Starting and Stopping the Remoteboot Service

 Checking the Remoteboot Installation

How To ...

 Manage Profiles

 Creating a Profile

 Changing a Profile

 Deleting a Profile

 Manage Remoteboot Workstations

 Enabling Remoteboot on a Workstation's Hard Disk

 Viewing an Adapter Record

 Adding a New Workstation

 What You See on the Workstation

 Changing a Workstation Record

 Deleting a Workstation

 Back Up the Remoteboot Database

 Backing Up the Remoteboot Database

 Restoring the Remoteboot Database

Commands

 Remoteboot Menu Commands

 New Workstation

 New Profile

 Convert Adapters

 Copy

 Delete

 Properties

 Set Focus

 Exit

 View Menu Commands

 All Workstations

 Workstations in Profile

 Refresh

 Configure Menu Commands

 Fix Security

 Check Configurations

 Backup Database

 Options Menu Commands

 Confirmation

 Save Settings on Exit


What Is the Remoteboot Service?

The Remoteboot service is a Windows NT(TM) Server feature that starts MS-DOS® and Microsoft® Windows(TM) workstations over the network. You install and configure the Remoteboot service on the server and then customize it to be more effective for your particular network and for your users' needs.

When you start, or boot, a computer, the operating system is loaded into its memory. The Windows NT Remoteboot service supports MS-DOS and Microsoft Windows personal computers (also called workstations) that boot using software on the server's hard disk instead of the workstation's hard disk. Each of these workstations has a network adapter, with a Remote Initial Program Load (RPL) ROM chip, that retrieves startup and configuration software from the server when the workstation starts. The workstation does not need a hard disk. This process is known as booting remotely or the remoteboot process.

Using the Remoteboot service with diskless workstations has several advantages:

Increased network security by using workstations that do not have disk drives that can be used to copy data and to introduce viruses

Greater control over the distribution of information and software resources

Ease of updating software centrally

Reduced cost in buying and maintaining workstations

Using the Remoteboot service has advantages for workstations with hard disks as well:

Easy upgrading of software and operating systems on many workstations

Greater flexibility in standardizing workstations while allowing custom configurations

In general, remoteboot offers greater control to the network administrator.

For information about installing the Remoteboot service (or converting from a LAN Manager remoteboot installation) and about installing client files (MS-DOS, Windows, and the remoteboot client software), see the Windows NT Server Installation Guide.

For troubleshooting information, see the Windows NT Server Installation Guide and the \systemroot\RPL\README.TXT file.


Starting and Stopping the Remoteboot Service

The Remoteboot service is installed as a manual service, meaning that you must start it intentionally each time you want it to run. If you want it to start automatically each time the server starts, see the instructions in the Windows NT Server System Guide.

To start or stop the Remoteboot service

1.	In Control Panel, choose the Services icon.

2.	In the Services dialog box, select the Remoteboot service. You may need to scroll down the list of services to reach it.

3.	Choose the Start or Stop button.

The Pause and Continue buttons have no effect on the Remoteboot service.

4.	In the Services dialog box, choose the Close button.

You can also use the net start remoteboot command to start the Remoteboot service and net stop remoteboot to stop it.


Checking the Remoteboot Installation

After you start the Remoteboot service for the first time, check the server's event log for entries related to the Remoteboot service. Use Event Viewer in the Administrative Tools group.

You should also use Remoteboot Manager's configuration and security checking features after installation and after you add or remove support for an operating system.

To check the remoteboot configuration

1.	From the Configure menu, choose Check Configurations.

2.	Choose the Yes button.

This checks which operating systems are available for remoteboot workstations. Remoteboot Manager offers these as choices when you create a new profile.

To check security settings in the remoteboot directory

1.	From the Configure menu, choose Fix Security.

2.	Choose the Yes button.

This overwrites permissions throughout the \systemroot\RPL directory, creates accounts for remoteboot workstations and the RPLUSER local account (if they don't already exist), and updates the domain entry in LANMAN.INI files for remoteboot workstations to match the server's own domain/workgroup.


Creating a Profile

When you use Remoteboot Manager for the first time, you must decide which profiles you need. A profile is the working environment shared by one or more workstations. It consists of the operating system, the workstation and architecture type, the network adapter type, and all the other information needed to boot a workstation.

Note that Remoteboot profiles are completely different from user profiles, which are used elsewhere in Windows NT Server.

To establish and name profiles, you choose from a list of configurations. A configuration is actually a template profile; a profile is created as a copy of one of the base configurations. Generally, you can find a configuration for any profile you want to create. Once the profiles are defined, it's easy to add workstations.

Workstations use profiles in either of two ways:  sharing a profile or using a personal copy of a profile. The profile is the same in either case; the difference is in how the workstation uses it.

A profile can be shared by a group of common users who have similar workstations and will use the same startup information. (All users have the same CONFIG.SYS, LANMAN.INI, and other configuration files, and those files are read-only.) For example, you may want to have a common profile that is shared by accounting, and another profile for sales and marketing. Or, you may want to create a profile shared by all Microsoft Windows users. Keep in mind, however, that the workstation architecture must be similar enough that the workstations can share startup files. Workstations that share profiles get their environment from a \systemroot\RPL\RPLFILES\PROFILES\profile directory (where profile is the name of the profile).

Sharing profiles is not practical in all cases. For example, a workstation may need customized system configuration files (like CONFIG.SYS). In this case, the workstation should use a personal copy of a profile. Changes to the startup information affect only the single workstation. Workstations that have a personal copy of a profile get their environment from a \systemroot\RPL\RPLFILES\MACHINES\cname\profile\PRO directory (where cname is the computername and profile is the name of the profile). Users can edit any of the files in that directory, such as CONFIG.SYS.

When you upgrade operating systems and make software changes, you need to install them separately to each profile and copy of a profile.

To create a profile

1.	From the Remoteboot menu in Remoteboot Manager, choose New Profile.

2.	For the Profile Name, type a name for this profile [no more than 16 characters, with no spaces or backslashes(\)].

If the server's RPL directory is on a FAT file system, use standard MSDOS 8.3 format (eight characters, with an optional period and three more characters).

3.	In the Configuration box, choose a configuration.

If the configuration you want is not present, you must install the files for the appropriate operating system (see the Windows NT Server Installation Guide) and check the configuration (from the Configure menu, choose Check Configurations).

4.	For the Description, type a comment for the profile. The description should summarize the profile for easy recognition, such as MSDOS 6.20 VGA & 3Com 503 EtherLink II adapter.

5.	Choose OK.


Changing a Profile

To change a profile

1.	Select an existing profile in Remoteboot Manager.

2.	From the Remoteboot menu, choose Properties.

3.	Change the description of the profile, and then choose OK.

You can change only the description. To change any other settings, you must create a new profile.


Deleting a Profile

To delete a profile

1.	Select an existing profile in Remoteboot Manager.

2.	From the Remoteboot menu, choose Delete.

If a message appears telling you that workstations are still assigned to this profile, you can delete or reassign all of the workstations at one time:

In the error message dialog box, choose OK.

Select the profile.

From the View menu, choose Workstations In Profile.

Select all of the workstations (press CTRL and click all of the workstations).

From the Remoteboot menu, choose Delete.

 Or

From the Remoteboot menu, choose Properties. Choose a new profile for all of the workstations, and then choose OK.

3.	In the confirmation dialog box, choose OK.


Enabling Remoteboot on a Workstation's Hard Disk

Before a workstation with a hard disk can be booted remotely, its hard disk must be properly configured for the Remoteboot service. This does not prevent users from accessing the hard disk after the workstation is booted.

Use the Microsoft Network Client version 2.2 rplenabl utility to prepare the workstation to use the Remoteboot service. Later, if you want to boot the workstation using its hard disk, run the rpldsabl utility to disable the remoteboot configuration.

Note:	Some RPL ROMs will take control of the workstation even though the hard drive is enabled, so you may not need to run the rplenabl (or rpldsabl) utility on these workstations. Try simply booting the computer, and then use rplenabl if needed.

To configure a workstation's hard disk for the Remoteboot service

1.	Insert a formatted MS-DOS floppy disk in the remoteboot server's floppy disk drive.

2.	Copy the RPLENABL.EXE and RPLDSABL.EXE programs to the floppy disk by typing:

copy  c:\systemroot\rpl\rplfiles\binfiles\binr\rpl??abl.exe  a:

where a:  is the floppy disk drive.

3.	Start the remoteboot workstation, booting MS-DOS from the local hard disk.

4.	Put the disk with the RPLENABL.EXE program in the workstation's floppy disk drive and type:

a:rplenabl

where a:  is the workstation's floppy disk drive.

5.	Remove the disk and press CTRL+ALT+DEL.

The Remote Program Load Module information is displayed as the RPL ROM chip initializes the network adapter.

For instructions on using the rpldsabl utility, see Deleting a Workstation.


Viewing an Adapter Record

You can view the properties of an adapter record, including the adapter ID (a unique number that identifies the network adapter), a description of the adapter, and a suggested configuration. You cannot change any of this information; you can only view it.

Note that you cannot create adapter records; they appear only when a remoteboot workstation starts and no workstation record exists for that workstation.

To view an adapter record

1.	Start Remoteboot Manager on the server.

Remember to log on to a user account that belongs to the Administrators local group.

2.	Select the adapter record.

3.	From the Remoteboot menu, choose Properties.


Adding a New Workstation

The Creating a Profile topic tells how to set up profiles for remoteboot workstations. Once you have established at least one profile, you can add a new remoteboot workstation in two ways:

Create a new remoteboot database record for the workstation and manually fill in the necessary data, including the workstation's network adapter ID number and the profile you want this workstation to use. This is only recommended when you know the network adapter ID number and you are copying an existing workstation record.

When you copy an existing workstation record, you also copy the personal configuration information. For example, if the original workstation record uses a personal copy of a profile and has a customized installation of Microsoft Windows, the profile and the Windows installation will be copied for the new workstation.

Boot the workstation remotely with no special preparation on the server. This creates an adapter record on the server, which you can then convert to a workstation record by adding the workstation's name and profile. This is easier because you don't need to know the workstation's network adapter ID number.

To create a new workstation record manually

1.	Start Remoteboot Manager.

Remember to log on to a user account that belongs to the Administrators local group.

2.	From the Remoteboot menu, choose New Workstation.

 Or

Select an existing workstation record. From the Remoteboot menu, choose Copy.

3.	In the Adapter ID box, type the workstation's network adapter ID number. This is a unique number supplied by the network adapter firmware. The adapter ID is 12 hexadecimal digits; the first six digits identify the adapter type. If you don't know the adapter ID, stop this procedure and go to the next procedure.

4.	In the Wksta Name box, type a name for the workstation. The name can have no more than 15 characters [with no spaces or backslashes (\)]. The Remoteboot service will create a Windows NT user account with this name, not for the user but for the workstation itself.

If the server's RPL directory is on a FAT file system, use standard MS-DOS 8.3 format (eight characters, with an optional period and three more characters).

5.	In the Description box, type a comment that describes the workstation.

6.	In the Password box, type a password for the workstation's account (not for the user using the workstation).

7.	Choose a configuration type:

Shared if this workstation can share its profile with other workstations.

Personal if this workstation must use a personal copy of a profile so that you can customize the environment for the workstation.

8.	In the Wksta In Profile box, choose a profile for this workstation.

If none of the profiles are suitable (for example, there are no profiles for this workstation's network adapter), see the Creating a Profile topic for instructions on creating profiles.

9.	In the TCP/IP Settings box, enter appropriate addresses only if the workstation will use TCP/IP and will not use DHCP for automatic address handling.

10. Choose the Add button.

To create a new workstation record automatically

1.	Start Remoteboot Manager on the server.

Remember to log on to a user account that belongs to the Administrators local group.

2.	Start the remoteboot workstation. The workstation does not actually boot, but it does send a boot request to the server.

3.	In Remoteboot Manager on the server, from the View menu, choose Refresh.

4.	In Remoteboot Manager, select the adapter record that has appeared with the network adapter ID number in place of the workstation name. From the Remoteboot menu, choose Convert Adapters.

 Or

Select more than one adapter record (hold down the CTRL key while clicking with the mouse). From the Remoteboot menu, choose Convert Adapters. You will convert each of the selected records, one at a time.

 Or

Do not select any adapter records. From the Remoteboot menu, choose Convert Adapters. You will convert all of the adapter records to workstation records, one at a time.

Note that you cannot create adapter records; they appear only when a remoteboot workstation starts and no workstation record exists for that workstation.

5.	In the Wksta Name box, type a name for the workstation. The name can have up to 15 characters. The Remoteboot service will create a Windows NT user account with this name, not for the user but for the workstation itself.

If the server's RPL directory is on a FAT file system, use standard MS-DOS 8.3 format (eight characters, with an optional period and three more characters).

6.	In the Description box, type a comment that describes the workstation. The box already contains a comment provided by the network adapter itself.

7.	Choose a configuration type:

Shared if this workstation can share its profile with other workstations.

Personal if this workstation must use a personal copy of a profile so that you can customize the environment for the workstation.

8.	In the Wksta In Profile box, choose a profile for this workstation.

Profiles that are unsuitable for this type of adapter (determined by the first six digits of the network adapter ID number) are marked with a red X.

If none of the profiles are suitable (for example, there are no profiles for this workstation's network adapter), see the Creating a Profile topic for instructions on creating profiles.

9.	In the TCP/IP Configuration box, enter appropriate addresses only if the workstation will use TCP/IP and will not use DHCP for automatic address handling.

10. Choose the Add button.

If you are converting more than one adapter ID record, the next record appears in the dialog box.


What You See on the Workstation

When you boot the workstation, a remoteboot logon prompt appears:

Type Remoteboot username, or press enter if it is <workstation>:

This asks for the account name and password associated with the workstation itself, not for the user's own account name and password.

Once the boot is complete, the user should type a net logon command to log on with his or her own username and password.

When a workstation has completed a remote boot, the current directory is C:\, and the C drive is a virtual hard drive, parts of which are mapped to various places on the remoteboot server by the FIT file. For information about FIT files and translation pairs, see the Windows NT Server Installation Guide.

The C:\WKSTA directory contains workstation-specific and profile-specific configuration files (such as WIN.INI) and is different for each profile to which the workstation is joined. The C:\DATA directory will always be the same, regardless of the profile used; the user can create files and directories there.

The C:\DOS and C:\LANMAN.DOS directories provide access to MS-DOS and network utilities. The C:\BINR directory provides access to shared real-mode utilities.

Local hard disks, if present, are assigned drive letters starting with D, unlike the local boot case, where the drive letters start with C.

Note:	If the server uses NTFS, a workstation assigned to a profile (rather than to a personal copy of a profile) can add or modify files only in certain directories on its virtual C drive. It cannot affect directories on the C drive that are shared with other workstations (unless you explicitly grant permission to do so on the server).

A remoteboot workstation always runs the NetBEUI protocol. To run other protocols as well, see the Windows NT Server Installation Guide.


Changing a Workstation Record

You can change any of the properties of a workstation record except the network adapter ID number.

To change a workstation record

1.	Start Remoteboot Manager on the server.

Remember to log on to a user account that belongs to the Administrators local group.

2.	Select the workstation record.

 Or

Select more than one record (hold down CTRL while clicking) to change properties for a group of workstations at once.

3.	From the Remoteboot menu, choose Properties.

4.	Update the information as needed.

5.	Choose OK.


Deleting a Workstation

When you no longer want to boot a workstation remotely, you can remove it from the list of workstations in the Remoteboot service.

You can also delete adapter records in this same way.

To remove a workstation from the Remoteboot service

1.	Start Remoteboot Manager on the server.

Remember to log on to a user account that belongs to the Administrators local group.

2.	Select the workstation record.

 Or

Select more than one record (hold down CTRL while clicking) to delete a group of workstations at once.

3.	From the Remoteboot menu, choose Delete.

4.	Verify that you want to delete this workstation record.

If Remoteboot Manager originally created an account while creating a workstation record, removing the workstation record also removes the account associated with that workstation. If the account existed before the workstation record, then the account will remain after removing the workstation record.

If the workstation has a bootable hard drive, you may need to disable the remoteboot process and allow the workstation to use the hard drive again.

To disable the Remoteboot process

1.	Start the workstation, booting MS-DOS remotely or from a floppy disk.

2.	Put the disk with the RPLDSABL.EXE program in the workstation's floppy disk drive and type:

a:rpldsabl

where a:  is the workstation's floppy disk drive.

(If you don't have the disk anymore, see Enabling Remoteboot on a Workstation's Hard Disk for instructions on making this disk.)

3.	Remove the disk and press CTRL+ALT+DEL.


Backing Up the Remoteboot Database

The remoteboot database holds the configuration, workstation, and profile records and other data for the Remoteboot service. You should back up the database before and after you make significant changes and save the copies. The Remoteboot service automatically backs up the database every 24 hours (counting from when you start the service).

Because the Remoteboot service makes automatic backups (overwriting the current backup copies), and for good administrative procedure, you should occasionally archive copies of the backup files.

To back up the remoteboot database

From the Configure menu of Remoteboot Manager, choose Backup Database.

The JET.LOG, RPLSVC.MDB, and SYSTEM.MDB files are backed up to the \systemroot\RPL\BACKUP directory.


Restoring the Remoteboot Database

To restore a backup copy of the remoteboot database

Copy the files from \systemroot\RPL\BACKUP (or other saved versions of the files) to the RPL directory.

In the event of an emergency (such as a corrupted database), the Remoteboot service restores automatically from the \systemroot\RPL\BACKUP directory.


New Workstation

Creates a new workstation record. You must already know the workstation's network adapter ID number.

See Also

Adding a New Workstation


New Profile

Creates a new profile. There must already be at least one configuration (combination of operating system and network adapter) available.

See Also

Creating a Profile


Convert Adapters

Converts adapter records (the client has been started but is not yet in the remoteboot database) to workstation records.

See Also

Adding a New Workstation


Copy

Copies an existing workstation record as a basis for a new workstation record.

See Also

Adding a New Workstation


Delete

Deletes a workstation record or a profile, depending on what is selected.

See Also

Deleting a Workstation

Deleting a Profile


Properties

Displays the current settings for a workstation record or a profile. You can change some of the settings.

See Also

Changing a Workstation Record

Changing a Profile


Set Focus

Administers a remoteboot server other than the local computer.


Exit

Stops the Remoteboot Manager.


All Workstations

Displays all workstation records in the remoteboot database.

See Also

Workstations in Profile


Workstations in Profile

Displays only the workstation records associated with a specific profile (or a copy of that profile).

See Also

All Workstations


Refresh

Updates the Remoteboot Manager display, showing any new network adapter records from workstations that have booted but are not yet in the remoteboot database.


Fix Security

Adjusts security settings to allow proper access for remoteboot workstations. You should use the Fix Security command after installation and again after you add or remove support for an operating system.

The Fix Security command overwrites permissions throughout the \systemroot\RPL directory, creates accounts for remoteboot workstations and the RPLUSER local account (if they don't already exist), and updates the domain entry in LANMAN.INI files for remoteboot workstations to match the server's own domain/workgroup.

See Also

Checking the Remoteboot Installation


Check Configurations

Builds configurations (combinations of operating systems and network adapter types), which are then available to be assigned to profiles. You should use the Check Configurations command after installation and again after you add or remove support for an operating system or network adapter.

See Also

Checking the Remoteboot Installation


Backup Database

Creates backup copies of the files that comprise the remoteboot database. Backup copies of RPLSVC.MDB, SYSTEM.MDB, and JET.LOG are created in the \systemroot\RPL\BACKUP directory.

See Also

Backing Up the Remoteboot Database

Restoring the Remoteboot Database


Confirmation

Displays a confirmation dialog box before carrying out commands on the Configure menu (Fix Security and Check Configurations). A check mark next to the Confirmation command means that it is in effect.


Save Settings on Exit

Saves display settings each time you exit Remoteboot Manager. A check mark next to the Save Settings on Exit command means that it is in effect.


Contents

Starts Help and displays the topics in Remoteboot Manager Help.


Search for Help on

Opens the Search dialog box for Help. You can look up Help information by using keywords in the dialog box.


How to Use Help

Describes how to use Help.


About Remoteboot Manager

Displays version and copyright information about Remoteboot Manager.


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