USB install win8.1 to surface with custom wim file.

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toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#141165 3-Mar-2014 12:53

Anyone know how to do this/if it is possible?
We can't wds install our surfaces as they do not have wired network connections and we are not going to buy an adaptor for each surface.
I can create the standard USB windows 8.1 enterprise media, but the custom wim file I want to deploy is 5.3GB so will not work on the fat32 file system of the usb media. NTFS does not boot from uefi.

Anyone had to create custom media like this before? if all else fails, I will create standard win8.1 enterprise boot media and then script a domain join and install of all software from network shares. Painful, but if it is the only way to go, that is how I will have to do it.
*Edit*There are some guides around I am trying to follow, but none cover this scenario end to end. Any help would be appreciated.

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raydog2k

4 posts

Wannabe Geek

#998193 3-Mar-2014 14:29

You can buy one adapter and just use for each surface if you want to PXE boot. I started doing this last week. You can create an offline deployment on MDT. (http://windowsitpro.com/windows/create-windows-7-media-deployment)

Then use Rufus to create a bootable USB with the ISO. GPT partition scheme for UEFI computers and NTFS for filesystem. My ISO was like 10GB.
This works fine for me.

nathan

5695 posts

Uber Geek
Inactive user

#998255 3-Mar-2014 16:31

Split your WIM file?

put 2 partitions on your USB key, 1 fat to boot the rest NTFS so you can have your <4GB WIM file

you cant just buy 1 Surface USB Ethernet?

toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#998280 3-Mar-2014 16:55

We prestage our clients though and I have been reading that that causes issues with WDS imaging. The GUID's are based on the network adapter so all clients would end up with the AD name of the first one. Will have a look through the link you posted and see what I can make of it. Thanks very much

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toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#998281 3-Mar-2014 16:57

I created media with a second NTFS partition and the wim file in the root of it, but when it comes to load the OS, it fails with can't find install.wim or a similar error. I am not sure how to point it correctly to the image on the second partition.

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toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#998284 3-Mar-2014 17:01

If a single usb-ethernet can be used without creating a mess of duplicate GUID's, then that will be the best way to go and we could just do it through WDS.

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toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#998642 4-Mar-2014 11:09

Cheers RayDog2k and Nathan.
I needed to do it in the MDT to make it work. Following this guide here:
http://www.petri.co.il/install-windows-8-1-image-surface-pro-usb.htm
and here:
http://www.petri.co.il/install-windows-8-1-surface-pro-create-usb-mdt.htm

I should hopefully be able to make a working offline installer with a custom image.

Thanks
Paul

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toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#999608 5-Mar-2014 16:55

That worked great. First surface imaged, quick and easy. Really stoked with that.
I used the MDT 2013 and the instructions in the links above to put our lemony fresh staff image onto the surface 2. Windows update to get a missing firmware component and then back onto the WSUS server to get all the 8.1 and office 2013 updates. Beautiful.

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toyonut

1508 posts

Uber Geek

#1000700 7-Mar-2014 12:49

Just for fun, another link I found for deploying drivers to the pro. Deployment guide.
Simple powershell script in the root of the drivers folder, put it on the same USB you use to deploy the image with the drivers in its own folder.
All drivers on cleanly with no issues.

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