Deploying Windows operating systems over a network is an essential task in modern IT environments whether you’re managing enterprise-scale rollouts or building a personal lab. Traditional methods involving physical media are not only outdated but also inefficient in dynamic infrastructures.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through a streamlined method of installing Windows using iPXE, WinPE, and Samba. With a lightweight HTTP and SMB server setup, you can boot into a Windows installer entirely over the network without PXE boot servers or full deployment suites. This method is perfect for system administrators, DevOps engineers, and IT hobbyists looking for a clean and scalable approach to Windows installation.
🧰 Requirements
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A WinPE environment (already prepared)
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A running HTTP Server to serve boot files
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A Samba Server hosting your Windows ISO for installation
1️⃣ Prepare Your WinPE Files
You need to create a bootable WinPE environment. If you’re unfamiliar with this, refer to our earlier WinPE tutorial.
2️⃣ Set Up Your HTTP Server for iPXE Boot
2.1 – Create the iPXE Boot Script
Save this as boot.ipxe in your web server directory:
2.2 – Place WinPE Files
Copy your previously created boot.wim, boot.sdi, and BCD into appropriate folders (matching the script above).
2.3 – Download wimboot
Download from the official repo:
🔗 https://github.com/ipxe/wimboot/releases/latest/download/wimboot
Place wimboot in the same folder as your boot.ipxe.
3️⃣ Booting with iPXE
Boot your target machine with iPXE and run the following commands:
Replace <your-ip> with the actual IP address of your HTTP server.
4️⃣ Share Windows ISO via Samba
4.1 – Install Samba Server (on Linux)
Install Samba and edit the configuration (/etc/samba/smb.conf):
Restart Samba after saving.
4.2 – Mount the Windows ISO
Mount your ISO to /mnt:
5️⃣ Start Installation via CMD in WinPE
Once booted into WinPE:
net use \\<your-ip>\win
\\<your-ip>\win\setup.exe
This will launch the Windows setup over the network.
✅ Conclusion
By combining iPXE with a custom WinPE environment and a simple Samba file share, you now have a powerful yet lightweight solution to deploy Windows over the network quickly and reliably.
This setup is particularly effective in lab testing, virtualization environments, or any scenario where bootable USBs and DVDs are impractical. Once configured, it becomes a reusable platform for deploying different versions of Windows across multiple systems with minimal effort.
For more tutorials on network booting, ISO management, and automation, check out other posts on unixzone.us your hub for streamlined system engineering.
