How To Preinstall Windows 95 and Windows 98 Over a Network Using Mswgcn.exe (189146)

SUMMARY

This article describes explains how to preinstall Windows 95 over an existing network.

The following items are required:

A reference computer, with an installed network card, an installed CD-ROM drive, and at least 5 MB of free hard disk space. Windows 9x or Windows NT must be installed and running properly, and must include all network functionality.
A Target computer, with an installed network card, at least 120 MB of free hard-disk space, and one bootable floppy disk drive.
Two blank floppy disks of the media type used by the bootable floppy disk drive on the target computer.
Real-mode network drivers for the target computer's network card.
The Windows 95 OSR 2.x CD-ROM.
MSWGCN.exe on a separate floppy disk.
The OEM Preinstallation Guide. This is available from:
http://www.microsoft.com/oem.

MORE INFORMATION

Follow these steps to preinstall Windows 95 OSR 2.x:

Follow the OEM Preinstallation Guide. In the Real-Mode Lines for FACTORY screen of the OEM Preinstallation Wizard, edit the following lines in the Config.Sys and Autoexec.bat windows as follows:

Config.sys:
Device=c:\factonly\ifshlp.sys

Autoexec.bat:
Net Use Z: \\<Servername>\<Sharename> Set Source=Z:

For example:

Net Use P: \\OEM\OPK95
Set Source=P:

Proceed through the rest of OPK Wizard.
Copy the file Ifshlp.sys into the FACTONLY folder of your Configuration Set.
Follow the procedure in the OEM Preinstallation Guide for creating a preload boot floppy (PBF) and starting the preinstallation process on the target machine.
Watch for the following to appear on the target machine:
Preparation for Preload is Complete. Remove the Microsoft Preload Boot diskette from drive A: and press a key to continue with Preload.
Remove the PBF from the floppy drive and press CTRL+C to halt the preload process.
Create a directory named "TEST" on the target hard drive (in our case the C: drive)
Copy the file MSWGCN.exe (Microsoft Workgroup Connection) to this new directory.
Change to the TEST directory and run "MSWGCN" at the MS-DOS prompt to extract the Workgroup Connection files.
In the TEST directory, run "SETUP" to configure the specific Network Card you have in your PC. In the "Setup for Workgroup Connection" screen, it will read:
Setup will place your Workgroup Connection files in the following directory.
If this is where you want these, press ENTER.
If you want Setup to place the files in a different directory, type the full path of that directory and then press ENTER.
By default it shows "C:\DOS". You need to type in "C:\Factonly", which already exists in the C Drive, so that you place the Workgroup Connection Files under "C:\Factonly".
Restart the computer when Setup is complete. This will take you through the rest of the Preload process.

NOTE: The user needs to have an account in the Windows NT Domain to preinstall over the network.

You need to know the exact real-mode network drivers that are required for the type of network card.