Ok, what I want to know is:

How would you go about installing Windows Server 2003 from an image file? Whether that file be on a seperate partition, over the network, etc. Anyone have any ideas? I suppose I could burn a CD, but it might be faster to install straight from the image file. Anyone know how? :huh:

Use a program like DAEMON Tools and try to mount the image (.iso, .bin) file. :)

I can't see how this can be done.

Extract the \i386 dir from the image to another partition at the hardrive and install using either winnt.exe or winnt32.exe depending on from where you start the setup (DOS or WinNT/2k/XP respectively). That way you don't have to burn a CD, get a fast install and will always have the setup-files at place in case the OS asks for them.

Geeze Unicorn, SMART idea. I didn't even think of that myself. Thanks, i'll try it this weekened, and i'll let your guys know how it came out...Wow, really, that was a great idea...I can't believe I didn't think of it myself.

@McorD
I don't think Daemon tools will work, only because it installs from the command promp, ya know, before the computer starts...

That last post came out a little sarcastic towards unicorn..sorry about that. I am serious though, thanks for helping me.

Lol, no problems... My Englsih is so bad that I wouldn't understand any sarcasmes anyway. Then, on the other hand, this isn't _that_ smart, more like an old wellknown ideea, succesfully practised by several for a long time (like since NT3.x).

Good luck anyway!

Hey billybob3,

You could always try the program Alcohol... Which does exactly what ~*McoreD*~ said - it will allow you to mount the image.

link: hxxp://www.alcohol-soft.com/

Good Luck!
-SlickVic78

@SlickVick
But does it work under the command prompt? ya know, because i'm trying for a clean install.

billybob3,

Good question... I don't think it will work from a command prompt... Sorry... I'll keep my eyes open though. If I find what you are looking for, I'll send you a PM.

-SlickVic78

Very sorry BillyBob forgot the computer is getting restarted. Doh. :P

This is an easy procedure if you are ready and able (having two partitions at least) to do so. As you are going to install Windows via an Image file, I assume you already got another Operating System (XP?) installed (because the following procedure I am gonna say, required an Operating System).

If I were you:
1. Extract the Image file to a folder in another partition (NOT the partition you are gonna install!)
2. Unlike in Windows NT 4.0, modern OS's Setup.exe runs within windows. So you can simply go to that folder and double click Setup.exe and the setup will launch. (/me doing it while typing this lol.)
3. Choose Advanced Installation.
4. If you click the Advanced button, you will see there are two options Copy the setup files to the hard disk, choose the partition to install. The second one will be already ticked (if not tick it). The first one is no needed as you are already doing it.
5. The rest is self explanatory (hopefully).

Wish you Good Luck! :)

If you havew a second computer and have them both networked it should be possible to boot from an image on the second machine, norton ghost can help you achive this if its possible in your situation

I think i'll just stick with extracting the image file onto another partition, and installing from there. I've already got the image file on the computer, so there is really no need to send it over the network. THanks everyone for your help...quick responses are great!

this is the best way and i do it all the time ,you are right just use daemon and in the advanced option choose copy setup files to hard drive and you could do a clean install from there with a format if you want to ,but the files have to copied to another partition to acomplish format since it is not ganna format the partition which has the setup files.

Well, I couldn't get the computer to start into DOS and read the other drives. I'm guessing that it was probably because they were NTFS partitions. OH well, I just burned a CD and installed it that way without any problems. Thanks for your help everyone!

Hey billybob3,

What was the reason why you didn't want to burn the image to a CD in the first place? Glad to hear you got the installation going (even if you did have to burn the image to CD). :)

-SlickVic78

Well, I didn't really want to go home, get a blank CD, and then go back to work...I guess I was lazy. That, and I just wanted to try something new. I fugured it would probably install faster if the files were already on the hard drive.