Installing Over a Network

An install of Windows XP Professional over a network is performed using essentially the same steps as a local install. In order to set up a network install, copy the i386 folder located on the Windows XP Professional CD to a network share that the computer to be upgraded can access. The installation can then be initiated by accessing the shared copy of the i386 folder and executing either the Winnt.exe or the Winnt32.exe. Both of these commands are described later in this chapter.

Use Winnt32.exe if you are upgrading a Windows 98, Me, NT or 2000 operating system and Winnt.exe if you are installing on a computer booted using MSDOS. These commands launch the Windows Setup program, which copies all the files that it will need from the shared folder to the local computer and begins the installation process, which then proceeds in the same order as if you were installing using the Windows XP Professional CD.