Attended vs unattended installation (windows server 2003)

[NS]

I am going to install Windows Server 2003 in my R52 TP for my school work.

May i know what are the benefits of attended installation and the potential problems with attended installation? Same goes for unattended installation. I am stuck at these options. All suggestions are welcome. Should i choose for unattended installation or attended installation? Thanks.

[GuoXing]

Attended installation:

Benefits:
1) It takes the least amount of preparation
2) As long as you have a computer that suits the OS requirements and a copy of the server 2003 CD, you can start the installation
3) Same type of installation method as Windows XP and 2000

Potential Problems:
1) Time consuming
2) You need to sit down and stare at the computer and wait for the next prompt.

Unattended installation:

Benefit:
1) Saves time

Potential Problem:
1) A single typo can cause error

[BruisedQuasar]

Can you run your existing Windows 2000 \XP software on Server 2003, or do you need Server 2003 ready versions?

Just curious because Vista is built on Server 2003, not on Win NT


--Bruised

[GuoXing]

NS (Koh B H) is using the 3 months trial version for his school work. So what he wants here is to install 2003 and also can see his XP. He is the school DNS server student manager. He knows how to install but he needs to know the difference between attended and unattended software installation.

*NS, no offence here*

[XCoalMiner]

Unattended installations are primarily intended to make it less labor intensive and also make it consistent to do mass deployments on a large scale, such as in large corporations or organizations.

You're doing it on a single laptop. That, and if you've never installed Windows Server 2003 before, then do it interactively the the first few times. After you see how it works, then do it unattended. I've installed it several times recently on VMWare images on laptops, it takes less than an hour to complete.

More information here: http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsSe ... x?mfr=true - see the section on creating an Answer File/Setup Settings for Unattended Installation.

[NS]

^^Thanks. I am done with the installation 3 hours ago. I used the attended installation. I sit down and watched it download and finally it is over. VMWare image is faster. Can pause and play. Thanks for the suggestions.