Create A PXE Emulator Boot Floppy
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To perform a clean installation of Windows XP across the network, the computer must have a Network Interface Card (NIC) that contains a boot ROM that meets the PXE protocol standards. The PXE Network Boot option can be enabled through the computer BIOS.
Alternatively, if the computer does not support booting from the NIC, you can use a PXE emulator boot floppy. The boot floppy can be generated using the Remote boot disk-generating utility (rbfg.exe).
You can create the disk using the rbfg.exe utility. Insert a blank floppy, type in the path to the rfgb.exe utility (located in the REMINST\Admin\I386 directory) and click create disk. Once the disk is created you can use it to boot the computer.
Tags: windows, microsoft, diana huggins, pxe emulator, boot floppy
5 Comments
Tom
January 28th, 2007
at 10:29am
This information appears to be highly inaccurate and uninformed.
I have several copies of windows xp, and NONE of them include any such filename as mentioned in this article. To what version of windows does this advice apply? This article appears to apply to all versions of XP, as there is no mention as to any versions that it does NOT apply to.
I guess this is another case of the blind leading the blind!
Bluescreens
August 18th, 2007
at 4:58pm
Tom,
RBFG.exe is included with Server 2003, and is installed when RIS (Remote Installation Services) is installed. Server 2003, with RIS installed, can then support the installation of XP, 2003, 2000, and their variants (and WinPE) via network (PXE) boot, with compliant Active Directory and DHCP support.
No need to be rude. The OP’s statements are correct.
b
Nathan’s TechPages - But my Bios Doesn’t Support Network Boot
August 24th, 2007
at 8:00am
[…] I’m sorry about that, but here’s an alternative. Using this method create a bootable floppy with a built-in PXE client. […]
Chris
December 30th, 2007
at 4:55pm
With WDS installed (newer version of RIS) there is still a legacy folder kept in the windows root directory. It is located in %systemroot%\system32\reminst\rbfg.exe
Im not sure this is by default or is due to the option to run WDS in compatibility mode (supporting either the legacy RIS as well as the newer WIM images)
Hope this helps
Regards,
Chris
December 30th, 2007
at 5:01pm
Also, to keep me out of harms way (reading the first comment).
The server roles, RIS (remote installation Server) and WDS (Windows Deployment Server) come as applications with Windows 2003 server. After installing windows you can select them as additional windows components. Depending on the servicepack of the media kit used to install windows server it is either called Remote Installation Service or Windows Deployment Service. Both are the same, when installing RIS it will be automaticly (if it isnt a denied package in WSUS) updated to WDS.
Regards, :)