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HOW TO: Perform an Unattended Emergency Management Services Installation of Windows Server 2003

Article ID: 815273 - View products that this article applies to.

SUMMARY

This article describes how to perform an unattended Emergency Management Services (also known as EMS) installation of Windows Server 2003.

Emergency Management Services is a new feature in Windows Server 2003 that permits you to perform remote management and system recovery tasks when the server is not available by using the standard remote administration tools and mechanisms. Emergency Management Services provides alternative access to a server when the server is not accessible through the standard connection methods, typically a network.

Connect to the Server

To perform the unattended Setup, you must connect the remote computer to the server by using a NULL modem cable and a terminal program (such as HyperTerminal) or by another method. For additional information about how to configure and use Emergency Management Services, see the "References" section of this article.

Emergency Management Services Prompt During the Text Portion of Setup

At the beginning of the text portion of Windows Setup, you may receive a prompt similar to the following on the connected terminal if the server computer supports Emergency Management Services and if Emergency Management Services is enabled in the computer BIOS.

Note Most 64-bit computers and some 32-bit computers are Emergency Management Services-capable. By default, Emergency Management Services is enabled in the computer BIOS.

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Setup
=============================================
Windows can automatically configure most aspects of your installation, requiring little to no input from you. 
If you are configuring a computer with no local monitor or keyboard, you must use this feature or setup will not complete.

If you would like to use this feature, please press ENTER now.

If you would like to proceed with a manual installation, please press the C key now.

ENTER=Express Setup C=Custom Setup  F3=Quit

Press C for Custom Setup. You receive the following message:

Windows Server 2003, Enterprise Edition Setup
=============================================
Please Enter the password that will be used for the Administrator Account on this machine. 
This password must not be empty.

Administrator Password:

Type a password for the Administrator password, press ENTER, and then retype it when prompted.
When you receive the End User License Agreement (EULA), read it, and then press F8 (or in HyperTerminal, press the ESCAPE key, and then within 2 seconds, press 8).

Setup continues unattended and uses the configuration information from the Unattend.txt file in the Windows Server 2003 source files.

Emergency Management Services Prompt During GUI Portion of Setup

When you perform the text portion of Setup on the local computer at the beginning of the graphical user interface (GUI) portion of Windows Setup, you may receive the following prompt if the computer is Emergency Management Services-capable and if Emergency Management Services is enabled in the computer BIOS:

An EMS connection has been detected on your system. You are being prompted for input over the unattended Setup channel on that connection. If you provide input over the EMS connection, this dialog will close and Setup will complete. If you prefer to configure Setup via this local connection, click OK and Setup will proceed, prompting you for input.

If you click OK, or the Close button to quit the dialog box, Setup continues as a typical attended Windows Setup.

Note Most 64-bit computers and some 32-bit computers are Emergency Management Services-capable and, by default, Emergency Management Services is enabled in the computer BIOS.

While Setup waits for your response, the terminal client where you want to run the remote setup displays the text-mode management console named the Special Administration Console (SAC).

In the terminal, type ch -?, and then press ENTER to display unattended channels (the term "unattended channels" is used to describe the channel that is used to manage the unattended Windows installation). The following information is displayed:
```
EVENT:   A new channel has been created.  Use "ch -?" for channel help.
Channel: Unattended Setup Channel
SAC>
EVENT: The CMD command is now available.
```
Note The HyperTerminal program may be configured with the echo on setting enabled. This causes duplicate characters to appear in the terminal window when you type. To turn off this setting:
1. On the File menu, click Properties.
2. Click the Settings tab, and then click ASCII Setup.
3. Click to clear the Echo typed characters locally check box, and then click OK.

Type ch -?, and then press ENTER to display the channel management commands. The following information is displayed:

Channel management commands:

ch                   List all channels.

Status Legend: (AB)
A: Channel operational status
    'A' = Channel is active.
    'I' = Channel is inactive.
B: Channel Type
    'V' = VT-UTF8 emulation.
    'R' = Raw - no emulation.

ch -si <#>           Switch to a channel by its number.
ch -sn <name>        Switch to a channel by its name.
ch -ci <#>           Close a channel by its number.
ch -cn <name>        Close a channel by its name.

Press <esc><tab> to select a channel.
Press <esc><tab>0 to return to the SAC channel.

End Display:

Press ESC+TAB to scroll through the available channels to locate the unattended channel. When you select this channel, you are prompted to read the End User License Agreement (EULA) for your product.
Press the PAGE DOWN key to read the EULA, and then press F8 to agree.

Note In some terminal programs, the F keys do not work. In this case, press ESCAPE, and then press 8 within two seconds.
When you are prompted for the product key, enter it in the following format:
XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX
Type the Administrator password when prompted, and then retype it when prompted.

When you type and confirm the Administrator password, the unattended Setup continues by using the information from the Unattend.txt file located in the IA64 folder of Windows Server 2003 source files.