In this scenario, you make all packages available to all clients (that is, you do not add filters to your driver groups) and you configure the groups so that only those packages that match the hardware on the computer will be installed.

Important

You should thoroughly test this scenario before implementing it across your organization.

Known issues

To add packages and configure the server
  1. Open the Windows Deployment Services MMC snap-in. (Click Start, click Administrative Tools, and click Windows Deployment Services).

  2. Expand the Servers node and the node for your Windows Deployment Services server.

  3. Right-click the Drivers node and click Add Driver Package.

  4. Follow the instructions in the wizard to add the driver packages. When asked which driver group to add the packages to, click Select an existing driver group, and ensure that DriverGroup1 is selected. This driver group (by default) is configured as follows: 1) it has no filters so all clients will have access to the packages in this group and 2) only packages that match the client’s hardware will be installed. To view these settings, right-click DriverGroup1, and click Properties.

  5. On the last page of the wizard, do not select the check box to modify the filters for the group, and click Finish.

  6. Repeat steps 3-5 until you have added all of your driver packages to DriverGroup1.

    Note

    If you would prefer to organize your packages into different driver groups, you can create driver groups when adding packages. However, you should not add any filters to them for this scenario.

    The server is now configured, so all computers that install a supported image (that is, Windows Vista with SP1, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2) will have access to this driver group. However, computers will only install those packages that match the Plug and Play hardware. You can now install an image as described in the next procedure.

To install the driver packages and an install image
  1. Ensure that all hardware (for which you want packages to be installed) is connected to client computers.

  2. Boot a client computer and install an image.

  3. When the installation is complete, open Device Manager on the client computer from the Control Panel and verify that the device drivers for all connected hardware were installed.

Additional references