PXE BOOT and Defrag

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Is it possible to PXE BOOT Defrag Windows XP Pro over the network? At work we have a TON of XP Pro machines we use and they are slow as a coffin in a grave due to fragmentation.
The IT dept can not get to them as it is a 2-3 man crew. Is it possible to PXE Boot to initiate a defrag over the network to all the PCs? The management wont let them install other tools.

 

[Hybrid_theory]

Is it possible to PXE BOOT Defrag Windows XP Pro over the network? At work we have a TON of XP Pro machines we use and they are slow as a coffin in a grave due to fragmentation.
The IT dept can not get to them as it is a 2-3 man crew. Is it possible to PXE Boot to initiate a defrag over the network to all the PCs? The management wont let them install other tools.

PXEboot looks for a network OS to install. Ive tried to get a windows os to load and run over the network and it was pretty difficult, ultimately it didnt work. AFAIK there are no network defragmentation tools.

If these boxes are on a domain than you could be in luck. after a quick google heres a way to schedule a defragment task via group policy
http://social.technet.microsoft.com.../thread/1fe3d427-ad8b-4ee6-acca-b5526dcbfa06/

 

[Rhyseh]

It is possible to PXE boot into a "light" windows XP install using a FOG server:

http://www.fogproject.org/

I have successfully setup a laptop as a fog server and loaded various tools such as Hiren's boot CD into the PXE menu. It requires some work but it works well.

As stated above though it would be easier to use group policy to achieve this.

 

[v12dock]

It is possible to PXE boot into a "light" windows XP install using a FOG server:

http://www.fogproject.org/

I have successfully setup a laptop as a fog server and loaded various tools such as Hiren's boot CD into the PXE menu. It requires some work but it works well.

As stated above though it would be easier to use group policy to achieve this.

Fog is an awesome utility we used it to image over 200 machine over at place I used to be employed at. You might be able to setup a PXE of hirens boot

 

[Deleted member 3]

psexec or logon scripts.

 

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

but can the It guy do it without the Administration slapping him on the wrist. The Admin* still have us running on Celeron D Dells from 2005'ish. Maybe 1GB of Ram and CRT monitors. LCD if you are lucky. Windows XP and VMware on 1GB Ram Win Xp blows. The HDDs have never been defragged.

 

[v12dock]

but can the It guy do it without the Administration slapping him on the wrist. The Admin* still have us running on Celeron D Dells from 2005'ish. Maybe 1GB of Ram and CRT monitors. LCD if you are lucky. Windows XP and VMware on 1GB Ram Win Xp blows. The HDDs have never been defragged.

You should be the one slapping administration on the wrists. Vmware on a celeron D does that even support hardware acceleration? Try and convenience them to purchase some new xeon machines.

 

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

You should be the one slapping administration on the wrists. Vmware on a celeron D does that even support hardware acceleration? Try and convenience them to purchase some new xeon machines.

Ha! funny:shadedshu I'm just a call floor agent. i answer phones as Cx service for one of the accounts in the building. The only account to get a computer upgrade was comcast. They only got new machines after the upgrade was included in the contract.
To be exact, the machine I am running on is an Optiplex GX520. The CPU is Celeron D, total physical memory is 514120KB. CPUZ says:
Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU 2.66GHz; Prescott; Core Speed 2660.1 MHz; 1 Core 1 Thread; Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3

 

[erocker]

but can the It guy do it without the Administration slapping him on the wrist.

I will need a full background story on this Admin. His interests, sexual orientation, etc. I must know the man before I deem him a wrist-slapper.

 

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

I will need a full background story on this Admin. His interests, sexual orientation, etc. I must know the man before I deem him a wrist-slapper.

Administration as in Department.
The Building Tech Admin wants to but his hands are tied by corporate.

 

[erocker]

Send a memo: Please click the "Start" button-->Accessories-->System Tools and tick Defragment.

 

[TeXBill]

I will need a full background story on this Admin. His interests, sexual orientation, etc. I must know the man before I deem him a wrist-slapper.

LOL I had to laugh on that one....

 

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Send a memo: Please click the "Start" button-->Accessories-->System Tools and tick Defragment.

heh, I talk to him daily. The corporate office had us using crap computers in our break room but he went behind their backs and set them up running xubuntu via pxeboot since they are not on the Intranet. He does not have the software nor the approval of Corp. to do damn near anything to the Intranet machines such as upgrade our RAM or replace our machines. really annoying situation. running VMWare on 512mb of RAM, Win XP and 1 Core Celeron 2.66Ghz CPU. These machines have NEVER been defragged.

 

[erocker]

Well, if your boss(es) are saying no, there's no need to press the issue. They're your boss even if they don't have a clue.

 

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

Well, if your boss(es) are saying no, there's no need to press the issue. They're your boss even if they don't have a clue.

well the site IT admin is willing to do it if I can find a way to DO it PXE boot w/o extra software they have to pay for.

 

[erocker]

well the site IT admin is willing to do it if I can find a way to DO it PXE boot w/o extra software they have to pay for.

Then refer to DanTheBanjoman's post.

 

[Killer_Rubber_Ducky]

thanks to all for your assistance