Add the WDS Management Console to Windows 7/Windows 8/8.1

For those out there who administer corporate IT environments, you have all probably heard of Windows Deployment Services, and possibly use it too for carrying out OS image deployment over the network.

The only downside to this tool is that it completely lacks any form of remote management from a Windows client workstation when used in it’s standalone configuration, unlike other server roles such as Active Directory, Hyper-V, WSUS and more.

With that being said, the WDS management console can actually be manually added to a Windows client, and I will show you how.

Warning: This method is unsupported by Microsoft, I’m not responsible for any damages or instability you may have so use at your own risk please!

What you will need.

• Windows Deployment Services server running Server 2008 R2/2012 or 2012 R2
• Windows 7/8 or 8.1 client machine running
• Remote Server Administration tools installed for the version of Windows being used.

The installed OS architecture of the server OS must match the client OS you are using. e.g. 32-bit server  = 32-bit files and 64-bit server = 64-bit files.

Step 1: Locate the following files on the WDS server and copy them to the matching directory locations on the client machine.

If you are not running a US English version of Windows then change the en-US path to whatever language you are running on the server and client.

C:WindowsSystem32WdsMgmt.msc

C:WindowsSystem32en-USWdsMgmt.msc

C:WindowsSystem32wdsmgmt.dll

C:WindowsSystem32en-USwdsmgmt.dll.mui

C:WindowsSystem32WdsImage.dll

C:WindowsSystem32en-USWdsImage.dll.mui

C:WindowsSystem32wdss1.dll (Windows 7/2008 R2 only)

C:WindowsSystem32wdstpc.dll (Windows 7/2008 R2 only)

C:WindowsSystem32WdsTptMgmt.dll

C:WindowsSystem32en-USWdsTptMgmt.dll.mui

C:WindowsSystem32wdsmmc.dll

C:WindowsSystem32en-USwdsmmc.dll.mui

Step 2: Register the WDS management DLLs on the client machine.

Open up an Administrative Command Prompt and type the following commands:

regsvr32 WdsMgmt.dll

regsvr32 WdsTptMgmt.dll

regsvr32 WdsMmc.dll

Step 3: Create a shortcut to the WDS management console

Create a shortcut to the WDS management console C:WindowsSystem32WdsMgmt.msc in C:ProgramDataMicrosoftWindowsStart MenuProgramsAdministrative Tools

If all went well you should be able to open the WDS management console and connect to your WDS server straight from your Windows client, just as you would on the physical server! 🙂