====== Adding iSCSI boot support to Microsoft Windows ======

You need to install the Microsoft iSCSI Software Initiator Boot Version.  This is **not** the standard Microsoft iSCSI Initiator; you do need the special boot-capable version.  At the time of writing, this is available in four versions:

  * [[http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/0/3/C0326CE2-51D0-4E1C-A9E0-7E16BE79410B/CHK-Boot/Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x86chk.exe|Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x86chk.exe]]

  * [[http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/D/D/9DDCBA19-26D6-4B63-B769-242A3991E4EA/Fre-Boot/Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x86fre.exe|Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x86fre.exe]]

  * [[http://download.microsoft.com/download/C/0/3/C0326CE2-51D0-4E1C-A9E0-7E16BE79410B/CHK-Boot/Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x64chk.exe|Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x64chk.exe]]

  * [[http://download.microsoft.com/download/9/D/D/9DDCBA19-26D6-4B63-B769-242A3991E4EA/Fre-Boot/Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x64fre.exe|Initiator-2.08-boot-build3825-x64fre.exe]]

You almost certainly want the //-x86chk// version, unless you are running 64-bit Windows (in which case you want the //-x64chk// version).

Download and install the boot-capable iSCSI initiator.  Do **not** install the optional "Microsoft MPIO Multipathing Support for iSCSI", since this is incompatible with iSCSI boot.

{{ :screenshots:winnt_iscsi_no_multipath.png?503x386 |Deselecting MPIO support}}

If you are presented with the option to "Configure iSCSI Network Boot Support", then you must enable this option and select the network card that will be used for iSCSI boot.

{{ :screenshots:winnt_iscsi_boot_nic.png?503x386 |Selecting boot NIC}}

After installation is complete, reboot the system and check that it boots up correctly.

If you are using Windows 2003 or later, and were given the option to "Configure iSCSI Network Boot Support" during installation, then you are now ready to:

  * [[:sanboot:transfer|Transfer the Microsoft Windows disk image to your iSCSI target]]

If you are using Windows XP, or were not given the option to "Configure iSCSI Network Boot Support" during installation, then you must now

  * [[:sanboot:winnt_sanbootconf|Install the Windows SAN Boot Configuration Driver]]