remotely install OSX/macOS on internal network

[nadia p.]

I hope someone might be able to help me. I need to perform a fresh install of OSX/macOS on each iMac at home while remotely logging in to my home network. I plan to update each iMac one at a time by remotely logging into iMac_home1 to assist me in installing iMac_home2 and vise versa.

I'm confused and need some guidance as to the best way to approach this as there seems to be a few ways to go about it yet I can't take the risk of not knowing what I'm doing and getting stuck.

I'm able to remotely connect to either iMac_home# using VNC or once logged into one of the home computers I can share the screen.

I want to make sure it's a clean/fresh install yet no one will be there to assist me (i.e. to hold down keys on the keyboard)

Edit 1: OS X 10.9.5 is the current OS on both iMacs connected via ethernet.

 

[Floris]

If you have remote access, perhaps Apple Configurator might be able to help? But yeah, if there's nobody there to actually press buttons .. I dunno how certain things might be able to complete installation when you've lost the remote connection and account setup needs to be done etc.

 

[nadia p.]

I was reading about NetBoot, NetInstall and NetRestore and wondered if it's possible to do something like the following...

1. Update 10.9.5 to 10.10.6
2. Create an NetBoot image of 10.10.6 and later use that to boot from later
3. Reboot pointing to NetBoot to allow me to access the hard drive to then erase and partition it and perform a clean install on that.
4. Reboot iMac_home1 clean install
5. Remotely share the screen from iMac_home2 to view iMac_home1 and proceed with initial configuration and setup.

I have no idea if anything like this is possible or can be scripted in some way.

 

[Floris]

The problem are the steps where it hasn't connected to anything yet at least not via remote stuff .. and that you have the screens where it asks for the language to use, ask for apple-id, etc.

 

[nadia p.]

Hmm... is there a way to build the install image somewhere else whereby answering all the questions then push it over to each iMac? I've got to believe there is some way to do this as it can be and has been done in Windows for years.

 

[DeltaMac]

Hmm....
Casper Suite (now called JAMF Now). I'm not too sure you would be interested enough to use that on just two Macs.
Apple Remote Desktop (ARD) will also do the job.

More.

 

[nadia p.]

I have confirmed with Apple that Apple Remote Desktop is not capable of doing this task. OS X Server (macOS Server) is with the information found in http://training.apple.com/pdf/mac_management_basics_10.10.pdf on how to create the proper image that can be pushed to remote computers.

The details contained within that document explain how to properly setup an unattended installation and deployed through OS X Server (macOS Server).
[doublepost=1477333167][/doublepost]The next challenge will be to determine how to create the proper image. If anyone has some advanced workings with Server and would like to offer some of their expertise I'd be very grateful.

 

[Floris]

Thanks for the link!