The key to deploying Windows NT Workstation is the winnt or winnt32 command. These commands use a network connection to access the installation files, which are in one central location. This central location is called the distribution sharepoint. The winnt command is used to install Windows NT Workstation on a computer currently running a 16-bit Windows operating system, such as Windows 3.1 or Windows for Workgroups 3.1, MS-DOS, or Windows 95. The winnt32 command is used to upgrade from an earlier version of Windows NT Workstation. Either of these commands can be issued directly from the keyboard, or as a line in a .bat file, or via Systems Management Server.
When you use the winnt or winnt32 command, all the files needed to complete the installation are copied over the network to a temporary directory. Then Setup continues as it would if you were performing the installation from a local drive, going through first text mode setup, and then GUI mode setup.
In text mode setup, all the files required for installation are copied from the temporary directory into the installation directory on the hard disk of the target computer. After text mode setup is complete, GUI mode begins. In GUI mode, the user is presented with a Graphical User Interface (GUI), and is prompted for information used to customize the setup. For example, the user may be given the opportunity to choose components to install. During GUI mode Setup, computer-specific information such as the computername and username are supplied.