Adding a Password to a Single PXE Boot Task Sequence

If you PXE boot for OSD and you need to add a password to your task sequences you can browse to your PXE service point properties, check the box labeled “Require a password for computers to boot using PXE” and enter a password. Any computers booting from that PXE service point will prompt for the password prior to presenting the user with the list of advertised Task Sequences.

Simple enough, but what if you want to add a password to a single task sequence?  One possible solution is to create a script to do the password checking, which I’ve already done for you and you can find at the end of this post, then created a Run Command Line step as the first step in your task sequence that utilizes the script.  The script takes a single argument, the password, and when run prompts the user with a simple input box to enter the password.  If the input password matches the password from the command line the script exits with a success return code and the task sequence continues as normal.  If the user cancels the input or enters a blank password the script exits with a failure return code and the task sequence fails.

To be fair this script is pretty basic.  It certainly could be expanded upon by masking the password or validating the user against Active Directory.  It also isn’t terribly secure since someone could easily examine the logs and discover the password, but the script suited my needs and it should be good enough for situations where you just want to keep the average user from shooting themself in the foot.

As always, the standard disclaimer applies.  This works for me, it may not work for you.  Use it at your own risk.

TSPass.vbs