NetWare / Novell Client / DeepFreeze and scripting

[LCPSWolf]

Hello,

I'm looking for some advice with scripts when running Novell / Netware and DeepFreeze (by Faronics).

DeepFreeze, for those that aren't familiar, is a program that resets the PC back to a default state whenever the PC is restarted.

I'm attempting to script some updates and make changes to PC's in mass in our school district, but am running into some issues. The main one is how to, in mass, log several systems at once into our Novell Network (via a script or some other method).

Most likely there is a way to do this with Novell management tools, but we lack any strong internal Novell support in our system.

If I can do that, everything else should be simple.

The full idea is:
- log systems into Novell
- have a script thaw the PC's (turn off DeepFreeze to allow changes)
- restart the computers
- log back into Novell, do any updates / changes
- freeze the PC's (turn DeepFreeze back on)

As you can see, the logging into Novell part is the problem, as our XP machines come up with the Novell login screen before actually booting into Windows.

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks!

Damian Bailey
Technician
Louisa County Public Schools, VA, USA

[sirsir]

We have a similar system in place, however we also have remote control software (Lanschool) that allows us to control single/multiple machines from the logon window. We use it to login as admin - disable Centurion(Deepfreeze lookalike) and then make changes - enable protection.

Very easy.

You need Lanschool...

Tom

[rrichmond]

Hello,

If I can do that, everything else should be simple.

The full idea is:
- log systems into Novell
- have a script thaw the PC's (turn off DeepFreeze to allow changes)
- restart the computers
- log back into Novell, do any updates / changes
- freeze the PC's (turn DeepFreeze back on)

As you can see, the logging into Novell part is the problem, as our XP machines come up with the Novell login screen before actually booting into Windows.

We have a Novell Network with over 400 PCs. We use a base image for all of our machines except for our graphics department and our laptops.

With our desktops we deploy the image onto the PCs, and then let them automatically update. I suspect that whilst deepfreeze may be handy in some situations (For example laptops - stops them changing), it may not be that good for PCs where you may be installing / updating software on a regular basis (which seems to be the case at our school...Teachers buy too much software .

Back to your question however, I see no reason why you could not do it the way you have suggested (assuming you don't mind not updating that often).

We use the Zenworks Desktop Management software. It allows us to deploy packages we build, onto the desktop of any PC, Reimage the PC and provide Desktop support via remote. For a school it wouldn''t cost much extra either, and you don't need Deepfreeze....

I would suggest you do a course on it??

[LCPSWolf]

rrichmond,

Thanks - I thought that Zenworks may be the answer. I'll look for more information on the web and see what I can find.

Thanks again!