New Image

[plock]

Afternoon guys and girls!

I am currently in the process of building our second iMac image. (V2)

Initially I simply installed the OS, added the programs, made some configuration changes and took an image.

I would like to know the best things to clear up, once the image is ready for creation.

For example when creating a Windows XP PRO image I would tend to clear out the Internet Explorer Temp stuff, Windows Temp directory, run defragmenter, etc, then SysPrep.

What MAC OS X tools/tips would you recommend?

Thanks for your time!

[Domino]

run the full list of tasks in MacJanitor (google it for downloads)

it runs the system cleanup tasks that run daily,weekly and monthly

[mac_shinobi]

what are you using or doing to image your imac?

[plock]

I have an 'Admin' Mac. I have split the drive into two partitions.

The 'Deploy Boot' partition is a clean OS X install so I can boot and create the DMG file. This is because you cannot create images from Active Partitions.

Upload the DMG file to my OS X Server, hosting it via System Image Utility and deploying via 'Server Admin' > 'NetBoot'.

Network Boot the client and let the image download!

Not the quickest solution, but I’m a fairly new to the Mac OS.

[Ross2k5]

I would also be tempted to use monolingual but make sure you do not delete the architectures made that mistake and could not run any roseta products.

Also another handy tool is OnyX its very handy to clear all the junk of the hard drive

Ross

[Ross2k5]

I have an 'Admin' Mac. I have split the drive into two partitions.

The 'Deploy Boot' partition is a clean OS X install so I can boot and create the DMG file. This is because you cannot create images from Active Partitions.

Upload the DMG file to my OS X Server, hosting it via System Image Utility and deploying via 'Server Admin' > 'NetBoot'.

Network Boot the client and let the image download!

Not the quickest solution, but I’m a fairly new to the Mac OS.

You could always use Netrestore and make a net install set without preference sets. Then you can use tools like disk utility and you can select the images from the resource folder to image. Its quicker than using netboot.

Ross

[plock]

Thanks Ross,

Do you have any reference guides on doing this?

[Ross2k5]

Thanks Ross,

Do you have any reference guides on doing this?

I will put something together and put it up tomorrow.

[plock]

Cheers 'Ross'!

[Ross2k5]

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/showthread.php?t=15175

Enjoy

[plock]

Sorry to drag this up again - finally after creating the image, ensuring it's below 50GB enabling and deploying, all went well.

However, the client connects to the server pulls the Network Install down, begins the install wizard and then says successfully installed, reboots and the client computer has the same environment as before, thus not pulling the new image down.

Anyone seen this, know where I'm going wrong?

Cheers!

[Ross2k5]

Sorry to drag this up again - finally after creating the image, ensuring it's below 50GB enabling and deploying, all went well.

However, the client connects to the server pulls the Network Install down, begins the install wizard and then says successfully installed, reboots and the client computer has the same environment as before, thus not pulling the new image down.

Anyone seen this, know where I'm going wrong?

Cheers!

How many are you imaging at one time?

[plock]

Just trying to push it out to one client at the moment.

Will be imaging 20 of them in the end.

[torledo]

Just trying to push it out to one client at the moment.

Will be imaging 20 of them in the end.

Jeez, i haven't used network install in ages, but from what i remeber there maybe two things you check;

1) is the old image still on the network install server ?, it could be that it is still setup as the default network install image instead of the new image you've created...if you haven't done so already, you should check the netboot service and the startup disk on the client to see which image the client is pulling down...

2) secondly, i'm sure there was an option to erase and install or format and install when creating the network install image in SIU, which means the client does a fresh installation and not an upgrade install. I could be wrong on that one though....

so i think one of two things is happening, the wrong image is being pulled down or it's doing an upgrade install....i remeber having one or two problems when i first started using network install, whereby the client would boot from the network but the installation process would complete very quickly. You're not noticing that behaviour by any chance ?

btw in terms of the environment, normally i just ensure the byhost prefrences are checked in SIU, and i always image from a clean machine, with no internet history.

[plock]

@torledo - thanks for your feedback, everything you stated is fine.

Have deleted old image, ensured that new image is default and enabled. Have checked the NetBoot service too! Have also erase disk ticked.

Yeah installation begins, completes quickly and then says successfully installed, and reboots.