[HodgeHi]

A sad day for the many that have come to love Net-restore for deployment. Version 3.4.6 is to be the last one.

Read the full article here:

Bombich Software: NetRestore

[dougchase]

Do you know anything about DeployStudio? It looks great but the documentation is pretty lacking.

I'm just getting started, trying to get a dual-boot deployment situation working.

[HodgeHi]

you can still download net restore if you want to use it. It's just that it won't be being updated anymore. As for deploy studio. I looked at it briefly when it was in beta but never used it for deployment. IIRC, you needed to have a server side app as well. I may loo into it again at some point but the net-restore was just simple to use (when it worked ;-))

[dougchase]

I understand. I was pretty close to getting NetRestore to work, but never quite got there. The docs for DeployStudio are pretty much useless, so I'm going back to see if I can figure out NetRestore. I just wish there was a good tutorial on how to do dual-boot deployments.

I found this forum recently and it sure seems like the place to post when I have questions about this sort of thing, though.

[DMcCoy]

I've always used netinstall/netboot. No multicast, but it's pretty quick still (on intels, nothing is quick on g5 or earlier)

[HodgeHi]

what's the issue that you are seeing?
I am in the middle of net-restoring myself at the moment so may be able to help. I have started a blog post and am half way through it. I will let you know when it is done.

[dougchase]

Well, thanks!

In the past, I've successfully netbooted and restored each side individually by choosing the images from the NetRestore interface on the client side, but my goal is to get this automated so all I have to do is boot to the NetBoot server and the images will automatically apply.

I'm getting stuck at the point after I have created my DMGs and am trying to create a NetInstall-Set.

I choose "edit configurations," and have created configurations for both my Windows and Mac partitions.

However, I'm not clear on what to do next. I have an open NetRestore window, an open NetRestore Helper window, and a mounted NetInstall-Restore volume on my desktop. I guess I'm confused about how to save my changes and additions to the configurations.

If I close the NetRestore Helper window and the NetRestore window, the NetInstall-Restore disk stays mounted on my desktop. Is this what's supposed to happen?

[dougchase]

I'm going to take notes here as I go through the process this time.

-----


I have a partition on the NetBoot server called Images.
Under Images, there's the NetBootSP0 share point.
In the share point, under /Resources/Disk Images, I have DMG masters of sysprepped Windows and OSX.

-----
On the NetBoot server:

Launch NetRestore Helper
Select "Create NetInstall-Set" tab
Accept default Advanced settings
Click "Save NetInstall-Restore set" button
Save set to /Volumes/Images/Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP0

NetRestore: Disk image called "NetInstall-Restore" mounts on desktop

NetRestore: Copying System files to disk image...

Select "Yes" when asked to modify NetRestore configurations

NetRestore window appears.

This is where I sort of start to get confused. What should I select in the "Source" and "Target" fields now?

Just for kicks, I added my two configurations, chose Full Automation, and configured the Preferences/Configurations.

Enabled the new NetInstall Image and set it as Default.

Booted a test Mini to NetBoot.

Now it's successfully restoring the Mac side with no user intervention - looks like I'm getting there. I wonder what will happen after it finishes this first partition.

[torledo]

Originally Posted by DMcCoy

I've always used netinstall/netboot. No multicast, but it's pretty quick still (on intels, nothing is quick on g5 or earlier)

same here....if only they could provide a nice lite gui wrapper for mASR that looks and acts a lot like netinstall. I like the light touch aspect of netinstall when used in conjuctoin with SIU and netboot.

[dougchase]

Gah, crap.

"NetRestore failed to restore the Windows."

Maybe I'll post logs.

======= NetRestore (v. 3.4.6): Mon Nov 17 20:20:07 UTC 2008 =======

Source:         /tmp/netboot/Resources/Disk Images/mini-osx.dmg
Target:         /Volumes/Macintosh
Target Device:          /dev/disk0s2
Arguments:              --noprompt --erase 

Path to NetRestore:             /Applications/Utilities/NetRestore.app/

NetBooted: Yes
Boot volume OS info:

Operating System:       10.5.1 (9B2117)
Mach kernel version:
         Darwin Kernel Version 9.1.1: Fri Dec 14 19:00:14 PST 2007; root:xnu-1228.1.30~1/RELEASE_I386
Kernel configured for up to 2 processors.
2 processors are physically available.
2 processors are logically available.
Processor type: i486 (Intel 80486)
Processors active: 0 1
Primary memory available: 2.00 gigabytes
Default processor set: 30 tasks, 110 threads, 2 processors
Load average: 0.45, Mach factor: 1.55

Mounted volume information: 

Filesystem                                                512-blocks     Used  Available Capacity  Mounted on
/dev/disk1s9                                                 3773896  3018240     717920    81%    /
devfs                                                            226      226          0   100%    /dev
fdesc                                                              2        2          0   100%    /dev
/dev/disk2                                                       934       16        872     2%    /Volumes
/dev/disk3                                                       190       26        156    15%    /private/var/run
/dev/disk4                                                      1926      150       1680     9%    /private/var/log
/dev/disk5                                                      2918      150       2624     6%    /private/tmp
/dev/disk6                                                      2918      370       2404    14%    /private/var/db
141.211.159.63:/Volumes/Images/Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP0 1952458672 80921944 1871536728     5%    /private/tmp/netboot
/dev/disk0s2                                                70070352   108664   69961688     1%    /Volumes/Macintosh
/dev/disk0s3                                               163659456      192  163659264     1%    /Volumes/WINDOWS

Source information: 
-rw-r--r--  1 501  admin  9031569818 Nov  8 00:39 /tmp/netboot/Resources/Disk Images/mini-osx.dmg

20:20:08        Initiating ASR restore...
20:20:22        Restoring...
21:49:37        Verifying...
21:56:20        Restore complete
======= NetRestore (v. 3.4.6): Mon Nov 17 21:56:28 UTC 2008 =======

Source:         /tmp/netboot/Resources/Disk Images/mini-win.dmg
Target:         /Volumes/WINDOWS
Target Device:          /dev/disk0s3
Arguments:              --noprompt --erase 

Path to NetRestore:             /Applications/Utilities/NetRestore.app/

NetBooted: Yes
Boot volume OS info:

Operating System:       10.5.1 (9B2117)
Mach kernel version:
         Darwin Kernel Version 9.1.1: Fri Dec 14 19:00:14 PST 2007; root:xnu-1228.1.30~1/RELEASE_I386
Kernel configured for up to 2 processors.
2 processors are physically available.
2 processors are logically available.
Processor type: i486 (Intel 80486)
Processors active: 0 1
Primary memory available: 2.00 gigabytes
Default processor set: 31 tasks, 109 threads, 2 processors
Load average: 0.21, Mach factor: 1.77

Mounted volume information: 

Filesystem                                                512-blocks     Used  Available Capacity  Mounted on
/dev/disk1s9                                                 3773896  3018240     717920    81%    /
devfs                                                            226      226          0   100%    /dev
fdesc                                                              2        2          0   100%    /dev
/dev/disk2                                                       934       16        872     2%    /Volumes
/dev/disk3                                                       190       28        154    16%    /private/var/run
/dev/disk4                                                      1926      230       1600    13%    /private/var/log
/dev/disk5                                                      2918      150       2624     6%    /private/tmp
/dev/disk6                                                      2918      370       2404    14%    /private/var/db
141.211.159.63:/Volumes/Images/Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP0 1952458672 80921944 1871536728     5%    /private/tmp/netboot
/dev/disk0s3                                               163659456      192  163659264     1%    /Volumes/WINDOWS
/dev/disk0s2                                                70070352 37334368   32735984    54%    /Volumes/MAC-CLONE

Source information: 
-rw-r--r--  1 501  admin  6491559556 Nov 10 20:14 /tmp/netboot/Resources/Disk Images/mini-win.dmg

21:56:28        Initiating ASR restore...

Could not change the partition typeMounting volume: /dev/disk0s3 (0)... succeeded
Failed to grab a copy of the boot.ini file
Ejecting device: /dev/disk0 (0)... succeeded
NTFS start sector: 70742136
Removing the NTFS partition from the partition table... succeeded
Ejecting device: /dev/disk0 (0)... succeeded
Adjusting entries in the partition table... succeeded
Ejecting device: /dev/disk0 (0)... succeeded
Adding the NTFS partition to the partition table... succeeded
Ejecting device: /dev/disk0 (0)... failed, trying again
Ejecting device: /dev/disk0 (1)... succeeded
Resizing the NTFS volume to extend to the limit of the partition... ntfsresize v2.0.0 (libntfs 10:0:0)
Failed to startup volume: Invalid argument.
ERROR(22): Opening '/dev/disk0s3' as NTFS failed: Invalid argument
The device '/dev/disk0s3' doesn't have a valid NTFS.
Maybe you selected the wrong partition? Or the whole disk instead of a
partition (e.g. /dev/hda, not /dev/hda1)? This error might also occur
if the disk was incorrectly repartitioned (see the ntfsresize FAQ).

[Ross2k5]

Thats frustrating i use netrestore so much. I just hope someone makes just as good software.

Not at all happy!

[HodgeHi]

OK.

Depending on what version of Net-Restore you are using depends on how easy it is to automatically deploy the both partitions. I recommend 3.4.6 version since it has the tick box for auto deployment of both partitions. I tried to do this myself with the scripts and only got as far as creating the boot camp partitioning using the boot camp script.

When using 3.4.6, the procedure goes something like this...

You create your images of both the OS X and XP partitions. You can save them off onto an external HDD or just save them directly into the share where your images will be deployed from. This is your choice. You then create your Net-Install sets. Again you can save it onto an external or save it straight into your netbootsp0 share ready for booting off. If you save them to an external drive you will need to copy them into these locations afterwards.

Once the Net-Install set has been created you will be asked if you wish to configure the NetRestore options. Click yes.

Then go to NetRestore > Configurations in the menu bar. This will allow you to create some configurations to use to install your images.

Create one for both the OS X and XP images.

Config name = name of config to choose when netrestore launches on netboot
Protocol = What you are going to use to deploy. If coming from a server most likely AFP
sharepoint = name of share that you are using to store image .dmgs (mine is called Images)
username = username used to connect to the share
password = password used to connect to the share
hostname/ip = hostname/ip address of server where the images are stored
Relative Path to image from sharepoint = i usually type in the name of the image being used.

Along the bottom of the window you should see the afp share path being built. This is the location it is going to use.

Save this and then do the same for XP. ( you can just change the name of the config and the dmg being used if they are all in the same location and then just click save again)

Now once these are created close the window and then go to NetRestore > preferences
Heres the magic...

Use the drop down menu and choose the OS X config that you just created.
Use First drive available.
Erase target disk.
Verify restored disk.
If you wish to start into OS X after rebuild tick the set as target disk. If you want XP leave this unticked.
Enable full automation.
Tick the Partition the target volume and choose a size.

In the Windows Configuration drop-down menu, choose the windows config that we created earlier.

Click save.

This should be it now.

Configure your Netboot server to have the netinstall set that you created to be the only one enabled and choose it to be the default. This allows you to just hold down N when rebooting to start the process. The rest should be automated. Test on a different machine to the one you built your images on. If it fails for any reason, you don't want to rebuild again since it will erase the target disk.

Important note: You cannot restore to a smaller drive in XP than you created the image on. You can use larger partitions but not smaller. I don't think OS X is fussy about this so it is maybe better to use a slightly larger partition when setting the partition size in the net-restore preferences for Windows.

I hope that this helps

[dougchase]

Thanks so much! That sounds close to what I did, but as you can tell from my log above, it didn't quite behave.

I am out of the office today, but I will go through your great instructions tomorrow and figure out what I've done wrong.

[psydii]

I'd guess that NR3.4 doesn't work with 10.5.6 which was seeded to developers recently.

This is a great shame I used netrestore to deploy 3 labs with 1 weeks learning curve from no experience to fully deployed and managed. It will be missed.

[dougchase]

Hello again gents,

I tried it again and received the error

"An error occurred while resizing the NTFS volume."

I'm figuiring this has to do with the size of the disk on which I created the Windows image. What do you think?