MDT 2012 Image Deployment Issue on custom built PCs

[P1x3l]

Hey Guys,

 

I built 2 custom PCs with the exact same hardware. My issue is deploying an image through MDT to the machines.

 

I created a new deployment share and new task sequence to deploy Windows 7 Pro x64. I also added in the Mobo drivers to inject during install. When I deployed the image on the first PC it worked fine. When I deployed the image on the second identically built PC, it will always have an error on starting windows.

 

iastorA.sys is corrupt or missing

 

I created a 2nd task sequence and downloaded the chipset/lan/video drivers from the manufacturers website so they are the latest version. I created a new selection profile to inject only the new drivers. Upon system reboot into Windows, instead of the first error I got BSOD and an immediate crash.

 

I'm not sure why this image will deploy to the first PC but not the second. I can redeploy the image on the first PC with no problems. I am about to do an OS build from scratch on the second, then do a sysprep capture to have a copy of the custom image and I can try deploying that out to both PCs.

 

Time is of the essence here. I only have another day or so to play with these before they need to be deployed out. Any insight into the MDT deployment issue would be appreciated.

 

Build:

- ASUS P9X79 LE Motherboard

- 32GB Corsair Vengeance Pro quad channel kit DDR3 1866MHz

- Intel Core i7 4820k 3.7GHz

- Samsung 840 Pro SSD 256GB (OS Disk)

- 2x 4TB Seagate Desktop HDD Sata3 (Raid 1 from BIOS)

- eVGA GeForce GTX 780 SuperClocked 3GB DDR5

 

*Note*: On the second build I had the Samsung as Disk 1 instead of Disk 0, so the OS got installed on the Raid. I've fixed this issue, but the error messages as described above are the same.

[P1x3l]

I did a bit of digging. The iaStorA.sys error is related to RAID drivers. This totally threw me off because the other PC with the same motherboard doesn't need RAID drivers to load the disks. All SATA ports on both systems are configured with RAID for the data disks which are mirrored.

 

When I take a base image of Win 7 and boot to it on System 1, I see Disk 0 as the Samsung and Disk 1 as the RAID disks.

 

When I boot to install Windows 7 on System 2 however, I see no disks. I have to load the RAID driver just to see the disks. I then see Disk 1 as Samsung and Disk 2 as the RAID disks. I don't even see a Disk 0 which is probably why the image is failing.

 

The differences between the two Motherboards... I flashed the MoBo on System 1. The PC shop I purchased it at flashed the MoBo on System 2. I had initially suspected this as the issue when I first ran into it, and I reflashed System 2 with the latest BIOS update which was a few revisions later. Both MoBo's are on the same revision now with the same settings, but I keep running into this odd issue with System 2. I suspect if I change my task sequence to use Disk 1 instead of Disk 0 it will work.

 

Now I am more concerned as to why System 2 is not seeing a Disk 0 and why it requires RAID drivers when System 1 doesn't.

[free780]

You may need to add the storage/raid driver to your boot image and update wds. I could also be the bios settings are not identical.