WDS on server 2012R2 is junk

[chazzy2501]

So many things just don't work on this, how can it be this broken? I'm reinstating my 2008 (not R2) WDS server as I type.

 

OK

 

1: can't use any boot image made with wds 2012r2 it'll black screen on the client. (the FIX: mount, commit, dismount, manually)

 

2: captured images don't work! capture away, everything seems fine in fact make 2 or 3 spend a week making new images! Now find that when you deploy them they all BSOD! YAY! (images created in VMware without any drivers or tools, office and os sysprepped of course)

 

3: can install drivers based on various filters (wmi query model for me) (This works and is great, but I'm still mad)

 

So that's it, if you want to use it to deploy stock windows (straight from disc) or images captured from your old system... Great.

 

I am capturing for the first time 64bit clients but I don't know if that should cause these issues. (I've tried 64bit and 32 bit capture boot images) and 32bit / 64bit installers all fail...

 

I'm going to triple check with my old WDS server to see if I forgotten how to WDS!>

 

grumble....

[PotNoodleTech]

Use MDT to handle your deployment - its sooooooo much better.

 

WDS then just becomes the initial PXE boot point to boot into your MDT images.

[SHimmer45]

+1 on using MDT, just use WDS to deliver the boot image for MDT.

 

if you install MDT using SQL as the back end you can add/transfer all your WMI targeting as well

[chazzy2501]

Argh! OK it seems that the old server can't capture an image without breaking it either? Maybe I can't use my VMware to build images? I am using a direct method now.. (I used to map a drive, now I just put in the UNC) I'll have to investigate more... but it's not 2012s fault...

 

MDT isn't self explanatory, it seems far too complex for my needs. I do have it installed so I could fix 2012 boot images but that was a lot of command line...

 

Really don't understand the terminology that MDT uses or why I need to do the 30 things required to make it work... Whining really but the barrier of entry is intimidatingly high. MDT also seems geared toward using system centre.

 

WDS is just create, capture, deploy. nice.

[sted]

Argh! OK it seems that the old server can't capture an image without breaking it either? Maybe I can't use my VMware to build images? I am using a direct method now.. (I used to map a drive, now I just put in the UNC) I'll have to investigate more... but it's not 2012s fault...

 

MDT isn't self explanatory, it seems far too complex for my needs. I do have it installed so I could fix 2012 boot images but that was a lot of command line...

 

Really don't understand the terminology that MDT uses or why I need to do the 30 things required to make it work... Whining really but the barrier of entry is intimidatingly high. MDT also seems geared toward using system centre.

 

WDS is just create, capture, deploy. nice.

 

mdt is actually easier to sue than wds for actual image deployment in my opinion

Granted this doc file is from mdt2010 but the basics are the same

Installing and configuring MDT2010.doc

[churchy112]

+1 MDT, I've standardised it at all my schools for imaging.

[SHimmer45]

many people recommend building images on a virtual guest as you have very minimal hardware drivers installed (i used virtual box).

MDT does take a little more set up.

 

if its failing on the capture before it even begins the transfer its going to be because a step is failing (an iffy line in an unattendfile for example)

your fix of effectively closing the image would make me look at the how WDS is creating and closing the image is there something wrong there.

kind of like using ghost to clone machines but not getting it to mark the partition active

[Muz]

I've never had any trouble with WDS on Server 2012.

 

Where are you getting your boot.wim files from?

[truebluesteve]

I've never had any trouble with WDS on Server 2012.

 

Where are you getting your boot.wim files from?

 

Same here - was using it on Server 2003 until a couple of months ago and since changing its been fine

[san_narula]

So many things just don't work on this, how can it be this broken? I'm reinstating my 2008 (not R2) WDS server as I type.

 

OK

 

1: can't use any boot image made with wds 2012r2 it'll black screen on the client. (the FIX: mount, commit, dismount, manually)

 

2: captured images don't work! capture away, everything seems fine in fact make 2 or 3 spend a week making new images! Now find that when you deploy them they all BSOD! YAY! (images created in VMware without any drivers or tools, office and os sysprepped of course)

 

3: can install drivers based on various filters (wmi query model for me) (This works and is great, but I'm still mad)

 

So that's it, if you want to use it to deploy stock windows (straight from disc) or images captured from your old system... Great.

 

I am capturing for the first time 64bit clients but I don't know if that should cause these issues. (I've tried 64bit and 32 bit capture boot images) and 32bit / 64bit installers all fail...

 

I'm going to triple check with my old WDS server to see if I forgotten how to WDS!>

 

grumble....

 

 

Not sure why you are having all these problems. I have been using it for last one year without any problems. Just finished reimaging all staff computers(70 of them) and it all worked without any issues. The client is Windows 8 x64 installed on VMware with all the programs. There was a bug in the past which (sort of) corrupted your WIMs but I think they have fixed it now.

[Muz]

If you need any specific WDS help then let me know since I've got a lot WDS experience (in number of images deployed / captured)

[nkx]

I am getting a black screen. I can boot the workstation to network and I see both my install and capture options. When I choose the capture option, I see the progress bar loading the wim file and then screen goes black and then does nothing.

Server is Windows 2012 and WDS 6.2.

[Muz]

I am getting a black screen. I can boot the workstation to network and I see both my install and capture options. When I choose the capture option, I see the progress bar loading the wim file and then screen goes black and then does nothing.

Server is Windows 2012 and WDS 6.2.

Sounds like you have a bad boot.wim file. I would find the official DVD for the windows version you're trying to deploy and then extract the relevant boot.wim file off the DVD. You can then create a capture image from that to use for capturing images from machines.

 

Another thing to note is that you will need to have drivers injected into the Boot.wim file ( Quick way to inject drivers into a Win PE Boot Image (Windows Server 2012) | Muz's Networking Blog ) to get the WinPE image to start.

 

Once you have started the capture image (assuming your machine to be captured is syspreped) you can press Shift + F10 together to load a CMD window. From here you can use the command 'wpeutil initializenetwork' to start networking do a 'ipconfig' to check if your network card is working or not. If it isn't then you will need to use the 'drvload' command ( drvload ) to specify the path of the NIC Driver being used.

[san_narula]

I am getting a black screen. I can boot the workstation to network and I see both my install and capture options. When I choose the capture option, I see the progress bar loading the wim file and then screen goes black and then does nothing.

Server is Windows 2012 and WDS 6.2.

 

Have you tried upgrading the server to R2?

[nkx]

Thanks MUZ! Got it to work. I was able to install the image and everything works except that my local admin account is not working, which was associated with a GPO! Any guess to why? I can login with the domain admin but not the local admin!

[Muz]

Have you deployed the image using an unattended answer file (OOBEUnattend.xml)?

 

The Administrator password can be set in that answer file so it's always possible that the Administrator account has a new password if you have used a answer file from elsewhere.

[nkx]

Muz, any experience with trying to have wds work with a usb? I have been trying the last few days to boot from a usb as another option and can't get it to work! If anyone has any insights/instructions/wisdom on how I can create a bootable usb to work with my wds 2012 server please share. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

[pow]

Muz, any experience with trying to have wds work with a usb? I have been trying the last few days to boot from a usb as another option and can't get it to work! If anyone has any insights/instructions/wisdom on how I can create a bootable usb to work with my wds 2012 server please share. Any help would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

 

I've just done this for a tablet that didnt seem to support network boot,especially not with the USB to ethernet adapter I had in stock. I'll dig my instructions out later