[ris] Tips for beginners

ChrisH · February 28, 2006

The i386-original is the backup of the source you started with. If dos boxes theory is correct then you need to rename this folder back to i386 and copy the modified one into its own folder.

Ps sorry you seem to keep missing me on the phone

Sean · May 15, 2006

Sounds like a holiday every day in your workplace.

Nath.

LOL! Errrm it is!

.....for Tony!

Sean · May 15, 2006

One of the 'gotyas' I've found with RIS is - say that for whatever reason you have a room full of computer that are identical except that half of them have HDs that are 5Gbs bigger that the other half - if you base the RIS image on the bigger ones when you go to restore your image back to the smaller ones it will say there's not enough disk space! (no matter how much free space is left on the image!)

The only was around I found was to restore the image to one of the bigger HDs, use our older imaging proggy (PowerQuest imagecentre) to make one of its images then restore the PQ image to the smaller HD then make a RIS image from the smaller HD!

*phew* what a pain!

Does anyone know an easier way around this?

otherwise - always make sure your RIS images are based on your smaller HD computers!

E1uSiV3 · May 15, 2006

Does anyone know an easier way around this?
otherwise - always make sure your RIS images are based on your smaller HD computers!

Only way round this is to not use the RIPrep method.

tosca925 · May 15, 2006

@sean

Have a look at the bottom two posts m8

http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1504

Sean · May 16, 2006

@sean

Have a look at the bottom two posts m8

http://www.edugeek.net/index.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=1504

Cool! thanks for that!

I'l have to remember that if/when the issue pops up again!

Incedentaly, I wonder what happens if the imirror.dat file tell RIS that the partition is smaller that the size of the image? - Bet it doesn't like that!

Dos_Box · May 16, 2006

One of the 'gotyas' I've found with RIS is - say that for whatever reason you have a room full of computer that are identical except that half of them have HDs that are 5Gbs bigger that the other half - if you base the RIS image on the bigger ones when you go to restore your image back to the smaller ones it will say there's not enough disk space! (no matter how much free space is left on the image!)
The only was around I found was to restore the image to one of the bigger HDs, use our older imaging proggy (PowerQuest imagecentre) to make one of its images then restore the PQ image to the smaller HD then make a RIS image from the smaller HD!
*phew* what a pain!
Does anyone know an easier way around this?
otherwise - always make sure your RIS images are based on your smaller HD computers!

That is a standard 'feature' of RIS and is listed on the imaging requirements.

Simcfc73 · July 20, 2006

Hi,

Has anyone used RIS with the new nforce 410 chipset (AM2).

I found an article which tells you how to do it but I can't get the thing to work.

http://nvidia.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/nvidia.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=763&p_created=1138829311&p_sid=5lnXn-ci&p_lva=763&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NjQmcF9wcm9kcz0wJnBfY2F0cz0wJnBfcHY9JnBfY3Y9JnBfc2VhcmNoX3R5cGU9YW5zd2Vycy5zZWFyY2hfZm5sJnBfcGFnZT0xJnBfc2VhcmNoX3RleHQ9UklT&p_li=&p_topview=1

Main problem is I have 18 of these to do and I purchaes the computers without CD and Floppy so I really need RIS to work.

Gatt · August 1, 2006

Argh! tried to implement RIS today..

Rebuilt all my servers and installed RIS & configured a Base XP build

Went to a PC - Doesnt have PXE boot!!

No probs i thought - I'll make a RIS Boot Disk

So after finding a blank disc and running rbfg.exe i take the disk to the PC

F**k - its a bloody SiS900 PCI NIC innit? as useless as a choc fireguard

Ghost has its own problems with SiS900 - so now im stuck - and may need to get 120+ realtek nics now... if i can get the cash!

ajbritton · August 1, 2006

There are companies who make boot disks for NICs that are not already PXE enabled (Argon Technology, emBoot) - If you decide to try this, make sure you test it before shelling out big bucks.

djm968 · October 2, 2006

Why not use RIS with Ghost? I find this to be the best solution. RIS takes care of the Boot image and Ghost deploys the image. On a good day you can image a suite in 30 mins.

ChrisH · October 2, 2006

Why not use RIS with Ghost? I find this to be the best solution. RIS takes care of the Boot image and Ghost deploys the image. On a good day you can image a suite in 30 mins.

You mean use PXE boot for the ghost client and ghost as normal?

djm968 · October 2, 2006

No, I mean use the RIS boot option in Ghost that creates a RIS menu item, PXE boot the client and you the newly created RIS munu option to load the Ghost boot image patition onto the client. The client can then be imaged from the ghost consol.

ChrisH · October 2, 2006

I see... Some new fangled option interesting

djm968 · October 2, 2006

The option is only availabe if you install RIS.... stand on one leg whilst holding your left hand on your head and shouting "abracadabra" 3 times!

Gatt · October 2, 2006

This is starting to sound like something out of Discworld

- the Million to One chance

DMcCoy · October 2, 2006

And if you only want ghost you can replace the default boot image with the ghost one so don't even need to see any of the ris menus!

adent · January 18, 2007

To prestage you create the computer account in Active Directory and tell it that the account is managed. You then enter the GUID of the machine. This ties the computer account with the Machine and automatically allocates it the computer name of the account you created when you boot to PXE.

In order for RIS to be completely automated you need to alter a file called RIPREF.SIF in the Templates Directory of the Image.

Replace the section from [unattended] onwards.

Below is what we use. You will need to enter your Volume License Key and School name - otherwise you should be able to fire off a re-image and walk away.

Another tip is to include any software you have site licenses for in the base image - it saves loads of time on a rebuild. Add it using group policy - that way you can roll out updates and periodically refresh your base image.

Finally - it's a good idea to place some indicator on the desktop as to the build version of the image. We alter a standard background with the School Logo and the version number.

Dont forget to stop and start the RIS service

Net stop binlsvc

net start binlsvc

----------------- RIS TEMPLATE ----------------------

[unattended]

OemPreinstall = no

FileSystem = LeaveAlone

ExtendOEMPartition = 0

TargetPath = \WINDOWS

OemSkipEula = yes

InstallFilesPath = "\\%SERVERNAME%\RemInst\%INSTALLPATH%\%MACHINETYPE%"

LegacyNIC = 1

[userData]

ProductKey = "YOUR PRODUCT KEY HERE INCLUDING THE - SIGNS"

FullName = "Authorised User"

OrgName = "Your School"

ComputerName ="%MACHINENAME%"

[GuiUnattended]

OemSkipWelcome = 1

OemSkipRegional = 1

TimeZone = 085

AdminPassword = "*"

[RegionalSettings]

InputLocale = 0809:00000809

Language = 0809

LanguageGroup = 1

SystemLocale = 0809

UserLocale = 0809

[Display]

BitsPerPel = 32

XResolution = 1024

YResolution = 768

VRefresh = 60

tarquel · March 2, 2007

Just thought I'd revive this one and also ask a question...

To the users relating to using Ghost & RIS, its fine if you have Ghost licenses to cover you [i.e. you still need to buy Ghost hehe ], but I'm using RIS because a) its included for free and b) it does the job pretty well despite that its free

@adent: nice one - good for those users who havent tried RIS

And now for my question....

Is there any way to set in the RIS .sif file a way of partitioning half the hard drive OR to only format/repartition the first partition on the HDD?

So far, here's the combinations of what I've tried:

[RemoteInstall]
   Repartition=Yes
   UseWholeDisk=Yes

Result: Repartitions the whole hard disk with one partition and installs the OS onto it

[RemoteInstall]
   Repartition=No
   UseWholeDisk=No

Result: Does not repartition or format any of the partitions on the HDD and installs XP onto [presumably - as i'm not by the machine] the first partition [along side any other OS that exists]

[RemoteInstall]
   Repartition=Yes
   UseWholeDisk=No

Result: Seems to have removed the two partitons I had on the HDD...

Seems to be best with No to both options so far, if i could just get it to format the first partition at the same time :S

Any thoughts to this welcome

Nath.

Midget · March 2, 2007

As we are on a revivathon, and I'm having no luck with google atm, How can I stop RIS from automatically disabling the local admin account?

ChrisH · March 2, 2007

I think if you just delete the entry regarding that you should be ok or are you saying you dont know which one it is?

tarquel · March 2, 2007

Also, if you are using nlite [or similar] to alter the source, you may have a tweak that is disabling it also [but 'tis more likely to be Chris' suggestion - just thought I'd add another thought ].

Cheers.

Nath.

limbo · March 2, 2007

How often do you need to reinstall your PC's to make any kind of remote install worth while?

We feel the need to reinstall PC's so infrequently these days that we just use the recovery CD that came with the Desktop / Laptop and then manually join it to the domain when it is done which triggers the MSI installs of the various bits of software.

We probably only have to resinstall one or two PC's a term at most, and the half hour or so that this takes is no great hardship.

When new PC's arrive we run through the setup wizard to get them on the domain and have often done a hundred PC's in a few days without any kind of preparation.

tarquel · March 2, 2007

Thats opening up a topical debate limbo hehe

but try to keep this just as a "tips for beginners" area - not a general discussion on whether or not remote installation / RIS is worth doing please

But just to answer your questions, i do it every 6 months and/or whenever I get a new machine / or the pupils have managed to foul up windows in some fashion [i.e. pulling cables out and hitting reset buttons etc etc] and i dont do it manually [i.e. just joining a machine that came with XP to the LAN] as i like my XP installs being fresh and free of other OEM configuration.

[pm me if u want to carry this discussion on and we'll open up a thread for it ]

Regards

Nath.

limbo · March 2, 2007

Sorry - I thought your reason for wanting to do it might be relevant to beginners.

I shall go back to being an observer so I do not want points on my license for posting without due care and attention.

[ris] Tips for beginners

Do you use RIS?
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1. Do you use RIS?

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