SCCM: Issues Rebuilding a GeoBook

[Gongalong]

Hi folks,

 

I'm trying to deploy a new task sequence to some (dreadful) GeoBook mini laptops. They aren't capable of PXE booting, so I have put the task sequence onto a memory stick via the task sequence media wizard. The task sequence essentially rebuilds the machine with a new version of Windows and installs some apps.

 

Initially all was fine, and I built 3 or 4 (there are 16 in total to build). I have (or had) three memory sticks with the deployment image, but "randomly" I started to get the error "Task Sequence has failed with the error code 0x80070057 in the task sequence step 'Partition Disk 0 - UEFI'. For more information contact your system administrator or helpdesk operator." Whenever this happens the memory stick is wiped and it seems to have the partition removed, so my guess is that the task sequence looks for a drive, finds the memory stick, and then runs the partition command on it.

 

Suffice to say it's annoying because I then have to rebuild the memory stick, but the bigger issue now is that this is always happening.

 

The task sequence was originally based off the task sequence wizard, so the steps are that it restarts in Windows PE, has a step to partition a BIOS machine, then a step to partition a UEFI machine, followed by a step to apply the operating system etc. The partition steps use the default value of partitioning disk number 0.

 

Can anyone help with how I troubleshoot this? I'm guessing it's partition related.

 

Thanks

[BOOT]

Try changing secure boot mode to 'Setup mode'?

[Gongalong]

Thanks, although that doesn't seem to be the issue. I think I've narrowed it down to an issue with the hardware "randomly" selecting either the memory stick or the laptop's disk drive as disk 0 - I'm sure there's a thread somewhere complaining about the architecture of the GeoBooks. The task sequence partitions disk 0, and therefore partitions the USB media I'm using for the task sequence. There seem to be various mentions of this with other laptops, so I'm trying a PowerShell script in the TS ahead of the partition statement that detects the drives, sets the correct drive as a variable, and then passes that to the partition step. Fingers crossed...

[dylanm]

I had to image about 50 of these Geobooks when the school ordered them from the DfE and none of them was PXE bootable.

 

In the end, I created a few blank Windows 10 bootable USBs and then replaced the boot.wim with the bootable WIM image from WDS onto the USB. Boot the Geobooks from the bootable USB stick (with a USB network adapter plugged in), it then picks up your MDT/SCCM. Then removed the USB to stop MDT getting confused (MDT run in memory once booted).

 

Not sure if this helps you but it worked for me

 

PS - You may want to use DoubleDriver to export all of the drivers from one of the working Geobooks and putting these into MDT/SCCM or you could try downloading the drivers from GEO. I had tones of missing drivers when I imaged them.

[Gongalong]

I've created a bootable memory stick with the task sequence on for SCCM, but there-in lies the problem of the task sequence always partitioning disk 0. Even if I manually change the task sequence to use disk 1, frustratingly it doesn't save (helpful bug, not!). I'm looking at PowerShell scripts that set the OSDDiskIndex variable to whatever is identified as an SSD, but it's not working so far.

 

I did try removing the memory stick at the point that PE boots, but that doesn't seem to work either. I still get the error.

[dylanm]

Hmm, I encountered a similar issue when doing one of the Geo books thinking about it.

 

The way I got round it was to format the disk using Hirens boot CD on a USB to clear any existing partitions and then imaged it via PXE.

 

What ADK are you running in SCCM/MDT? I had a problem last year when reimagining a school and the ADK wasn't able to detect if the computer has a BIOS or UEFI firmware. https://deploymentresearch.com/making-mdt-work-with-windows-adk-2004-for-bios-machines/

[Gongalong]

Did you just remove the partitions on the SSD with Hirens? Just testing that now, but having to rebuild a new memory stick with the task sequence which will take some time.

 

I'm 99% sure I installed the Win 10 2004 ADK - from memory they didn't release one for 20H2.

[dylanm]

I just deleted all of the partitions on the SSD and that done the trick of me

 

Win 10 2004 ADK has the issue that I had - have a look at this guide as well (https://deploymentresearch.com/making-mdt-work-with-windows-adk-2004-for-bios-machines/). It talks about MDT but SCCM uses the MDT backend.

[Gongalong]

Yep, I'm pretty sure I'm getting that issue as well. I get a "Task Sequence has failed with the error code 0x80070057 in the task sequence step 'Partition Disk 0 - UEFI'. For more information contact your system administrator or helpdesk operator."

 

Do you think I'm safe to copy and paste that script within a "Run Command Line" step in SCCM? I'll give it a try anyway. (Will take an age for the ISO to build again!)

[dylanm]

Yeah, just add it in the task sequence, it didn't break anything for me and you can always change it back if need be.

 

Microsoft did realise a hot fix that is supposed to fix this so I would recommend installing the hot fix first - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-10-deployments-fail-with-microsoft-deployment-toolkit-on-computers-with-bios-type-firmware-70557b0b-6be3-81d2-556f-b313e29e2cb7

[Gongalong]

Oddly I don't have those DLLs anywhere on the SCCM server.