mbrunt Posted July 15, 2011 Posted July 15, 2011 Right, I have created my first image, set it all up how I wanted it etc, then ran sysprep/oobe/reboot/generalize/unattend:unattendfile.xml this works fine i then f12 boot up to WDS, capture the image, and the image then deploys back fine, no issues. I then get a different set of hardware, deploy my image to that hardware and the image works but is missing a few drivers, or lets say I want to change the image etc. So i change the image/update drivers, run sysprep/oobe/reboot/generalize/unattend:unattendfile.xml again, reboot, capture the image, overwrite the existing image...this has worked well a few times and i have one image for several sets of hardware. However, on my last attempt, ive deployed the image to a new laptop, updated the drivers, and then went to run sysprep, but it fails because i have done it more than 3 times....so my only option is to rebuild the image, this is fine but i dont want to be doing this each time i get a new set of hardware. I've heard i need a reference image, but i dont know how about doing this. I've made my image again now but not sure how to progress. Thanks!
sted Posted July 15, 2011 Posted July 15, 2011 honestly best way is probably to import that reference image into mdt shovel teh drivers into that and then deploy from mdt. It is possible to add drivers to a wds image but a bit of a pits (and when you create your image you need a line in sysprep or it will just strip out all your drivers anyway)
mbrunt Posted July 15, 2011 Author Posted July 15, 2011 but even in MDT i could never go into the image to update software etc, because i would need to sysprep still. and i still only have 3 gos at that.
mbrunt Posted July 15, 2011 Author Posted July 15, 2011 the issue isnt putting the drivers into the image, the issue is once ive done that how to sysprep it more than 3 times.
DrCheese Posted July 15, 2011 Posted July 15, 2011 but even in MDT i could never go into the image to update software etc, because i would need to sysprep still. and i still only have 3 gos at that. If you can, setup a computer with either vmware or other virtualisation package installed. I have my master image on that, do my updates, take a snapshot of the image (think of it as a total backup that takes 30 seconds to run) and then sysprep it. Then I can just rewind to the previous snapshot and repeat the process when I need to update the image again. I don't waste a sysprep event either
mbrunt Posted July 15, 2011 Author Posted July 15, 2011 thanks for the reply, but again a virtual pc wouldnt allow me to find what drivers where missing from a certain type of hardware etc. and i couldnt install the drivers onto the virtual machine because it wouldnt be missing the drivers.
sted Posted July 15, 2011 Posted July 15, 2011 thanks for the reply, but again a virtual pc wouldnt allow me to find what drivers where missing from a certain type of hardware etc. and i couldnt install the drivers onto the virtual machine because it wouldnt be missing the drivers. thats where mdt comes in you add the drvers for all your harware to that and then you deploy the image youve taken (ideally as mentioned above from a vm with no built in drivers) and when you import the image into mdt and deploy it it will look at the pc look at its drivers and go aha that pc needs a flibble 5000 driver and a sweep4 while pc b will get a mars bar driver and so on
DrCheese Posted July 15, 2011 Posted July 15, 2011 Aye, with MDT it doesn't matter what drivers the image has on it (I have none to make it easier) rather, you just add your drivers to the MDT driver store. Then on Install, Windows will check against the driver store and install the correct drivers.
mbrunt Posted July 15, 2011 Author Posted July 15, 2011 thanks sysman, that indeed does work and it was something that I was looking at trying. However, since i've reached my sysprep level although i can integrate drivers i wouldn't be able to add software to the image etc. I've decided to install MDT, and go down the route of updating the image via a virtual pc which will have snapshots. :-) thanks
Jiser Posted July 15, 2011 Posted July 15, 2011 KMS could help with the sysprep issue I read + you could use the skip rearm option in your xml.
Jiser Posted July 16, 2011 Posted July 16, 2011 (edited) For volume licenses, activation clock reset behavior is different, depending on the type of license. Activation can be reset an unlimited number of times for an activated Key Management Service (KMS) clients. For non-activated KMS clients, the activation clock can be reset only up to three times, the same as a single license. Microsoft recommends that KMS clients use the sysprep /generalize command where the value of the SkipRearm setting is equal to 1. After capturing this image, use the sysprep /generalize command where the value of the SkipRearm setting is equal to 0. You could always try forcing activation on your machine before syspreping? Edited July 16, 2011 by Jiser
mbrunt Posted July 17, 2011 Author Posted July 17, 2011 Ok so I've setup MDT now, I've built a new image on Hyper V, and captured that image using WDS, I've then saved that WIM file and imported it with MDT. Before I captured my image i ran sysprep /generalize / oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml the unattend.xml file contains the admin password, and a load of other settings, however am I meant to include this xml file, as when I setup a task sequence in MDT it asks for things like password, and User/Company name again? Basically am I meant to be using an unattend.xml file? Thanks
strawberry Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 No, use the unattended you attach in mdt. You can set mdt to answer some of its own questions
mbrunt Posted July 17, 2011 Author Posted July 17, 2011 thanks strawberry, where do you attach in mdt, and what questions can mdt answer?
strawberry Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 questons.. look to the bit where it say skipproductkey about 2/3rd's of the way down for a customsettings.ini example. the unattend.xml is somewhere in the task sequence, Haven't got my server with my and google isn't helping, but it is there somewhere. try right clicking on the task sequence.
strawberry Posted July 17, 2011 Posted July 17, 2011 Deploying Windows 7 VL with MAK (Multiple Access Keys) using MDT 2010 - The Deployment Guys - Site Home - TechNet Blogs Sorry, Thats the link i missed! 1
mbrunt Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 hey just thought, we have a kms server here so the link to mak is probably useless to me, thanks though!
mbrunt Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 sorry another question, whats the difference between new computer scenario, the refresh computer scenario, the replace computer scenario and the upgrade computer scenario. ???
sted Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 iirc new computer just nukes the hard drive refresh installs over the top leaving d&s/users as is replace allows users files to be copied from a network/usb store upgrade is from xp say to 7 keeps the users files on the pc and moves to an appropriate location 1
mbrunt Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 ahhh thanks! sooo SkipDeploymentType=Yes DeploymentType=WHAT DO I PUT HERE?
Jamo Posted July 18, 2011 Posted July 18, 2011 ahhh thanks! sooo SkipDeploymentType=Yes DeploymentType=WHAT DO I PUT HERE? One thing to note with MDT is that if you are running from within Windows then you cannot use the NewComputer deployment type. The same as when booting from PXE it defaults to NewComputer
mbrunt Posted July 18, 2011 Author Posted July 18, 2011 nah will only be using MDT from pxe boot. ive set it to newcomputer now.
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