[mdt] MDT2012 Deployment problem and questions

[pritchardavid]

Hi There

 

Ok I have setup a Server on Server 2012 & WDS/MDT2012

 

 

I have done a new sequence to install Windows 8, nothing else yet, this is to test that it installs the OS correctly. This is an untouched Windows 8 Install, imported from the iso.

 

Left this overnight to install on a Virtual Machine (Hyper-V 2012), came back to this error.

 

Operating system deployment did not complete seccessfully.

Please review the log files to determine the cause of the problem.

During the deployment process, 8 errors and 0 warnings were reported.

 

 

 

 

FAILURE ( 9791 ): Unable to find any version of USMT, unable to perform user state migration.

Lighttouch deployment failed, Return Code = -2147467259 0x80004005

Failed to run the action Restore User State.

DNS record does not exist. (Error: 000025E5; Source: Windows)

The execution of the group (State Restore) has failed and the execution has been aborted. An action failed.

Operation aborted (Error: 80004004; Source: Windows)

Failed to run the last action: Restore User Sate. Execution of the task sequence failed.

DNS record does not exist. (Error: 000025E5; Source: Windows)

Task Sequence Engine Failed! Code: enExecutionFail

Take sequence execution failed with error code 80004005

Error Task Sequence Manager failed to execute task sequence. Code 0x80004005

 

 

 

 

It is logged into as Administrator and joined on the domain with the correct computer name that I typed in at the start. I wanted it to join the domain, so that's a good start. But why is it logged in as admin?

 

I would had thought it would have logged onto the user I created on MDT, doesn't matter I suppose, I fact I can’t even this this user in Computer Management.

Another question if this error didn’t come up would this of logged of the user? If do I need to add something in MDT to make this do this. Of course we don’t want it do that straight away until it configures and install a few programs.

 

One last question if I set WDS to approve mode so it creates the computer accounts in Active Directory with the correct computer name, is it possible to pass the computer name to MDT? This is what we do at the moment just with WDS, it just finds the correct name because of the extra information WDS adds to the computer name and having %COMPUTERNAME% in the unattended file.

 

Also here are the settings I put in MDT if that’s any use?

 

 

RULES

 

[settings]

Priority=Default

Properties=MyCustomProperty

 

[Default]

OSInstall=YES

SkipAdminPassword=YES

SkipApplications=YES

SkipAppsOnUpgrade=YES

SkipBDDWelcome=YES

SkipBitLocker=YES

SkipCapture=YES

SkipComputerBackup=YES

SkipDeploymentType=YES

DeploymentType=NEWCOMPUTER

SkipDomainMembership=YES

JoinDomain=domainname

DomainAdmin=useraccountname

DomainAdminDomain= domainname

DomainAdminPassword=userpassword

SkipFinalSummary=YES

SkipLocaleSelection=YES

KeyboardLocale=en-GB

UserLocale=en-GB

UILanguage=en-US

SkipPackageDisplay=YES

SkipProductKey=YES

SkipSummary=YES

SkipTimeZone=YES

TimeZoneName=GMT Standard Time

SkipUserData=YES

EventService=http://WDS:9800

 

 

 

 

BOOTSRAP.INI

 

[settings]

Priority=Default

 

[Default]

DeployRoot=\\servername\DeploymentShare$

UserID=useraccountname

UserDomain=domainname

UserPassword=userpassword

 

KeyboardLocale=en-GB

 

SkipBDDWelcome=YES

 

 

thanks in advance

[sted]

was this mdt 2012 or 2012 update 1 as iirc update 1 is needed for win8 deployment and you might need to install the win 8 aik rather than win7 to get dism etc (educated guesses ive not tried yet)

[pritchardavid]

Yep got update one installed, infact there is a newer build number now, which I have just installed, but that only adds support for SCCM CU1

 

Yep also got this installed 'Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows® 8'

[computer_expert]

Does it work if you disable the user state migration task in the deployment task sequence?

 

As for computer naming, you could use the MDT database to set hostnames based on the MAC address of the machine (you could also use the UUID of the machine rather than the MAC address).

[pritchardavid]

Thanks mate, But I just beat you do, I had a look round the console for a while, spotted that and thought I would give that a try. That's all worked

 

So just the naming problem left now

 

How can I set this up to do updates before Windows is finished installing and then after applications are installed for example Microsoft Office updates

[computer_expert]

you can enable the default windows update task (before installing applications) to patch windows, then let MDT install Office and either enable the 2nd default windows update task or create a new task to install office updates (edit the task sequence and add a new windows update task). You should then have a fully patched windows/office install that you can capture for deployment to other systems.

[pritchardavid]

Ok computer naming, kind of sorted now

 

Ok another question, want to get this one sorted before anything

 

Is it possible to make groups?

 

 

For example

 

- Staff Computers

 

- Students Computers

 

 

So with having groups can deploy different apps to them, basically I want staff computer to have Interwrite and SmartBoard and VGA Wireless software installed. I can see you add add certain app(s) to a computer if you add the computer to the database and add it through that. And with having group (If there is such a thing) select a default sequence for the group.

 

I don't want to do this for every computer.

 

Is there a quick way for example making groups, what ever is added to that group, gets the group settings.

 

And also is there list a csv feature, so I can bulk import the MAC and Computer Names, to save a lot of time?

 

Or do I need to look at SCCM 2012?

Edited October 11, 2012 by pritchardavid

[Jamo]

I think the answer to both those is you *can* but that thats what SCCM gives you over MDT. The automation side of SCCM is rather good!

 

I am still using MDT atm, made a sequence which does all our desktop apps and then one for our staff laptops, kept the image generic as we can still use the CSE toolkit thing to install prism packages which work for most things. Want to look further at SCCM though, it def looks the way to go.

[morganw]

basically I want staff computer to have Interwrite and SmartBoard and VGA Wireless software installed. I can see you add add certain app(s) to a computer if you add the computer to the database and add it through that. And with having group (If there is such a thing) select a default sequence for the group.

 

The easiest thing would be to create two task sequences, one for student computers, one for staff, and then assign application bundles on the task sequence itself. You can also set values in your customsettings.ini based on dynamic data, so you could change the deployment rules based on decisions made in the deployment UI or based on things like asset tags. It is a little buggy for heavy use though (sometimes requires fiddling in the scripts to force the logic to be correct) and it can get complicated.

 

 

If you are using the database and importing MAC addresses and computer names, you could always import the application selections as well, or use the database to select the task sequence that has the correct applications already assigned. There a few scripts you can use to do the import.

Manipulating the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit database using PowerShell - Michael Niehaus' Windows and Office deployment ramblings - Site Home - TechNet Blogs