bookie32

Hi again! Sorry, you have lost me....not hard.... OK! I had no specific reason for using MDT or WDS.....It was suggested to me to have a way to keep things organised... So, after spending God knows how long getting deployment and capture of Windows 7 working with MDT I naturally assumed that this could be done with MDT or WDS.... No, I don't need to maintain hundreds of images...just up to date ones to save time when reinstalling a customer's computer.... Another reason for wanting somethig that caters for everything...the fact that most recovery software on computers is crap.........!!! At the end of the day - it is the customer that gets the bill when I try to reset their computer (if hard drive is OK of course) and there is a bug of some kind..... Cloning isn't always an answer...especially if there are damaged sectors on the drive...or riddled with virus and spyware....!! Now the legallity of the situation....you tell me?! My customers have paid for a computer with a license that should be enough....not their fault that recovery crap is installed on their computer with a mass of other crap that just weighs and slows them down...... So, I say to my customers (if they didn't burn there recovery cd's, which don't always work anyway) is I can return your computer to factory settings (and not with user info remaining....also causes major problems), but I recommend a clean install and activation of license with their key... If microsoft doesn't like my approach...they haven't said?! When I build new computers I always recommend a retail license incase the computer dies they can move it to another computer..... Am I missing something here? Just want an easy to maintain way of keeping an up to date image that can be applied to any software and doesn't mean I have to wait for a computer to upgrade from XP sp1 to the present day before giving the computer back to the customer..... I guess I can expect all kinds of response to this post.......just hope it isn't someone that has been brain washed by microsoft.... bookie32 BTW Just for the record... must customers opt for the return to factory settings if possible....am I wrong in wanting to back up an image that has been reset to factory settings and updated with all available updates in case of another crash...Many customers seem to be repeat offenders on that score.....even after paying me to reinstall their computers and update them...they go and shove a free antivirus software on the computer and **** it up again!! Most just think it isn't going to cost anything for me to fix their computer?!! Sorrry, getting on my soap box now....

Hi guys! iamtheky Sorry, am I missing something here? Care to ellaborate? Tripredacus Did you send me such an email? Never received it.... bookie32

Hi folks! Well, not being funny...I have liturally spent weeks on this idea of using Windows Server 2008r2 with WDS and MDT for imaging and deploying Windows... No disrespect to you guyss...just don't think Windows can cut it.... Yes, I agree there is a lot to learn, but I have never had any problem following instructions from guides etc to get things working... I have wasted a lot of money and time on this and will go back to Linux...... Why is it that there is more help and info regarding capture and deployment from the Linux world? I do thank everyone for their help! bookie32

Hi again! Either I am really stupid.....don't need to answer that one or the whole setup the guide shows doesn't make sense... He talks about the $OEM$ directory that is within deployment share? The first pic shows the general layout for my MDT deployment share.. in MDT The second pic shows the actual deployment share info on my hard drive.... The third pic shows the actual "operating systems" directory on my hard drive...no structure here as shown in MDT? Even if I create the structure he shows in MDT one hasn't a real directory into which I can put the "Autologon.reg"?! This structure is only visible in MDT? And which of the directories he is creating does one import the os to in MDT? bookie32

Hi allen2 Thanks mate...will have a look at that a little later and get back to you...customers to take care of...:LOL bookie32

Hi allen2 I am glad it makes sense to someone....LOL... OK! the structure he proposes in the guide...does that make sense? bookie32

Hi guys! Well, I had hoped to use MDT and tried to follow the info from this guide Partly I can understand what he is getting at, but.... Couldn't work out where the reg file should go? If one is to have the directory order as he suggests - then what goes where...? As usual I have wasted time writing to someone who seems to have a blog that is dead!! Anyone make sense of this? bookie32

Hi Tripredacus Yes, the vm is getting an ip and the welcome to windows deployment capture wizard, but then nothing in the list for caputre?! bookie32

Hi again! Perhaps I should have asked....who has had success in deploying XP with either WDS or MDT or anything else for that matter and how did they do it..........? bookie32

Hi folks OK! this is something that has been done to death, but as always, there is always a lack of information.....what I get fedup with is finding what seems like very good "how to's" until one comes to the part where it is assumed that we have done this and we have done that....!! I have tried to find complete info on how to use MDT to capture XP but there is always something missing... So, I have been looking at the option of using WDS... I have installed XP Home Edition in VMware with all updates and removed VMware tools before creating a snapshot "before-sysprep"... I then created my Sysprep directory on the C:\ Sysprep. I added all the files from the latest Windows XP sp3 cab file and added the original "unattend" file from my Windows XP CD. My Windows XP Home Edition only comes with sp1 included, but because I have updated it with all updates and sp3 I assume that the sp3 cab file is the right one? I ran "sysprepmgr" to check the "unattend" file but didn't make any changes to that and then ran "sysprep.exe" I chose the option " to prepare the computer for end user, click reseal" and then turned of the vm. WDS To create my images for capture and deploy using WDS I followed this guide. Now the guide states clearly that if don't sysprep the vm the right way then you wont see an image when you use pxe boot...Sure enough there was no image. I have read a ton of info but nothing really says why the images isn't being found?!! I had VMware 7, but have upgraded to the latest version now and I can't see any drivers I can add etc to make this work. Being on the same physical machine I don't really understand why WDS isn't seing the syspreped vm? Can someone help me with this? XP is still used by a lot of my customers and I need a way of imaging and deploying their computers with either WDS or MDT...don't really care...just want a complete "how to" that actually works... Sorry, bit grumpy today..... The one thing I promise...is when I finally get my server doing my capturing and deploying as it should ..then I will do a COMPLETE how to and not assume that the person reading knows anything!! bookie32

Hi bphlpt That is sort of what I intended to do if I remember that is..... bookie32

Hi again! This is getting more and more interesting......I think Well, not content to let that stop me I decided to burn an iso onto a cdrom and try that....now the deployment is actually working? While I am glad that that is working it begs the question..."Why" Why did the wim hang, but the iso work? bookie32

Hi again! OK! another issue...help I actually tried to deploy to a Physical Client and it stops......... I create my tasks as normal and then boot a client with a clean hard drive and try to deploy an image.... I get to choose x86 or x64 from the menu and the progress bar moves from right to left and when it gets to the end of the screen it hangs? I have tried this with x86 and x64 and it does exactly the same thing...? How do I fix this problem? bookie32

Hi cluberti! OK! Yes, I noticed that you could deploy and capture using the same task sequence....trying to keep some kind of order....LOL Basically, at the moment, I am using the standard settings in custom settings and haven't added any extra info....I did get it to work, howerver, but not how I expected...will try to explain what I did later I wouldn't mind disecting your custom settings and bootstrap....going to look at mapping the depoyment share today and try and give a better account of what I did from start to finish, so we can look at the settings a bit more closer.... Thanks for your reply! bookie32

Hi again! Well after all that has been happening I am still trying to get a basic setup that works..... Both Hyper-V and VMware seem to have their problems....!! I have my server with all roles AD, DNS, DHCP, WDS, MDT and Waik installed. WDS is configured to allow DHCP on the same server..... Back to VMware... Created a task in MDT and then booted the iso in VMWare machine the deployment went well and I didn't get any problems...DHCP gave my vm an IP which I reserved......I updated my vm and then created a task to capture my vm..... I have read that the capture has to be run from the vm so I entered my deployment share info. \\DN1\Build$ and ran it...after a quite a long time I get to add credentials to open my litetouch.vbs and then I could choose my capture image....no probs.... I then added my credentials as required and then nothing.....!! "invalid credentials:Network path not found (80070035)" I have read so many posts on this problem my head is spinning...... Why am I getting deployment but not capture? Does anyone have the answer before I through this computer out the window....PLEASE! bookie32

Hi again YES, one has spent time fiddeling with versions of Linux to get things working...... In this case...think I will bend and get a nic that is supported.... You are on the ball..... bookie32

Hi again Well, I will have to put this on hold.....not that impressed with a linux based os that basically only seems to like intel nics?!! I will order one when I put in a new order..... I use linux based os's all the time and have never run in to a nic problem like this...... Thanks for the idea. If i can get the time to try this later I will... bookie32

Hi again! Well, I did what you said and even disabled inbuilt nic....it loads to the install screen and two seconds later nothing.... I only have have two more nics I can try a d-link DFE-530TX or PCIe Gigabit Lan Card if they don't work then I can't start changing hardware at this point...spent too much money already.... bookie32

Hi again Not the first to have this problem..... I have the GA-990FXA-UD3 with a AMD Phenom 11 x6 1090T processor....going to give it a little while longer then try what you said... bookie32

Hi again! Sorry, bit premature...... It has now moved to loading module ehci-hcd...BUT very slowly........ bookie32

Hi again! Well, this bombed big time.....? I tried to install on server machine and it started to load and then nothing....it hung itself on "Loading module usb..." Any suggestions? bookie32

Hi again! You got me there....awake now..... OK! Just installed this on another computer in VMware to have a look and it is .....a bit daunting at first look,but I guess it is always like that with something new.... OK! to really try this I need to back up my existing wims and then do a fresh install on the server...... The guides that are available from VMware are the ones to follow? Any basic settings etc that you know from experience I should be thinking of? bookie32 PS what is this and coffee...LOL we say kaffe är gott or "The coffee is good" Kaffet är gott

Hi again! OK! Am awake now......ESXi is the base installation...... I will have a look at this is a little while..... A fresh install...hadn't really thought that through..... bookie32

Hi CoffeeFiend Look I am game for anything at the moment if it leads to the right outcome....... Because of the time spent on this it wont make much difference now...... I have a basic Server 2008 r2 install at the moment and that has all roles installed including AD, DNS, DHCP, WDS, MDT and WAIK.... I just don't want to p*** anyone off here that is trying to help me..... On the other hand at this stage it would be silly to rule out other options..... And I am learning a whole lot on this journey.......getting a bit long now B) So, I can get the license to allow me to continue using it past 60 days... I can take a look and see..... BTW i certainly didn't think I was on my own with constant pain.....it is being tired a lot of the time that gets me BUT it doesn't excuse bad behaviour on a forum such as this and I really do apologise for my outburst........ bookie32

Hi CoffeeFiend I don't know if I can cope with yet another change at the mo..... I have available my copy of VMware workstation 7.1.4 and do like VMware a lot, but haven't seen a "how to" that would get me started on that...with ESXi? I am always open to new info and scenarios if you can point me in the right direction? Also, no offense intended....the level of expertise at the the VMware forum is high, but there is an awful lot that just basically offer two cents and then nothing more...and that realy p***es me off. Happened to me several times!! But, as pointed out, not anything personal against your two cents worth bookie32