WDS, WinPE and HALs on XP and Vista

[thefultonhow]

So does that script automatically choose the multiprocessor ACPI HAL or the normal uniprocessor ACPI HAL based on what type of computer it's being installed on? Where in the setup process can I insert the script? Although I have used RIS in the past, I am new to WDS, and I'd like to not have to have two different images on the WDS server if possible.

Well, the script doesn't choose the HAL, it updates sysprep.inf with whatever HAL is being used on the PC.

I have the script set to run after I've loaded the image on the drive using imagex.

I have one image for all the PC's I use and it works great for me.

How do you trigger the script to run?

[TeKXpert]

The script seems to be referring to Activate.txt? What's on it?

[TheReasonIFail]

The script seems to be referring to Activate.txt? What's on it?

Activate.txt just tells diskpart to activate the partition and add the C:\ letter to the drive.

[Kingskawn]

I hope someone can answer me on this, when we deploy an image that is based on a single processor that we get a BSOD. To encounter this we must change SATA in bios to compatibility instead of ACPI. After that the machine boot normally and continue install.

Is there any way to solve this by not touching to the bios and not get this **( )** BSOD?

[jaclaz]

What is the BSOD STOP ERROR?

Not by any chance 0x0000007b?

jaclaz

[IcemanND]

This has nothing to do with the processor but everything to do with the Mass Storage Controller. Have sysrpep add the mass storage controller drivers you need and you should be cood to go.

[Noise]

I have to throw my 2 cents in here. I used to be a big fan of imaging, back in Windows 3.1 days. When Win95/NT came out I battled with imaged deployments for a year. I finally started doing it the "right" way by using scripted deployments.

Look, it's plain and simple, and it's been a fact of Windows deployments for over 10 years - Imaged deployments suck! If you want to properly deploy Windows NT/2000/2003/XP you use unattended scripted installations. Yes, they're hard to do, Yes - they take forever to install. But it's the only way to the best Windows installation possible. However, once you got it setup it's easy to maintain. Imaged deployments are inherently unstable - especially if you image the applications along with the OS installation.

I always argue with inexperienced admins about imaged deployments, because they are just being lazy. They always mention "well so and so does it", or "HP and Dell use images to deploy their systems". Well, ya they do - and they are idiots. They hired noobs to do their deployments. Recently HP got bit in the a** because they stupidly use imaged deployments to roll out XP.

Imaged deployments actually get me angry, from having to deal with their issues over and over again throughout the years. They make Windows unstable and I firmly believe that the reputation of Microsoft Windows being unstable is directly related to crappy imaged deployments.

So get off your a** and learn to do scripted installations!

[Kingskawn]

This has nothing to do with the processor but everything to do with the Mass Storage Controller. Have sysrpep add the mass storage controller drivers you need and you should be cood to go.

So my problem getting this BSOD from the fact that if I don't change AHCI to compatibility is related to the "Mass Storage Controller"? How can I include those controllers and add a maximum so I won't have to make each month a new image?

[IcemanND]

I've never sen a BSOD because of an incompatible HAL, usually it just won't boot. If you are getting a BSOD, it is usually 0x0000007b bsod which has to do with the mass storage controller not the HAL.

[Kingskawn]

I've never sen a BSOD because of an incompatible HAL, usually it just won't boot. If you are getting a BSOD, it is usually 0x0000007b bsod which has to do with the mass storage controller not the HAL.

Can you point me out to a good guide that explains how to implement those mass storage controller?

[mats]

I have to throw my 2 cents in here. I used to be a big fan of imaging, back in Windows 3.1 days. When Win95/NT came out I battled with imaged deployments for a year. I finally started doing it the "right" way by using scripted deployments.

Look, it's plain and simple, and it's been a fact of Windows deployments for over 10 years - Imaged deployments suck! If you want to properly deploy Windows NT/2000/2003/XP you use unattended scripted installations. Yes, they're hard to do, Yes - they take forever to install. But it's the only way to the best Windows installation possible. However, once you got it setup it's easy to maintain. Imaged deployments are inherently unstable - especially if you image the applications along with the OS installation.

I always argue with inexperienced admins about imaged deployments, because they are just being lazy. They always mention "well so and so does it", or "HP and Dell use images to deploy their systems". Well, ya they do - and they are idiots. They hired noobs to do their deployments. Recently HP got bit in the a** because they stupidly use imaged deployments to roll out XP.

Imaged deployments actually get me angry, from having to deal with their issues over and over again throughout the years. They make Windows unstable and I firmly believe that the reputation of Microsoft Windows being unstable is directly related to crappy imaged deployments.

So get off your a** and learn to do scripted installations!

Well my reply to this is to learn how to do a proper image

The trick is to have proper methods and routines to create your image. If you just do it by hand and feel, then you will have a mess. If you do in a structured way you will have a well working soloution that saves a lot of time and money, troubleshoting is easier too since you will have an identical machine to do it from.

The best way to accive this is actually to use a scripted installation to generate the image based installation.

In our production enviroment we uses an in house developed four step method:

0. Operating system and mui

1. Hotfixes/patches and apps

2. Gui Adjustments

3. Defrag and sysprep

for each of these steps we take a new image, therefore it's wery rare that we do a new 0 image. Uasally we just load that up from disk, and goes into step one, adds the last months uppdates, patches and changed apps. Step two is mostly automated but some GUI tweaks requiers manual adjustments, therefore we have a checklist for that, Step three is fully auto with the exption of adjusting sysprep inf for new massstorage controllers. This gives us very stable "fat" images containing everything an ordinary user requires to start working.

Doing this the scripted way takes about 6-7 Hours, With imaging it taks 30 min to reinstall a PC. This means that we don't do deeper troubleshoting of software problems anymore. Helpdesk uses 15 max to try and fix it, if they can't they reinstall the PC remotly or asks the user to press F12 to start the reinstallation manually. A coffeebreak (about 30 min) later he/she has a working machine again. If you compare that with dispatching a tech and in worst case having the box replaced, imaging saves time for the users and lowers our operating costs. Especially if you have many offices and don't have local techs on all locations

Sure it takes some time to maintain the images but with 19K boxes it's sufficient to save a few minutes/a box to pay for the image handeling time. The rest is a bonus.

[sw2000]

I would like to add Johan Arwidmark's latest Z-HalDetect script into my WinPe 2.01 process without having to use MDT2008 or BDD 2007. Currently I deliver our XP image from a USB drive. I'm guessing that after the image is applied and before restarting the PC I need to call a script that will check the HAL type and modify the sysprep file. What modifications are necessary to run this script after imagex has applied the image to the C partition? I would really appreciate any help.

<job id="ZeroTouchInstallation">
   <script language="VBScript" src="ZTIUtility.vbs"/>
   <script language="VBScript">

'//////////////////////////////////////////////////
'//
'// Script File:
'//
'//   Z-HalDetect_standalone_version.wsf
'//
'//   This script updates sysprep.inf with correct HAL Type
'//   The Reference (master) image should have an Advanced ACPI HAL type.
'//
'//   This version does not require the MDT 2008 environement being present, 
'//   E.g. can be used with Intel LANDesk or Altiris (Note: ZTIUtility.vbs from
'//   MDT 2008 must be added to the same folder)
'//
'//   This script assumes the following files are being present in C:\Drivers\UniProcHAL
'//   hal.dll (Renamed from halaacpi.dll to hal.dll)
'//   ntkrnlpa.exe
'//   ntoskrnl.exe
'//   
'//   Author: Johan Arwidmark	
'//   URL: [url="http://www.deployvista.com"]http://www.deployvista.com[/url]
'//   
'//   Disclaimer
'//   This script is provided "AS IS" without express 
'//   or implied warranty of any kind.
'//
'//////////////////////////////////////////////////


' Customize the local sysprep.inf file based on the HAL type

Call UpdateSysprepinf ()

' Done, quit.

WScript.Quit

Sub UpdateSysprepinf ()

	' Set Sysprep Path

	If oFSO.FileExists("C:\sysprep\Sysprep.inf") then

		sSysprepInf = "C:\sysprep\Sysprep.inf"
		oLogging.CreateEntry "Found sysprep in " & sSysprepInf, LogTypeInfo

	Else

		oLogging.CreateEntry "Could not locate Sysprep", LogTypeWarning

	End if

   ' Find out the HAL type

    sHalType = oShell.RegRead("HKLM\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Enum\Root\ACPI_HAL\0000\HardwareID")

   If sHalType(0) = "acpiapic" Then

	if oShell.Environment.item("NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS") = 1 then

     		WriteIni sSysprepInf, "Unattended", "UpdateUPHAL", "ACPIAPIC_UP,C:\Windows\Inf\Hal.inf"
		oLogging.CreateEntry "HAL Type is ACPIAPIC_UP, updating sysprep.inf", LogTypeInfo

		Call CopyHalFiles()

	else
		writeini sSysprepInf, "Unattended", "UpdateHAL", "ACPIAPIC_MP,C:\Windows\Inf\Hal.inf"
		oLogging.CreateEntry "HAL Type is ACPIAPIC_MP, updating sysprep.inf", LogTypeInfo

		Call CopyHalFiles()

	end if

   ElseIf sHalType(0) = "acpiapic_up" Then

	WriteIni sSysprepInf, "Unattended", "UpdateUPHAL", "ACPIAPIC_UP,C:\Windows\Inf\Hal.inf"
	oLogging.CreateEntry "HAL Type is ACPIAPIC_UP, updating sysprep.inf", LogTypeInfo

	Call CopyHalFiles()


   ElseIf sHalType(0) = "acpiapic_mp" Then

	writeini sSysprepInf, "Unattended", "UpdateHAL", "ACPIAPIC_MP,C:\Windows\Inf\Hal.inf"
	oLogging.CreateEntry "HAL Type is ACPIAPIC_MP, updating sysprep.inf", LogTypeInfo

	Call CopyHalFiles()

   Else

	oLogging.CreateEntry "HAL Type is ACPIPIC, Do nothing", LogTypeInfo

   End if


End Sub

Sub CopyHalFiles()


	sSourceFolder = "C:\Drivers\UniProcHAL"
	sDestinationFolder = "C:\Windows\System32"

    oLogging.CreateEntry "Checking for" & sSourceFolder, LogTypeInfo

	If oFSO.FolderExists(sSourceFolder) then 

        oLogging.CreateEntry "Folder " & sSourceFolder & " Found", LogTypeInfo
		oLogging.CreateEntry "Copying HAL files for UniProc and MultiProc Comatibility", LogTypeInfo

		For Each sFile In oFSO.GetFolder(sSourceFolder).Files

			oFSO.GetFile(sFile).Copy sDestinationFolder & "\" & oFSO.GetFileName(sFile),True
			oLogging.CreateEntry "Copying " & oFSO.GetFileName(sFile) & " to " & sDestinationFolder, LogTypeInfo 

		Next

	Else
		oLogging.CreateEntry "Error - Folder " & sSourceFolder & " Not Found", LogTypeError
		oLogging.CreateEntry "Error - Copying HAL files for UniProc and MultiProc Comatibility Failed ", LogTypeError

		CopyHalFiles = Failure
    	Exit Sub
	End If


End Sub


Function ReadIni(file, section, item)

    ReadIni = ""
    file = Trim(file)
    item = Trim(item)
    Set ini = oFSO.OpenTextFile( file, 1, True)

    Do While ini.AtEndOfStream = False
		line = ini.ReadLine
		line = Trim(line)
		If LCase(line) = "[" & LCase(section) & "]" Then
			line = ini.ReadLine
			line = Trim(line)
			Do While Left( line, 1) <> "["
				'If InStr( 1, line, item & "=", 1) = 1 Then
				equalpos = InStr(1, line, "=", 1 )
				If equalpos > 0 Then
					leftstring = Left(line, equalpos - 1 )
					leftstring = Trim(leftstring)
					If LCase(leftstring) = LCase(item) Then
						ReadIni = Mid( line, equalpos + 1 )
						ReadIni = Trim(ReadIni)
						Exit Do
					End If
				End If

				If ini.AtEndOfStream Then Exit Do
				line = ini.ReadLine
				line = Trim(line)
			Loop
			Exit Do
		End If
	Loop
	ini.Close

End Function

Sub WriteIni( file, section, item, myvalue )

	in_section = False
	section_exists = False
	item_exists = ( ReadIni( file, section, item ) <> "" )
	wrote = False
	file = Trim(file)
	itemtrimmed = Trim(item)
	myvalue = Trim(myvalue)

	temp_ini = oFSO.GetParentFolderName(file) & "\" & oFSO.GetTempName

	Set read_ini = oFSO.OpenTextFile( file, 1, True, TristateFalse )
	Set write_ini = oFSO.CreateTextFile( temp_ini, False)

	While read_ini.AtEndOfStream = False
		line = read_ini.ReadLine
		linetrimmed = Trim(line)
		If wrote = False Then
			If LCase(line) = "[" & LCase(section) & "]" Then
				section_exists = True
				in_section = True
			ElseIf InStr( line, "[" ) = 1 Then
				in_section = False
			End If
		End If

		If in_section Then
			If item_exists = False Then
				write_ini.WriteLine line
				write_ini.WriteLine item & "=" & myvalue
				wrote = True
				in_section = False
			Else
				equalpos = InStr(1, line, "=", 1 )
				If equalpos > 0 Then
					leftstring = Left(line, equalpos - 1 )
					leftstring = Trim(leftstring)
					If LCase(leftstring) = LCase(item) Then
						write_ini.WriteLine itemtrimmed & "=" & myvalue
						wrote = True
						in_section = False
					End If
				End If
				If Not wrote Then
					write_ini.WriteLine line
				End If
			End If
		Else
			write_ini.WriteLine line
		End If
	Wend

	If section_exists = False Then ' section doesn't exist
		write_ini.WriteLine
		write_ini.WriteLine "[" & section & "]"
		write_ini.WriteLine itemtrimmed & "=" & myvalue
	End If

	read_ini.Close
	write_ini.Close
        If oFSO.FileExists(file) then
            oFSO.DeleteFile file, True
        End if
        oFSO.CopyFile temp_ini, file, true
	oFSO.DeleteFile temp_ini, True

End Sub

   </script>
</job>

Edited July 21, 2011 by Tripredacus
codebox to code :p

[Kingskawn]

In our production enviroment we uses an in house developed four step method:

0. Operating system and mui

1. Hotfixes/patches and apps

2. Gui Adjustments

3. Defrag and sysprep

for each of these steps we take a new image, therefore it's wery rare that we do a new 0 image. Uasally we just load that up from disk, and goes into step one, adds the last months uppdates, patches and changed apps. Step two is mostly automated but some GUI tweaks requiers manual adjustments, therefore we have a checklist for that, Step three is fully auto with the exption of adjusting sysprep inf for new massstorage controllers. This gives us very stable "fat" images containing everything an ordinary user requires to start working.

Doing this the scripted way takes about 6-7 Hours, With imaging it taks 30 min to reinstall a PC. This means that we don't do deeper troubleshoting of software problems anymore. Helpdesk uses 15 max to try and fix it, if they can't they reinstall the PC remotly or asks the user to press F12 to start the reinstallation manually. A coffeebreak (about 30 min) later he/she has a working machine again. If you compare that with dispatching a tech and in worst case having the box replaced, imaging saves time for the users and lowers our operating costs. Especially if you have many offices and don't have local techs on all locations

Sure it takes some time to maintain the images but with 19K boxes it's sufficient to save a few minutes/a box to pay for the image handeling time. The rest is a bonus.

Nice to see that you can do an install in just 30minutes. Maybe you could make a tutorial of what consists those 4 steps you're using. Leave out your production settings and make it in an universal way.

[Kingskawn]

I don't know about anyone else but I use the following script. It runs after the WIM has been copied to C:\ and updates sysprep.inf with the information for the appropiate HAL. So far it hasn't failed me yet.

'On Error Resume Next

Set objWshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")

' Activate the partition

Call ActivateDisk()

' Customize the local sysprep.inf file based on the HAL type

Call UpdateSysprepinf ()

' Done, quit.

WScript.Quit

Sub ActivateDisk()

' Wait a few seconds, assign drive letter and activate

wscript.sleep 5000

cmd = "cmd /c diskpart.exe /s Activate.txt"

rc = objWshShell.run(cmd, 6, 1)

......

How can I use this script in MS ConfigMgr 2007?