Missing WIM Images

[JononE]

Hello

I wonder if anyone has had this same problem, and hopefully solved it!

I created an image using XP and syspreped the image, then captured it using WAIK and stored it on the WDS Server. I then can deploy that image over the network (pressing F12 and booting into the nice GUI) without a problem.... but if I boot up with a slightly different spec Computer (we are talking about a NEC 5210 and NEC 5410 almost identical spec machines) all the images are shown on the WDS Server except the 5210 image I created.

Does WDS do a quick spec of the PC it's deploying it to ? The machine that doesent see the image I want to deploy sees all the other images, and will install any other image - except the one I want to deploy (typical!)

I'm trying to make a generic Laptop image for all the Laptops in the company - got 3 out of 5 working but the NEC 5410 and an Acer Laptops just don't see the Laptop image I freshly created and want to deploy even though a Samsung, Toshiba and 5210 all see and install that image.

I can't see it being drivers in the boot.wim (which was my first idea) because the dissapearing image works on other Laptops - just not on all of them... and I don't think it's a chipset issue because the 5210 and 5410 are almost identical.

Has anyone else seen this ? resolved this ? any ideas ? another Microsoft problem driving me mad LOL

Thanks!

[JononE]

Been doing a lot of research on this and if anyone's interested... here are my findings.

When you network boot your computer and the boot loader starts to load, it does perform a HAL check on the computer you are deploying the image to. This is only really an issue if your deploying XP as Vistas HAL check is a lot better. The problem of images not appearing is to do with the processor type of the computer used to create the image...

http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPo...2&SiteID=17

So if it's a uni processor (UP) or a multi processor (MP) (You can find that out by right clicking on the image on the WDS Server and looking at the properties) the image XP can only be deployed to computers wit hthe same processor spec. You can convert an image from UP to MP or vice versa by editing the sysprep.inf file and adding...

*ADD IF WANTING TO MAKE UNIPROCESSOR BECOME MULTIPROCESSOR

UpdateHAL = ACPIAPIC_MP,%WINDIR%\inf\hal.inf

*ADD IF WANTING TO MAKE MULTIPROCESSOR IMAGE BECOME UNIPROCESSOR

UpdateUPHAL = ACPIAPIC_UP,%WINDIR%\Inf\Hal.inf

You then need to sysprep the PC with a mini setup. The mini setup part is what changes the processor type so before you capture this image, you need to sysprep it again or it doesn't work. When the image has been captured, check the processor type and it should have been changed.

This though has not solved my problem. I have e-mailed Microsoft via Technet and I am currently awaiting an answer.

http://forums.microsoft.com/technet/ShowPo...;postid=3146084

[JononE]

Solved

It was a varation of what I posted before...

The NEC M5410 was a "acpipc_up" instead of an "acpiapic_up" so I used the sysprep.inf file to convert the HAL type.

Done n Dusted.

If anyone gets this fault I think the easiest way to determine a computers HAL processor type is... If a computer can’t see an XP image – sysprep – capture it – look at the properties. Use an existing image – modify the sysprep.inf file – sysprep it twice – capture image.

[Tripredacus]

Solved

It was a varation of what I posted before...

The NEC M5410 was a "acpipc_up" instead of an "acpiapic_up" so I used the sysprep.inf file to convert the HAL type.

Done n Dusted.

If anyone gets this fault I think the easiest way to determine a computers HAL processor type is... If a computer can’t see an XP image – sysprep – capture it – look at the properties. Use an existing image – modify the sysprep.inf file – sysprep it twice – capture image.

It sounds like the M5410 was a BIOS setting away from being the latter.