Deep Freeze. Unthawed on install.

[mrquincy]

Here are the switches that I've found for Faronics DeepFreeze:

The command line has the following options:

Syntax Description

[/install] Install Deep Freeze using installation file

[/install /Seed] Install only the specified workstation seed file

[/uninstall] Uninstall Deep Freeze

[/uninstall /Seed] Uninstall Deep Freeze and leave the workstation seed installed

[/PW=password] Sets a password during installation

[/AllowTimeChange] Allow system clock to be changed

[/Freeze=C,D,...] Freeze only drives listed (Thaws all others)

[/Thaw=C,D,...] Thaw only drives listed (Freezes all others)

[/uSB] Exempt external USB hard disks from protection (Windows 2000/XP only)

[/FireWire] Exempt external FireWire hard disks from protection (Windows 2000/XP only)

Example Command Line: DF6Wks.exe /Install /Freeze=C /PW=password

It seems like there is not a way to specify a number of thawed reboots on install before freezing partitions? Once DeepFreeze is installed you can shift double click on the toolbar icon and select a number of thawed reboots, but I'm unable to find documentation describing how to accomplish this from install. I hope someone here has experience with this issue in Deepfreeze.

I would like to achieve these unthawed boots to allow my users a time window to plug in peripherals/install printers etc before their hard drives are frozen.

I am also emailing Faronics about this. I'll report back with their answer if no one has responded; I feel this information could be valuable to others in my situation.

[PC_LOAD_LETTER]

there isnt a command line/DFconsole switch for reboot thawed after installing (or for setting x num of reboots thawed even after installed) the only way AFAIK is to set it locally on each machine in the GUI with Ctrl+Alt+Shift+F6

if you are running DF enterprise, on the server console, you could add a scheduled task set to 'reboot frozen' to run at say midnight then add the workstations there after you deploy them. then the user would have infinite reboots that day then after midnight, the PC would refreeze (though if the PC is off when the job is scheduled it wont run)

Im pretty knowledgeable with deepfreeze since i use it daily but for a definitive answer, you really should ask over at http://www.faronicslabs.com for a definitive answer. Their tech support is the best of any company ive ever worked with.

[mrquincy]

Thanks for the reply geek! Faronics agrees with you. Here's what they have to say:

Currently the install file will not allow to Reboot Thawed on next X reboots.

There are functions for DFC (Deep Freeze CommandLine) that will allow you to use a batch file to set that parameter.

Deep Freeze - Rapid Deployment

http://www.faronics.com/whitepapers/DF_RapidDeployment.pdf

Deep Freeze - Remote Administration with Secure Command Line Control http://www.faronics.com/whitepapers/DF_Rem...inistration.pdf

For Example the command:

DFC password /THAWNEXTBOOT

Will:

Sets workstation to restart Thawed the next time it restarts; only works on Frozen workstations and does not force workstation to restart

Please have a look at the above white papers to see if you are able to use a batch file to do what you were attempting. If you have any questions please feel free to contact us at your convenience

To go into more detail: Faronics recommends using DFC.exe in conjunction with a batch file. I'm setting up DeepFreeze to stay unthawed for 5 days using an imported Task in Task Scheduler, DFC.exe, and batch files.

Edited March 31, 2009 by mrquincy