Deployment Solution

This may not even be possible but thought I would ask anyway.

Is there a way that when I image a PC via Intial deplyment ... in other words the PC doesn't exist in my Altiris console ... to prompt and then change the name in the Altiris console, via the PE boot CD BEFORE the image comes down?

Basically my image comes down then names the PC whatever name is in the Altiris console ... and if I could prompt and set that before that started ... that would be very handy.

Any thoughts are appreciated.

You could put a ComputerName=* to pause in sysprep, or use a token to make it say ComputerName=%SERIALNUM% or ComputerName=%ASSETTAG%

Alternatively, you could make your Initial Deployment option a 'Wait task'. Then in your DS console you can right click and choose rename when it comes up as its default serial number name. Then in sysprep have ComputerName=%NAME%. Once you have re-named it in the console drag and drop your image job on the machine and it will pull the name you picked in the console.

I'd read up more on tokens so you know your options.

Thanks for your reply ...

I have Sysprep set up right now to wait and prompt for a name, then use a replacetokens command to change it to the name in the console. The problem for us with that is we roll out machines left and right and when they are prompted for the name, it just ends up delaying our deployments some ... and if I could get it done AHEAD of the imaging either by a prompt or what not, then it would make deployments much easier and quicker for us.

Your wait task is an option .. I was think that or using the command line to prompt for a name then if possible change it from there in the console (via command line).

You can either do that, or you can prestage the machines in the console using the serial number of the machine. Make the name and machine name the same. That way, when you kick off the deploy job (don't believe initial deployment will work after this) it will already have a name associated with it.

Yeah I thought about prestaging but in our environment that may not work either .... due to time constraints and having to dig the ne PC out, gather that info ... then go back and set it up in the console.

It's an excellent idea though ...

Depending on the manufacturer of the computer, you can sometimes get that information ahead of time (before you receive the product). Some manufacturers (Dell I know does this) put the serial number (service tag) on the outside of the shipping box. This is all you really need to prestage it. It's not like the old days where you had to have the MAC address.

Okay .. maybe I'll give that a go. I remember in previous versions that you had to have the MAC as well .. but if I only need the SN then that changes things dramatically.

I tested it on my end and it works perfectly in 6.9 SP1. Like I said though, Initial Deployment won't work, you'll have to assign the job after you prestage it.

And prestaging the image is fine. Usually they can do all of that ahead of time then just boot to PE.

I'll give this a go. Thanks.

well I tried to prestage and either I did something wrong or it doesn't work right.

What I did is created a new computer .. put in the dell serial number and the name I wanted .. pushed the image ... booted to my PE CD and instead of it coming up in the console under the new name ... it shows the serial number as the name in the console, but still pulls the image.

Any ideas?

UPDATE: I think I found my issue .. had to add the SN as a primary look up key.

Also, you may turn off the "Synchronize display names with computer names". This will force the console to remain at what you sent. This would also allow you to reimage existing computers, regardless of the names, and use tokens to set the names to whatever you want.