Deploying a Vista or Server 2008 Image. Getting corrupt winload.exe???

TravisMcC's picture
TravisMcC
February 3rd, 2009

We have had a problem deploying Vista machines for a while now. We can pull the image with no problems, but every time we go to deploy, we get the Windows Boot Manager alert telling us winload.exe is corrupt. A simple repair of the MBR fixes it, but that is hardly an efficient deployment.

Up until now, I have just snickered at my PC team that handles the Vista deployments. However I am trying to deploy a Server 2008 Image and getting exactly the same error. I realize its the same kernel. But we have tried this on 4 different PC platforms, and now 3 different server platforms.

Has anyone run into this, and (hopefully) found a workaround \ fix?

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spazzzen's picture
spazzzen
41 weeks 10 hours ago

Vista = :(

I have been having the same issues with Vista images. The only solution I have found so far is a repair of Vista after the image has been pushed down. This is definitly not the way I would want to do any kind of mass deployment, but we are not moving to vista yet (an no future plans to) so it is just me testing it with the DS.

0 votes
Greeneye's picture
Greeneye
41 weeks 7 hours ago

Here are some things to try

Here are some things to try when you hit this problem.

  • When restoring the image, use the –RESTORESIG in RapiDeploy. (The solution can only be used when performing one to one imaging).
  • After the restore process is completed but before the computer reboots back to Windows Vista, run a WinPE script to call BCDEDIT.exe. These are the commands to run:

    bcdedit /store c:\boot\BCD /set {default} device PARTITION=d: (or C: or boot if it is a single partition installation)
    bcdedit /store c:\boot\BCD /set {default} osdevice PARTITION=d: (or C: or boot if it is a single partition installation)
    bcdedit /store c:\boot\BCD /set {legacy} device boot

  • Use Sysprep before creating the image.
  • Add a Run Script task just before the capture image task - add the following to call BCDEdit this will properly prepare the drive for capturing

    REM Execute BCDEdit and prepare for imaging.
    REM Find the system root and append system32 and BCDedit
    %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/Bcdedit.exe -set {bootmgr} device BOOT
    %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/Bcdedit.exe -set {default} device BOOT
    %SYSTEMROOT%/system32/Bcdedit.exe -set {default} osdevice BOOT
0 votes
viddect's picture
viddect
40 weeks 6 days ago

imaging vista and win2k8 in linux

i have noticed this doesnt happen when you do 1 of 2 things.

1. image in linux automation
2. replace dagent with aclient in automation. You can do that by replacing the runagent.bat from the \\server\express\bootwiz\platforms\winpe\x86\templates\runagent.bat and copy that file and paste it to

\\server\express\bootwiz\platforms\winpe2\x86\templates diretory.

You will have to regenerate the winpe images after you do that.

Linux Man
Viddect

0 votes
spazzzen's picture
spazzzen
40 weeks 6 days ago

Does not work for Vista

I did image in Linux, the problem was still there. The AClient is not supported in Vista either, so I dont see how that would help at all.

0 votes
Nelo's picture
Nelo
39 weeks 6 days ago

Capturing an image of Vista

It does not matter what preboot is used to capture the image. The client needs to prepare for imaging before it reboots into automation. Prepare for imaging means DAgent to execute the bcdedit so it could remove the uniqueness from the client (Volume, Disk, Partition) and then reboot into automation for the image capture.

This could also be done without an agent doing the "Prepare for imaging" execute the commands that green eyes produced reboot the machine and make sure that a preboot is the first boot so an image could be captured.

nelo

0 votes