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How to configure session name when using Task?

  • 1.  How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 19, 2007 08:04 AM
    Can u configure specific session name when using console to create a task? Normally it seems to name session servernamepushXX where XX is number. You can give session name if you use ghostcast server to create a session or use command line to create a session but what about ghost console?
     
    The problem is that i have configured a ghost bootimage to connect to a session named ROLLOUT. When i use ghost console to create session through task, the name of the session will not be ROLLOUT but servernamepushxx etc. I want to use ghost console and task method instead of Ghostcast server becouse i will have deploy configurations to number of workstions.


  • 2.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 21, 2007 03:03 AM
    Hi Ervi,
     
    Currently it is not possible to change the session name of the GhostCast session, when running a Console task. Console generates it each time to make sure that the name is unique to avoid many issues such as clients getting connected to the wrong GC session in case of multiple tasks.
     
    When using the console, it uses Virtual Partition (or Ghost Boot partition) to boot to DOS. In these situations, there is no need to do any manual changes since Console looks after configuring DOS parameters. Do you have the Windows client installed in the machines that you want to re-image?
     
    Krish


  • 3.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 23, 2007 05:16 AM
    Well i´m trying to automate Ghost with 3COM boot services and PXE. Client machines need to transfer Network Boot Image (with PXE Packet Driver) for booting. This bootimage is created with extra parameter -ja=<session name>  so session on the ghost cast server has to be created with same name mentioned in ja= parameter. OK..this fine if i would want to create session through ghost cast server. Anyway i would want to attach configuration files to computer being restored becouse i would not like to configurure every single machine by my own hands. I know how to do this in Consle. What i dont know is, can configuration files be used with session created through Ghost cast server? I dont want to create own image files for every single machine being restored.
     
    Maybe i forget booting through PXE and just use remote client software in client machines for booting.


  • 4.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 24, 2007 12:48 AM
    Hi Ervi,
     
    Console assigns the generated session name when the task is run, and it is not possible to change it. You have two solutions:
     
    If you are using the Console, it is easier to use the Console client rather than the PXE (or CD) boot. Console tasks are not designed to work in that way and certainly there will be more problems.
     
    If you use Console, you can run these tasks remotely without visiting the machine too. Other than imaging, there are many other features in Console to manage the clients through out the life cycle of the client.
     
    If you want to use the manual boot method (PXE, CD etc), then you need not to use Console but use just the GhostCast server. For the configurations, you can use the standalone client and GhConfig.exe, which can do similar configuration changes like Console, but without connecting to a Console. However, in that case you need to provide the correct configuration data for each client for GhConfig to change the configuration. (GhConfig is available in GSS 2.0, there is a slightly different process for earlier versions - but both can configur clients without a need of Console).
     
    Krish


  • 5.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 24, 2007 04:46 AM
    Couple of extra questions allthough a bit offtopic.
     

    1. Can ghost cast server and Ghost console be installed on different machines? Is it possible to have single ghost cast server and several Ghost consoles on different machines for administering?

    2. What about Console registration? Currently I have installed ghost cast server and console for testing purposes only. When im gonna install them on our production server can i use same registration or do i have to reregister?



  • 6.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 25, 2007 06:12 AM
    Hi Ervi,
     
    No, if you use Console, it always run the GC server in the same machine. So the answer is no to your second question too. This is something we too think is very valuable to add to Ghost.
     
    When you say registration, do you mean the License registration? This is slightly different for different versions. If it is prior to 2.0, once you get the validatoin key, you can only use it in a machine with same computer name and user name. But if you want a new validation key, you will be able to get it through tech support.
    In case of 2.0, probably you have an ELS key, which could be used for the other Console. If you are using a trialware version, you will get a new key when you purchase Ghost.
     
    Krish


  • 7.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 25, 2007 08:08 AM
    By registration i mean registration file asked by Ghost Console.
     
    Still another question...readme.txt says that remote client package cannot be installed to vmware virtual machines. I tried to install remote client to vmware virtual machines and indeed it failed. Program couldnt be installed ´cause of authentication problem. I would be very happy if this problem can be solved in future updetes becouse we use lots of virtual machines for demonstration purposes.


  • 8.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 26, 2007 12:56 AM
    I've been using VMWare for a while without problems.

    Just a note if you're using XP machines (VMWare or real machines) you'd need to change some settings to allow Console to be able to remote client install to it.

    1. Make sure you have 'File and Printer sharing' as an exception in the Firewall.
    2. Ensure the 'Use simple file sharing' option is turned off.  This is located in My Computer - Tools - Folder Options and under the View tab.

    Check those settings first and hopefully it'd work after that.

    Cheers,
    Bruce


  • 9.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 26, 2007 01:51 AM
    You are the man Bruce :O) After those changes remote installation of client was piece of cake...thanks. In our company though file and printer sharing cannot be left on since its potential security threat.


  • 10.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 26, 2007 08:16 AM
    I´m trying to get into situtation where i dont have to walk to the machines being backed up or cloned. Now if the workstation is joined to the domain, ghost tasks cannot be continued before user has logged to the domain. This forces me to walk to the workstations so i can log in to the domain..after that task continues. Is there a way to get around thist?
     
    Also is it so that you cannot change network configuration from static to DHCP or vice versa through configuration task. You can change static IP to a different IP if target machine is using static network configuration but u cannot force it to change static to DHCP....correct? I need to do this somehow.

    I cloned 2 workstations which used same image in where IP settings where assigned as static. Within same task i checked clone step and Configuration step. In configuration file network settings were set using DHCP. At the end of task i noticed that network settings in both cloned workstations where as it was in model computer. This caused of course IP conflict. When i watched task log i noticed that configuration step was executed before clone task...weird?

    Anyway how should i do if i need to clone 10 workstation and use same image for cloning. In image file there is static IP settings configured. Can i do 10 conf files for each computer? When these computers are restored do they cause IP conflict before conf files change their IP settings or do conf files change their IP settings before IP confilct occurs.

     

    Message Edited by Ervi on 04-26-200705:52 AM

    Message Edited by Ervi on 04-26-200706:16 AM



  • 11.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 26, 2007 09:29 AM
    Oh my my my... I just joined this forum a couple days ago and I could spend weeks answering questions on this forum explaining how I have gotten around the shortcomings of the consoles inadequacies and the fact that i have asked for many many of these features reqpeatedly in product updates but have given up because Symantec turns a deaf ear.
     
    Bottom line YES YOU CAN spawn ghostcast servers to different machines from the console.  It requires replacing the ghostsrv executeable on the console server with a custom one (such as one I wrote).  The command line arguments passed to it tell it what server to remotely spawn the ghostcast session on and it does so.  Some prerequisites involve having the image file in place already on the remote machine.
     
    If you want to PXE boot I wrote something up yesterday in a different thread for someone wanting to keep a statically running ghostcast session.  I use them daily with PXE boots.  SRVANY.EXE will allow you to spawn a ghostcast session with a static name that your PXE boot can referance and its always available unless in use.  I actually trap the error thrown if the session is in use if another machine is netbooted after the sessions starts, sleep for a few minutes and then retry to join again over and over until it does.
     
    Ghost could be such a better product if they actually listenend to the customer.  Having spent the time I have talking to development people and tech support people I can see why it is lacking.
     
    SO.. for the love of god symantec, stop requiring WINS when the console and clients are in a different subnet.  You pass the {Editted for Content} console server name, whats wrong with passing its IP instead?? ARGHH..
     
    Sorry had to rant, I have been asking for that for years now.

    Message Edited by David.Poprik on 04-26-200706:29 AM


    Mod Note: Please do not use any profanities in the the forums. For guidlines please see the Discussion Forums Terms and Conditions.


     

    Thank you.

    Message Edited by John_B on 04-26-2007 07:14 AM



  • 12.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 26, 2007 01:20 PM
    I have wondered why IP address in not valid information when remote installing client software to workstations?


  • 13.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 27, 2007 02:33 AM
    Hi Ervi,
     
    To answer your first post, what steps does not run when the machine joins the domain? Usually, this should not be the case unless it expects a user input.
     
    Currently it is not the recommended way to use DHCP configured machines to static IP and vice versa, though it may work under some circumstances. However, if you are deploying an image with static IP to multiple machines, select the static IP and you can give an IP address range. Then it will assign a unique IP to each machine.
     
    Probably we should allow using the IP address when installing remote client, but this was not requested by many users so far.
     
    Krish
     
     


  • 14.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 27, 2007 02:45 AM
    Couple of guestions about conf.files.
     
    If i use template conf. file and want to computers to be joined to domain during conf. task do i have to create computer accounts manyally to the domain before i run conf. task?
     
    What is the meanin of User name - Apply user name? Does conf task log in using this user name?
     
    I have probs to get bunch of workstations to be joined to the domain using template configurationtask.


  • 15.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 27, 2007 02:53 AM
    You need not to create the machine accounts in the domain, Console will create it at the beginning of the task. If you look at the task log, there is a step 'Create machine account'. This is where it creates it.
     
    User name is just to have the user name already entered in the logon screen. Actually this is no much of a use these days since most of the organizations select not to display the last logon user. However, it is coming from the days when it was not an issue, and users could logon to the machien just typing the password.
     
    Look at the task log and see if the 'Create machine account' step is successful. If you have the accounts already in the Domain, Console account may not have enough rights to re-create them. If it is successful, you should have a failure in Configuration step further down. There is a log file netsetup.log in Windows\debug folder that gives a details of how the join domain process progressed.
     
     


  • 16.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 27, 2007 03:57 AM
    Does console use GHOST_GHOSTPAL (is domain user membership for this user account enough?) account for creating of the machine accounts. I havent notice place to give administrative account for creation of computer accounts in Template type of Conf although there is one in conf file that is not template.
     
    EDIT: Ok i can join workstations to Domain using conf.file that is NOT template. There i can give my admin account for creation of comp.accounts. If iuse conf.file as template workstations cannot be joined to domain. If there is no comp.accounts in domain, task + temp.conf file gives error pointing out that there is no comp.accounts in domain. If i create comp.accounts manually and execute task+temp.conf file it gives error that user account or password is invalid (what user account might that be??)

    Message Edited by Ervi on 04-27-200702:11 AM



  • 17.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 27, 2007 05:43 AM
    I´m a bit confuse here (as u may have noticed ) and still nees some basic info
     
    Does cloning + excuting conf files happen something like this?
     
    - i have image where i use static IP 172.17.73.201 I want to clone this image to 2 workstations
     
    - i make conf.files for each of 2 workstations (not template) where i set unique IP, name to these workstatins + join them to the domain
     
    - i make task where i clone image to 2 workstations  + attach separate conf.file to each of the 2 workstations
     
    - i execute task
     
    I tried this and almost everything went ok. At the end of the task both workstations hanged when desktop should have appeared. Task log showed: To target operating system: FAILED
     
    EDIT: Is it so that configuration runs before clone in task? Seems a bit strange but maybe clone doesnt overwrite changes made by conf?

    Message Edited by Ervi on 04-27-200703:16 AM



  • 18.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 30, 2007 03:47 AM
    Ahem...i did some further reading on forums and learned to use default configuration for machines with client softeware installed and conf files for machines without OS.


  • 19.  RE: How to configure session name when using Task?

    Posted Apr 30, 2007 03:49 AM
    Hi Ervi,
     
    To answer your issue with Domain join, I think I realized what is going on.
     
    Before you create config files to join machines to domains, you need to add them to the supported domain list using Tools->Supported Domains. When you add the domain to the supported domain list, it ask for the administrative credentials of the domain. When creating Configurations, you select these supported domains from the drop down list. By your explanation, probably you have typed the domain name rather than adding and selecting.
    When adding the domains to the supported domains list, it creates the account in the domain using an pseudo-random password. If you would like to change this password, you can select 'EDIT' in the same dialog box and change the username and the passwrod.
     
    For your second question - Configuration certainly run after cloning. Since you had the previous issues with domain join, could you try the same task without domain join and see if it is working?
     
    Krish