Deployment Solution

Hello folks,

I have a few questions regarding the proper way to pull a Windows 7 image using DS 7.1
I opted to setup the windows 7 image on the machine using Windows Audit mode.
I've completed setting it up how I want it deployed and now I need Altiris to create the image.
The next step in the windows setup is to execute the following command complete the sysprep:

sysprep /generalize/ oobe /shutdown /unattend:unattend.xml

The problem is, if I do this, the machine shuts down. I can run a "capture image" task on the machine at this point but if I do so without using a "prepare for image capture" task, Altiris will not record the product key and as a result, I cannot deploy the image because the "product key" field in the "deploy Image" task will not have a valid value in the drop down box. The other problem is, I can only run a "prepare for image capture" task while the machine is in windows.

So, how do I get Altiris to do a "prepare for image capture" but at the same time have it run the sysprep command above to get it out of audit mode?
 

Thanks!

Mike

I take you dont want the Symantec Agent installed?  the DS handler in the Symantec Agent will execute sysprep /generalize/ oobe  /unattend:unattend.xml then the agent will do a reboot.

If you dont want the Symantec Agent Installed the. execute sysprep /generalize/ oobe  /unattend:unattend.xml  (note. I have removed the shutdown) I think u could add /reboot or u could restart the machine manually.

Do not let the client boot into production (Windows 7) make it boot to WinPE either via PXE, CD boot or thumb drive boot. All of these methods  boot WinPE have a symantec agent aquivalent (pectagent.exe) to connect to the main ns.  Create a capture disk image type task and assigned it to the client (type hostname in winpe to match it in NS).

Now, there is another way to do this with the Symantec Agent installed in the client. You could feed you own custom xml file to the "Prepare for imaging" task.

Hope this helps,

Nelson v.

I would like to prepare an image with the Symantec Agent installed in the client, but am unsure where to put the cusom xml file.  Any thoughts???  I do know that when deploying an image, the xml is located at .\nscap\bin\win32\x86\deployment but i'm unsure if that is also the location I need to add the xml when preparing the image.

Thanks!

Not to thread hijack, but I want to do this also - use audit mode and a custom unattend (so I can do copy profile).  I wish symantec would just have a checkbox to pipe in the copy profile tag into their standard unattend/sysprep... but anyway.

Way_grave - My steps were

Put my custom unattend in a folder I created - path \NSCap\bin\Win32\X86\Deployment\CustomSysprep\unattend.xml. 

I installed win7 on a machine, ran win updates, booted into audit mode (without generalizing).  Made few base image changes - didn't install the agent (probably should've) - and shut down.  This computer was already in the console from before I reinstalled win7 so I dropped my "create win7 image" task which boots to PXE, then does "prepare for image capture," "create disk image" and then reboots to production.

It created fine, but when I restored it using my deploy job (which points to my custom unattend), it didn't seem to use the custom unattend and I can't figure out why.  It actually booted back into audit mode.  No erros in the deploy job.

Nelo - in your post you say there is a place in "prepare for imaging" we should point it to our custom unattend?  Where, I don't see it?  I did place it in the deploy job.  Would my problems be resolved somewhat if I had the agent on the base image, which was more an oversight more than anything else?

"Now, there is another way to do this with the Symantec Agent installed in the client. You could feed you own custom xml file to the "Prepare for imaging" task."

Can you explain how you set your own custom XML file?

Ooops I was wrong, The Deploy Image task is the one that allows a custom xml file to be delivered after an imaging job.

Nelo

Ok.  So it delivers the custom XML file.  How do you kick off the sysprep command using the custom xml file from the Altiris Console?

ajcarlson, in the deploy image task in 7.1 there is a dialogue to point it to your custom .xml file (that you would have already uploaded to the DS server), or am I misunderstanding?