Hi Luke,

Are you using sysprep'd images? I've seen this with Windows 2008 Server, and the reason is taking pure images of these systems without sysprep isn't supported. Moving to sysprep resolves the problem as it reconfigures BootManager for you.

You can probably work around it using BCDEdit, but probably best move forward with sysprep.

Kind Regards,
Ian./

Ah,

How do I sysprep Windows 7?

Welcome to vista/windows 7.  Honestly, I think the BCD is a step backwards from the boot.ini.  It might be easier just to run these commands post imaging:

bcdedit /set {default} device partition=c:   
bcdedit /set {default} osdevice partition=c: 
bcdedit /set {bootmgr} device partition=c:   

Or try 'boot' instead of 'partition=c:' before saving the image.  Sysprep is a whole new can of worms, especially if you try to use the copyprofile feature.  Be sure to backup your image before trying it.  Here's a good intro on it:

http://blog.brianleejackson.com/sysprep-a-windows-...

Hi Luke and Tamahome,

I too find boot manager too a step back from boot.ini -its binary database like nature makes it a pain to deal with with all editing/fixing having to be performed using bcdedit. And the fact it doesn't like being imaged is just plain ugly.

I've found sysprep with Windows 7 fairly painless though inDS6.9SP4. You can upload an image using Sysprep with Deployment Server simply by checking the box to use sysprep on the image create task. As Windows Windows 7 has sysprep built in, you don't have to do anything else but select the OS version in the sysprep field and 'USE EXISTING KEY'

When you deploy the image, you just say it was created using sysprep. That's it.

Its really very easy, and you the result is you have a Microsoft supported deployment mechanism, and there is no need to mess with  bcdedit scripts to rectify problems. If you want to get fancy you can start mucking around with your own sysprep files, but you don't actually have to.

Kind Regards,
Ian./

@ianatkin: Doesn't the computer ask which network you want when you login after imaging (public, private, domain)?

Hi Tamahome,

Interestingly, on some images I do, and on other's I don't. I just stick with the images where it doesn't... ;-)

But you are correct it is irritating when this pops up. The Deployment server default unattend file for Win7 has the right tags configured,

Can you put in your own unattend.xml?

Hi Tamahome,

yep -you sure can. In the 'Distribute disk image' task this can be change the sysprep xml source  by clicking the 'advanced' button in the sysprep frame.

Kind Regards,
Ian./

Hmm, I'm suprised you can't specify a sysprep answer file when you create the disk image.

I see what you mean. I've personally not had any need to change this though as you can do so much with sysprep at deployment time. And I've done a few Windows7 deployments now.

If you desperately need to meddle with the sysprep file, I imagine that the xml used as the base is the vista sysprep file in the sysprep folder on the express share.

Probably.... ;-)

Kind Regards,
Ian./ 

Ok,

its been a while but I am still having issues, during capture of WIN7 my machine will not contact the DS.

Looking at the capture job the status is set to Restarting computer to prepare for imaging.

Also an interesting issue has occured that during the job, WIN7 seems to forget its on a domain and will not allow me to login using my domain creds........

Hi,

It's been a while since I have had problems deploying Windows 7 images. I can't remember the exact error I got after deploying the IMG file to a computer. However It wouldn't load Windows 7 and that is why I ended up using Ghost instead. 

You can use DOS for PXE. Both for capturing and deploying and best of all is that you don't need to run BCDEDIT after deploying the image.

The only "problem" I have seen deploying a Windows 7 Image using GHOST from DOS is that I had to add -NTEXACT at the end of the parameters command line in the job.

just my 2 cents.

Hi Iryder,

When preparing windows images, don't domain join them. The domain join should be done on deployment, and I find an DS configuration job works most robustly for this.

You might find this a useful read...   Windows7 -Untangling Scripted Installs, Sysprep and Configuration Passes

As for the Image Capture not appearing to do anything, if you are using sysprep take a look in taskmgr on the client to see if sysprep.exe is running.

Kind Regards,
Ian./

Ian,

No the process is not running at all......

damn this is complicated to do a simple job

Hi Iryder,

Lower down in the blog it shows you how to create a sysprep and upload task with Deployment Server. Could you follow that and let me know what happens by private message? Let's see if we can sort this out today once and for all.

Kind Regards,
Ian./

HEY, I remember this. I've had problems very similar to yours.

Lryder, does the dagent client show "connection closed, session terminated" if you ask it for its status?

If so, you are not alone. It's to do with sysprep trying to run, but not being able to, leaving your computer in a crappy half-sysprep'd state. You can try changing your registry keys for "IMAGE_STATE_COMPLETE" and see if you are out of Rearms, by running in CMD "slmgr /dlv"

Unfortunately, Altiris' default sysprep answer file generalizes your system and rearms Windows Activation, which can only be done 3 times. Towards the bottom of this thread I sort out changing the registry for skip-rearm.

Try changing those two keys, and see if Altiris will issue a job now.