This article will help create a Vista image. Please refer my other articles on the same subject. Also some of the important information has been extracted from KB articles. I hope it will be informative for you.

Deployment Solution 6.8 introduced a new Deployment Agent, called DAgent, to support windows Vista. DAgent is used to:

• Install software
• Execute scripts
• Gather inventory and system configuration
• Integrate Windows Remote Desktop into the Deployment Console

Install the Deployment Agent on Vista

The DAgent installation program is contained in the Agents\AClient folder on the Deployment Share. To install, launch the installation MSI on the computer using an administrator account, and complete the prompts. To install the client-side, graphical, DAgent Configuration Utility (this utility is similar to the client-side configuration GUI installed with AClient), select the Dagent Config option. The graphical configuration utility is not installed by default.

Silent Installation

To perform a silent installation, use a command similar to the following:

To remotely install combine the above instructions for a silent installation with a login script or group policy object. To view additional options, run the DAgent.msi using the / ? switch from the command-line.

UnInstallation

Use the Add/Remove Programs Control Panel applet, or perform a silent removal using a command similar to the following:

msiexec.exe /x C:\DAgent\DAgent.msi /quiet

Start and Stop the DAgent Services

The DAgent Configuration Utility provides a Service Control tab to let you quickly start, stop, and restart the DAgent services.

Vista Remote Control

Deployment Solution uses the Remote Desktop feature of Vista to perform remote control. Remote Desktop must be enabled on the remote computer and you must have the required credentials to use remote control.

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Windows Vista

Vista Software Distribution

Due to increased security in Vista, software must meet the following criteria before it can be distributed using Deployment Solution:

• The software you are distributing must be Vista compliant.
• The installation is set to run as completely silent.
• No user input is required by the installation process.
• If the package requires additional files, the "copy all directory files" and/or "copy all subdirectories" options are selected to provide these files.
• If you are attempting an installation from a remote location or UNC path, only one setup executable is required to complete the installation.
• In the Distribute Software Task, you have left the advanced option on the default selection, "Copy files using Deployment Server then Execute," or you have provided appropriate domain credentials to perform a remote installation. See the release notes for additional information.

Vista Run Script Tasks

Due to increased restrictions placed on services in Vista, scripts executed by Deployment Solution cannot display anything to the user. Scripts requiring user interaction, including pause statements, will not execute correctly.

Vista Imaging

RDeploy fully supports imaging Vista computers similar to other Windows operating systems. Additionally, support is provided for the WIM format using ImageX.

How to Use ImageX for Imaging

ImageX Imaging

Deployment Solution provides native support for imaging computers using ImageX. Windows Vista and Windows XP are currently supported.

Obtaining and Installing ImageX

Before using ImageX, you must download and install the Microsoft Windows Automated Installation (WAIK) toolkit. This is available as part of the Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) Workbench.

After installation, copy the following directory:

C:\Program Files\Windows AIK\Tools

to the WAIK directory on your Deployment Share. After copying, the WAIK directory will contain a Tools subdirectory.

WinPE must be used in automation for all ImageX jobs.

Capturing and Distributing ImageX Images

As ImageX is a 3rd party tool, limited support is provided in the imaging wizard. To access the full functionality of ImageX, customize the ImageX Imaging sample jobs for your environment.

When using the Create Disk Image task, the following restrictions apply:

• Only the C drive is imaged.
• The default capture mode is fast.

When using the Distribute Disk Image task, the following restrictions apply:

• The target disk is formatted before the image is deployed. If there is a problem with the deployed image, the computer might be left in an unusable state.

See the release notes for additional information.

Running the Setup Program

After you have completed the steps outlined in the previous section, launch setup.exe. Use the administrator account you configured in the previous section to perform the installation, and provide the services account you created when prompted. If you need clarification during any of the installation steps, click Help.

After Deployment Solution is installed, you have the option of enabling Sysprep support and remotely installing the Deployment Agent.

Enable Microsoft Sysprep Support

If you plan on using Sysprep to deploy standard images and scripted operating system installs, provide the location of the deploy.cab file for the operating systems for which you want to enable Sysprep. These are located on your Windows installation CDs.

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Installing
This can be installed later by running setup.exe and selecting Component Install.

Enable Microsoft Windows Vista Sysprep Support

Microsoft Windows Vista Sysprep lets Sysprep run on a Vista Client after an Imaging event.

Vista Sysprep lets Administrators prepare generic images for deploying images to different types of systems within an environment to eliminate the support for multiple images. After building the basic image, the Administrator can run Microsoft Sysprep on a computer to delete unnecessary information and prepare the system for imaging and distribution to other systems.

Advanced Sysprep Settings for Creating a Disk Image in Windows Vista

You can use the Sysprep advanced settings dialog to specify the settings for any Windows Vista operating system. If you select Windows Vista as the operating system under Sysprep settings on the Create Disk Image dialog and click Advanced Settings, the Sysprep advanced settings dialog for Windows Vista appears. This dialog lets you select Plug-n-Play (PnP) drivers options, as well as Sysprep options, such as command-line options.

Scripted Install Summary

View a summary of the selected options for the scripted install. Click Back to change any of these settings or click Finish to complete the Scripted Install task.

Scripted Install for Windows Vista

The Scripted OS install for Windows Vista provides a wizard to help set up Vista installation files and run sample jobs. Follow the steps in the wizard to identify the type of scripted install as Vista. You can gather all the files for Vista for the job, but the server does not build any answer file. Instead, you are asked for the location of the answer file. Also, a sample answer file is provided.

To perform a Scripted Install for Windows Vista

1. On the Answer File Setup screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog, select the Modify Product Key check box. Enter the product key. Click Next.
2. From the drop-down list on the Scripted Operating System Installation screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog, select the following options:
   • Windows Vista as the operating system
   • Operating system language
   • Automation pre-boot environment

   Click Next.

3. From the Select or add new source files drop-down list on the Installation Source Files screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog, select Vista.
4. From the Select or add new service pack source files drop-down list on the Installation Source Files screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog, select the none option. Click Next.
5. Select the Select a DOS disk image\Diskpart tool option on the Partition and Format Disk screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog to partition and format the disk. Click Next.

   Note: You can select the Continue without selecting DOS image\Diskpart Tool option to partition and format the hard disk using your own scripts and setup utilities.

6. The answer file is prepared using the information entered so far. On the Scripted Operating System Installation screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog, browse to select the path of the unattended .XML file.
7. On the Scripted OS Install Commands screen of the Scripted OS Install dialog, set the command-line options for the cmdlines.txt files and enter the additional commands in the cmdlines.txt file. Click Finish.