Deployment Solution

Can DS6.9 sp6 image the PC300 NVMe SK Hynix SSD? I'm just trying to image Win7, not Win10?

Both Ghost and Rdeploy cannot image to the drive, rdeploy cant see the drive and Ghost errors out that the drive does not have enough space.

Thank you for any help!

We have seen in GSS 3.1 that a lot of customers are able to image these NVME drives if the correct storage/controller driver is found. I assume since you are using DS 6.9 you would also be using Winpe4, this means you will need a Windows 7 driver to add to your boot configuration. You will need to get the driver for that hard drive from the manufacturer.

Below is an article on locating drivers and another on adding them to your configuration

Locating the correct network drivers for your client PC on Ghost Solution Suite 
https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO124400.html

How To Add Drivers To Ghost Solution Suite
https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO124704.html

So if I was to setup a test GSS3.x server my problems may go away?

Can DS6.9 sp6 be upgraded to the latest GSS3.x ghost server or does it require a fresh install from scratch? I think I have a test server I could try upgrading.

Assuming I can find the drivers for the SSD are there any DS6.9 directions on adding them to the DS6.9 server or is it the same as the GSS server directions?

Thank you!

I'm not sure if it's the same for GSS as we don't use it, but for DS we sometimes have to enable the "TRIM" option in the advanced settings for deployment for certain SSDs in order to deply an image to them successfully.

Sean,

The upgrade from DS 6.9 to GSS 3.1 is fairly seemless, here is an upgrade link from 3.0 to 3.1 that will guide you on the upgrade. This is the same process for upgrading from DS6.9. I would export your computers and jobs before hand just in case there is an issue.

Ghost Solution Suite 3.0 To 3.1 Upgrade Guide

If doing a fresh install on a test machine...

Ghost Solution Suite 3.1 Install Guide 

And here is the links that show how to locate and upload the driver into you configuration..

Locating the correct network drivers for your client PC on Ghost Solution Suite

How To Add Drivers To Ghost Solution Suite
 

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Hi Brycen

Ok, so if I can hunt down the actual SSD drivers from Dell for the Optiplex5040 I can simply add those to the GSS server by using Boot disk creator? Just confirming, I have never used(or needed) to use boot disk creator for anything other than adding NIC drivers.

I setup a test server with DS6.9 SP6 this weekend on Server 2012 R2. I downloaded the GSS files from Symantec, there were 4 installers along with some PDF's. Can I upgrade directly from DS6.9 SP6 to GSS3.1 MP5? Or is the correct order DS6.9>>>GSS3.1.V1>>>GSS3.1 MP5? The MP5 file looks much smaller so I have a feeling that is just a patch.

BTW-Does GSS3.x still have the automation partition if I am not using PXE?

Thanks for all the help!

BTW-Does it matter if I have Win7 or Win10 SSD drivers for GSS3.x?

Correct order is DS6.9 -> GSS 3.1 -> GSS 3.1 MP5

GSS 3.1 now uses automation folders, similar to partitions.

Drivers will depend on which winpe you are using, I would recommend using Winpe10 Build 1511. This would mean you would find drivers for Winpe10, although the drivers may already be in there for your SSD drives.

------------------------------

Listed below are the url(s) related to Ghost Solution Suite documentation.

Windows ADK (Download WinPE 10 or Winpe 5)
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hardware/dn913721%28v=vs8.5%29.aspx#winADK

Ghost Solution Suite Documentation
https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.DOC8558.html

Quick Start Guide : PXE Configuration
https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO124443.html

OK Brycen, I got a temp GSS3 server setup, I did a clean install of DS6.9 SP6, upgraded to GSS3.1 next, and upgraded to the MP5 patch after that.

Question with deploying a ghost image: Whenever I kickoff an imaging job I always get a pop-up on the PC saying the disks were not mounted properly. This is with the NVME drives, I have not had a chance to try this on an older SATA drive. I can say yes or no to forcing the mount, either way seems to make no difference. Once I click Yes/No the image process takes off and seems to run just fine. This would will be a big issue for me imaging remotely.

Is there a way to make this stop?

Thank you!

BTW: I remember an issue in DS6.9 with the agent already being installed on a PC you were about to Sysprep.

If I add a PC to inventory using the remote agent installer do I need to remove the agent before using Sysprep on that PC?

Thank you!

That issue pops up due to a microsoft flag, when a machine is not shutdown properly windows sets this flag. I do not know how windows manages that flag for NVME drives, but I would test a regular drive to see if the same occurs.

No you would not need to remove the agent before sysprepping.

Hi Brycen

I think I have the disks not mounting evenly issue figured out. If I boot the PC using a USB boot disk and start the imaging job with the USB still in the PC I get the error. If I remove it and wait a minute the error seems to disappear.

Question about automation folders:

With DS6.9 I used the automation partition when I was going to image a remote machine. Automation folders seem to work differently. I deployed an automation folder to a test PC and it simply comes up with a countdown list at boot to either boot from Windows or the automation folder. Both option have to be selected by a user physically at the workstation.  

1) Can the countdown timer be adjusted?

2) Can I leave the automation partition installed inside my image and not have it cause issues with the cloned workstations?

2) How do I set the countdown to automatically boot into automation so GSS can start imaging a remote machine? I basically need to be able to reboot the remote PC and kickoff the imaging job.

Thank you!

1. Yes the countdown timer can be adjusted by running the windows command bcedit /timeout 5. You can change the number 5 to the number of seconds you would like.

2. I would do away with all automation partitions, you may leave the automation folder installed and this would carry over to the machines after imaging.

3. Assiging the job from the console should send the command for the client pc to reboot, if automation folders are installed then it should boot into automation and start imaging.

Ok so to recap, best method for imaging a remote machine in GSS3.x:

1) I should install the "Automation folder" into a base image machine.

2) It's ok to leave that folder in a image, no issues with duplication or sysprep.

3) I can kickoff an imaging job from the console and the PC should reboot into automation and begin imaging.

Does this sound about right Brycen?

Also-How do you replace tokens now in GSS3.x? I use to use the firm command in DS6.9. The command seemed to execute on a Win10 test PC, but the image became corrupted. Below is my old replace command for the unattend file copy.

rem ReplaceTokens .\Images\sysprep\64bit\unattend.txt .\Images\sysprep\imaged\%ID%.txt
.\firm-win.exe copy .\Images\sysprep\imaged\%ID%.txt PROD:\windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml

.\firm-win.exe copy .\Images\sysprep\imaged\%ID%.txt PROD:\windows\panther\unattend.xml

Thanks again for all the great info!

Sean,

Yes that proccess should work, in regards to replacing tokens..... I have not seen this. For what purpose are you replacing tokens for in the unattend.xml file?

Brycen - The replace tokens command is used to edit the machine name inside the sysprep unattend file. The command would grab the network name from the DS console and cut/paste it into an unattend file, next it would copy/replace the new edited Sysprep file inside of the machine just after it finished imaging but before reboot. When the machine reboots it now executes with the new Sysprep file which was just copied in and has the correct machine name for unattended domain joining. This makes remote imaging very easy.

Basically I'm just trying to rename the PC after the imaging process finishes and before Sysprep fires off. The firm command allowed me to pull the machine name out of DS6.9 for unattended active directory joining before boot. Ive been using the firm command for many years under DS6.9. It appears to run on the GSS3.x server, I can see it execute the copy commands on the test PC screen but when I boot the PC up the unattend file was never actually copied over. 

Sean,

I am not sure if that still works, using a configuration task from the ghost console would rename the machine and then re-join the domain for you after the name change. If you add the task to your distribution job then the process would be automated.

I think I got it using the SysPrep settings option and feeding it my unattend file. It also looks like that part of automation is using firm commands the same way, just some new firm commands with this version. I can see the firm commands execute on the test PC screen just after the job finishes, its just a little too quick for me to see what the actual commands are beyond just seeing the begining of the firm command.

I would love to get a copy of the actual commands, anyway of getting those? Maybe I can use my cell phone to record the screen and try and catch them that way.

Is there anyway to see the time remaining when deploying a ghost image? RDeploy imaging jobs use to give time remaining status updates in the console, that was a really nice feature.

Since remote control is gone in GSS3.x is there a way to use RDP from the GSS console as a shared session(control the remote users desktop)?

If I input my license file on the test GSS3.x server will I be able to reuse my license file when I get a real server built later on? Anything I have to do to transfer the license later on?

Thank you!

Sean,

1.I found a document that briefly covers the firm command - https://support.symantec.com/en_US/article.HOWTO63376.html

2.There is unfortunately not a way using the console to see the time remaining for the image unless you are using ghostcast. Ghostcast does show an estimated time remaining.

3. RDP is a windows program, as such we have no control over the application. You can however add-in remote capabilities to the ghost console by following this article

4. Yes you can use your license file on the test server and then eventually use it on the real server later on.

sean03839,

Were you able to get things going?

Please mark the relevant post as solution when you get a chance.

Sean,

Please mark the most relevant post as a solution if your problem has been resolved.

Sure Brycen, where is that option? When I click on Actions I only have two options, reply or mark as offensive.

We covered a lot of good material here, I think quite a few people will find this question helpful for many issues! Thanks again for all the help!

Btw-Do you know when GSS3.2 is going to be released? I noticed Symantec is having a webinar about 3.2 very soon.

Sean,

You should see a mark as solution either in actions or next to the post.

GSS 3.2 has already been released as of the beginning of april.

Nope, I only have edit, reply or mark as offensive under actions...I am signed in as myself.