I am unable to edit an unattend.xml file from Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 on an image in the second deployment share I created.  I have attempted to edit this file from the properties of the Task Sequence (edit unattend.xml button) and received the error in the code section below, as well as an error box stating "Unable to edit the unattend.xml for this OS because no catalog could be located or generated."

I am logged on to the console of my deployment server as a Domain admin (for troubleshooting purposes) when I run MDT 2010/WSIM.

The first deployment share, "MDT LAB", I want to use to store the factory install.wim images and use to deploy and capture reference images.  So far, this works and I can edit the unattend.xml files from within MDT 2010 for the two task sequences I have created in this deployment share.  The only image I am currently using is a Windows 7 Enterprise (x86).  No MDT configuration DB is used with this share.

The second deployment share, "MDT Production", currently pushes out my reference image (the Windows 7 x86 Enterprise captured from my MDT Lab deployment share, slim, no applications or settings explicitly set), applications by role assigned to the computer, and Domain OU and Timezone by location.  All of this works and is configured through the MDT database running on SQL Express on the same computer.

Now I want to tweak the OS options during install, so I go to open the unattend.xml for my task sequence and can't.

Environment:
Server 1:  HP DL320 G6 with 8 GB RAM.
Windows Server 2008 R2 (x64, of course)
Direct Attached Storage (DAS) (Vol 1 33 GB Free, Vol 2 167 GB Free)
Joined to my production Windows Domain
Static IP
Hyper-V
All Microsoft updates installed (from Microsoft Update Website).
Firewall Off, No Antivirus (while testing)

Server 2:  Guest OS on Server 1 2 GB RAM
Windows Server 2008 R2 (x64, of course)
Using the DAS on the Host Server (Server 1)
Guest Vol 1 (37 GB free, Vol 2 60 GB Free)
Joined to my production Windows Domain
Static IP
Windows Deployment Services (WDS) role installed (for PXE boot only, no install images are mounted, only the lite_touchx86 boot wim generated by MDT 2010).
SQL Server 2008 Express x64 with tools, updated to SP1.
SQL configured to allow use of named pipes.  Using Server2/SQLEXPRESS as instance.
Database is named MDT
SQL Server DB Engine running as NTAUTHORITY/SYSTEM
The Domain Admin user I'm logging on to the console with is sysadmin on server and dbo for MDT database.
Domain\MDTBuildAccount is db_datareader for the MDT database.
Microsoft Report Viewer 2008 installed.
Windows AIK x64 installed version 6.1.7600.16385
Config Manager 2007 Toolkit installed (so I can look at logs with Trace32)
MDT 2010 x64 installed.
New ZTIUtility.vbs to replace initial ZTIUtility.vbs (fixes "Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed" bug).
MSXML 6.0 Installed version 6.1.7600.16385 (since the OS is W2K8R2, by default)
I also have Word Viewer 2003 and the 2007 Office compatibility pack installed.
All Microsoft updates installed (from Microsoft Update Website).
Firewall Off, No Antivirus (while testing)

Performing operation "generate" on Target "Catalog".
The operation failed to complete.
System.Reflection.TargetInvocationException: Exception has been thrown by the target of an invocation. ---> System.ArgumentNullException: String reference not set to an instance of a String.
Parameter name: source
   at System.Globalization.CompareInfo.IsPrefix(String source, String prefix, CompareOptions options)
   at ?A0xfe36268f.ConvertToNtPath(String path)
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.CbsSessionAdaptor..ctor(String bootDrive, String imageWinDir, String servicingPath)
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl.InitializePackages()
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.OfflineImageImpl..ctor(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo)
   --- End of inner exception stack trace ---
   at System.RuntimeMethodHandle._InvokeConstructor(Object[] args, SignatureStruct& signature, IntPtr declaringType)
   at System.Reflection.RuntimeConstructorInfo.Invoke(BindingFlags invokeAttr, Binder binder, Object[] parameters, CultureInfo culture)
   at System.RuntimeType.CreateInstanceImpl(BindingFlags bindingAttr, Binder binder, Object[] args, CultureInfo culture, Object[] activationAttributes)
   at Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface.Cpi.PlatformImplementation.CreateOfflineImageInstance(OfflineImageInfo imageInfo)

Select allOpen in new window