DrPcKen
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Deploying Windows 7 Pro over network after sysprep
I am ready to migrate my users to Windows 7 Pro. 90% of my hardware is like with the exceptions of a few desktops and laptops.
I have already configured an installation of Windows 7 with the programs and settings I need. I'd like to sysprep this and copy the image (i have a ghost boot disk that can copy the image to and from the network).
Are there step-by-step guidelines for doing this properly without much user interaction? I would like the product key to already be filled out (volume open license) and things like Regional Settings and time to be pre-determined in the image. The only thing I need to manually configure each time is the Hostname and possibly the domain to be added to as the image is loaded on the new workstations.
Also, if there is a better way to push the image that using ghost, I would love to know. Even if it was as simple as running a script on the current XP machines to the path of the image. But that isn't a huge concern.
I have already configured an installation of Windows 7 with the programs and settings I need. I'd like to sysprep this and copy the image (i have a ghost boot disk that can copy the image to and from the network).
Are there step-by-step guidelines for doing this properly without much user interaction? I would like the product key to already be filled out (volume open license) and things like Regional Settings and time to be pre-determined in the image. The only thing I need to manually configure each time is the Hostname and possibly the domain to be added to as the image is loaded on the new workstations.
Also, if there is a better way to push the image that using ghost, I would love to know. Even if it was as simple as running a script on the current XP machines to the path of the image. But that isn't a huge concern.
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ASKER
Ok I got WDS setup on my Server 2008 server. I have a default base image (from the Win7 sources vim file). I'm just not sure how to get the image I've already prepped onto the WDS server to push out.
ASKER
Never-mind the last post, I think I found the answer and I'm going through some reading now. Thanks for suggesting WDS, it looks amazing and very helpful for me to manage images for my workstations. Incredible :)
ASKER
Ok I have setup my WDS server, have install and boot images and I have a Windows 7 image ready to go. How do I create the answer file though?
Leew has mentioned the following:
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)
Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK or Windows AIK - note there's a poorly named update to the current version that implies you only need the update).
User State Migration Tool (USMT)
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP)
But I don't see where to setup the answer file. All searching points to Windows System Image Manager, which hasn't' been listed here yet. Is that the preferred route?
Thank you both for the guidance!
Leew has mentioned the following:
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)
Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK or Windows AIK - note there's a poorly named update to the current version that implies you only need the update).
User State Migration Tool (USMT)
Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit (MAP)
But I don't see where to setup the answer file. All searching points to Windows System Image Manager, which hasn't' been listed here yet. Is that the preferred route?
Thank you both for the guidance!
ASKER
Ok here's what I've done so far (this can be overwhelming at first).
1. Setup WDS.
2. Setup Install Images using Win7 Installation disc
3. Setup Boot Images to Capture a Sysprep'd installation (I'm still confused about Install Images vs Boot Images)
4. Setup the initial Win7 Install on a machine (with needed software) and sysprepped it.
5. Used the Capture boot image to grab the image from the machine and add it to WDS.
6. Added the captured boot image to my Boot Images.
Now I booted PXE on a test workstation and it pulled the image no problem. However it automatically added it to my domain (which is fine) with a hostname of ADMINISTRATOR1.
I'm guessing my next step is to setup the answer file? How do I do that in WDS? I want to automatically have the regional settings/date time/ etc... setup when the image is pulled from the WDS server to the workstation. The only thing I want to setup is the hostname
1. Setup WDS.
2. Setup Install Images using Win7 Installation disc
3. Setup Boot Images to Capture a Sysprep'd installation (I'm still confused about Install Images vs Boot Images)
4. Setup the initial Win7 Install on a machine (with needed software) and sysprepped it.
5. Used the Capture boot image to grab the image from the machine and add it to WDS.
6. Added the captured boot image to my Boot Images.
Now I booted PXE on a test workstation and it pulled the image no problem. However it automatically added it to my domain (which is fine) with a hostname of ADMINISTRATOR1.
I'm guessing my next step is to setup the answer file? How do I do that in WDS? I want to automatically have the regional settings/date time/ etc... setup when the image is pulled from the WDS server to the workstation. The only thing I want to setup is the hostname
You use WAIK (the Windows System Image Manager) to build the answer file (curious - have you looked into any of the other products I mentioned -WAIK, MDT, etc? Installed any of them?)
ASKER
Haha thats the one I'm using as we speak. Thank you both! I'm about to run a test deploy on several machines and then will award points.
Thank you both!
Thank you both!
Anytime man :)
ASKER
Well good news and bad news...
I have my image sysprepped and uploaded to my WDS server. I Opened WSIM and created a Distribution Share for my custom image. I then Exported the Install Image I want to use and put it in the root of my Distribution Share folder (doesn't matter where it goes right?). When I tried to add the image to the distribution share, it made it to the end and then gave an error saying:
Searching around for this error, I think it has to do with the fact my Install image is x86 and my WDS Server I'm running WAIK tools on is x64 ... I would have to build a x86 server and add to the domain I'm guessing.
Is there a way to create the unattended file without having to move everything to a x86 environment? I'm bummed because I put a lot of effort and time into this. I guess I COULD manually go to each workstation and answer all the questions if I had to but the idea of not having to is what turned me on to WDS (was using Ghost before).
Do I have any other options? Planned image push begins tomorrow night and I play on staying on top of it all weekend making sure everyone's machine is stable.
I have my image sysprepped and uploaded to my WDS server. I Opened WSIM and created a Distribution Share for my custom image. I then Exported the Install Image I want to use and put it in the root of my Distribution Share folder (doesn't matter where it goes right?). When I tried to add the image to the distribution share, it made it to the end and then gave an error saying:
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.Searching around for this error, I think it has to do with the fact my Install image is x86 and my WDS Server I'm running WAIK tools on is x64 ... I would have to build a x86 server and add to the domain I'm guessing.
Is there a way to create the unattended file without having to move everything to a x86 environment? I'm bummed because I put a lot of effort and time into this. I guess I COULD manually go to each workstation and answer all the questions if I had to but the idea of not having to is what turned me on to WDS (was using Ghost before).
Do I have any other options? Planned image push begins tomorrow night and I play on staying on top of it all weekend making sure everyone's machine is stable.
ASKER
Ok so instead of loading my own image in WISM, I loaded the default Windows 7 install image from the dvd and was able to make an answer file. Just enough to add the keys, etc....
Booting now with answer file. Thanks!
Booting now with answer file. Thanks!
ASKER
Well I just ran a test deployment and I'm not getting the results I want at all.
For some reason it isn't adding to domain automatically anymore, and I can't get it to auto login with my domain account the first time, and the product key isn't working and errors out with
Honestly I think I've convoluted my Unattended.xml file along with the OOBE.xml file. I'm going to scratch them and start all over using http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749317(WS.10).aspx.
I'm still confused if I should ad a OOBE xml file. It seems to pick up settings I specify that my unattend does not.
For some reason it isn't adding to domain automatically anymore, and I can't get it to auto login with my domain account the first time, and the product key isn't working and errors out with
windows activation error code 0x8007232BHonestly I think I've convoluted my Unattended.xml file along with the OOBE.xml file. I'm going to scratch them and start all over using http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749317(WS.10).aspx.
I'm still confused if I should ad a OOBE xml file. It seems to pick up settings I specify that my unattend does not.
ASKER
Also, it seems when I made my capture image that was sysprepped, it made a folder for it in RemoteInstall\Images\Captu
Or was this created when I added the unattend file to the WDS server?
I'm so confused, there are so many unattend files...
Or was this created when I added the unattend file to the WDS server?
I'm so confused, there are so many unattend files...
Were you in Audit Mode when you attempted to create a sysprepped image? Also, if you have the key removed, can u post your unattended file?
ASKER
I completely forgot about this post. I was able to rebuild my unattend file and everything worked perfectly. Thanks for all your help!
ASKER