Question: Trouble with imaging via K2000

Trouble with imaging via K2000

jcox

We just started using the KACE trial last week and I have made some progress but must be missing a couple things in order to get the system to work the way we need it to.

I have captured an image from a system and have successfully redeployed it but need to know a couple things to hopefully make this more fully automated.

1 - I know I can set Boot Actions for machines but is there any "Run Now" type option when deploying a system image to a client? In the past with different software have scheduled install to run over night or had the start now type of option.

-I was able to reboot the client using a script via K1000, but not sure if that is ideal

2 - When it first reboots it gets to a screen that says Logging into Server, Restart machine, Shut Down Machine and just sits there on that screen until I go over and click on Restart Machine. It does pick up the PXE boot and deploy the image fine, but this is a step that we cannot run around and do in our environment.

3 - When the imaged is finished deploying it goes back to the main KACE screen (the one that show Imaging, restart, Shut down and a few other things. We need it to reboot when it is done and not sit at that screen.

The Installation Plan for this System Image is set to:
Run Preinstallation tasks
-Collect Computer Name
-Create Single Partition
-Format C: as NTFS

Deploy System Image

Run Postinstallation Tasks
-Apply Computer Name

Reboot (Exit Boot Environment)

Run Postinstallation Tasks
- Join WIN Domain

I have glanced at the admin guide and online and haven't seen what I can do/change to "fix" this.
Thanks in advance for your input!

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Answers

1. You should have an option to boot to an image on next boot up. Then the boot after that boot to the hard drive.

2. Unless the trial is different there should be a checkmark box for "Restart after deployment".

3. You have post installations twice. I would not reboot as a mid level task. With the checkmark checked it should reboot, and then run post install tasks on next boot up. I have a simple reboot bat file that I run at the end of my image to let me know when it is ready.

This is of course if I am understanding your question.

Answered 08/01/2012 by:

dugullett

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I saw the boot actions and worked around it by running a shutdown -r from k1000. It worked but I wasn't sure if there were an option to reboot from the k2000 to kick off the job.

I see the reboot option if I stand at the computer and check the box, but we have computers all over our university campus and would prefer to automate as close to 100% as we can so we don't have to visit any of the machines.

I added a screenshot of the system image details where it shows to postinstall task areas.

Answered 08/01/2012 by:

jcox

dugullett 9 months 20 days 43 mins ago last edited 9 months 20 days 38 mins ago

I would stick with rebooting from the K1000. I've never used the "Apply Computer Name" midlevel task. I would take that out until you get your imaging worked out. Then add in your tasks from there. I'm not sure of your current naming convention, but I would probably check this out http://www.kace.com/support/resources/kb/article/How-to-rename-a-computer-and-join-it-to-a-Windows-domain-Image-Deployment

Also, if your Join WIN Domain does not contain a reboot I would add one.

If imaging is going to be common for you have you considered http://www.faronics.com/enterprise/deep-freeze/
jcox 9 months 20 days 27 mins ago

The naming of the computer and adding it to WIN actually work, after I manually reboot the machine. I am guessing it names it correctly during the mid level task and once I manually reboot it, it then joins it to the domain since there are no other reboots done after that. I can add one.
Maybe adding a reboot at the mid level task area would do it?

We normally only image 2-3 times a year and every now and then if a machine has an issue.
- dugullett 9 months 20 days 17 mins ago
  
  I would add it to the last task of your post install. I use a simple "shutdown -f -r -t 15"

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You also mentioned

It does pick up the PXE boot and deploy the image fine, but this is a step that we cannot run around and do in our environment.

If you have all dell machines install CCTK on your machines and you can then use the k1000 to push a boot order change and restart the machine, it will then do a pxe query and see if it has any work to do, if you queued the image deployments they will take off and image. then as a post task change the boot order back.

this is a CCTK command to set boot to HDD 1st

"c:\program files\dell\cctk\x86\cctk.exe" bootorder --sequence=hdd.1,hdd.2,embnic,usbdev,cdrom --valsetuppwd=********

This next method can result in wipeing machines you do not want too if you are not careful on implimentation of it.

(this creates another user viewed menu) if you are in a mixed environment you can set all the machines to pxeboot and on the k2000 set up pxe under "settings & maintenance" and set your timeout to about 5 seconds and put a password on it.

Answered 08/01/2012 by:

SMal.tmcc

jcox 9 months 20 days 39 mins ago

We have the NIC as the first in the boot order right now and when it reboots and boot actions are set for it, it will do what I wrote in #2....gets to a screen that says logging into server and stays like that until I click restart machine, then it images just fine after it's second PXE boot.
SMal.tmcc 9 months 20 days 18 mins ago

That is strange, I listed my pxe setup /w screenshots to compare to.

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For pxe to work first make sure you have options 66 and 67 set correctly in dhcp for the subnets you plan on using pxeboot on.

this is from page 38
4. Click the Option 066 check box, and enter the FQDN or IP address of the local appliance (either the
K2000 appliance or RSA instance).
5. Click the Option 067 check box, and enter kbox2000.0 for the bootstrap file name.
of http://www.kace.com/support/~/media/Files/Support/Resources/Documentation/K2000-Admin-Guide-v34.ashx
also on the k2000 have a good pxe boot environment uploaded and setup. also set up your boot settings. (if you set or change the admin password on the k2000 you will need to recompile your boot environments )

Answered 08/01/2012 by:

SMal.tmcc

jcox 9 months 20 days 31 mins ago

The DHCP team set up PXE for me in the DHCP scope(s) for the couple subnets we are testing on. My general settings screen matches yours except the Action Icon area...for now we left ours as what the default was. And the boot environments...I uploaded a brand new one for the one model specifically we are testing with. Also tried the built in KBE and get the same results overall.
Attempting now adding a couple more reboots to the system image area to see if I can at least get the computer to finish on its own once I get the imaged kicked off.
SMal.tmcc 9 months 20 days 58 mins ago last edited 9 months 20 days 58 mins ago

the action icon is just for remoting. Have you set the driver/restore share password or is it still default?
jcox 9 months 19 days 28 mins ago

I set the password instead of leaving it default and then freshly built a boot environment from one of our machines.
SMal.tmcc 9 months 19 days 54 mins ago

Good after you set or change that password you must rebuild your boots. They put the password in the boots to attach a drive y to the kbox

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You may want to read thru my blog

http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/windows-7-image-process-for-the-college-s-classrooms

do not have any of the problems you have and I use the collect and apply computer name.

Answered 08/01/2012 by:

SMal.tmcc

jcox 9 months 20 days 57 mins ago

I will give it a read, thanks!

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If you need a couple of reboots, you can add this to your post install task

this line adds another reboot

start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" /v DoAreboot /d "shutdown -r -f -t 10" /f

these lines add autologin

start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v AutoAdminLogon /d 1 /f
start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v AutoLogonCount /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f
start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v DefaultDomainName /d domain /f

start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v DefaultUserName /d domainuser /f
start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon" /v DefaultPassWord /d password /f

then do what dugullett posted

I would add it to the last task of your post install. I use a simple "shutdown -f -r -t 15"

Answered 08/01/2012 by:

SMal.tmcc

SMal.tmcc 9 months 20 days 43 mins ago

The machine will join the domain use the reboot line by dugullett, then auto login once, run the run once and reboot once more.
When I used the run once I also added a gpupdate /force to it
start /wait reg.exe add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce" /v RunGPUpdate /d "cmd.exe /k \"gpupdate /force\"&&shutdown -r -f -t 15"

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