Config Manager Client never installs via OSD Task Sequence (PXE)

[stein_brian@yahoo.com]

I've been struggling with this forever and have even posted in other forums with very little luck so hoping maybe here will be different.

 

Recently setup a new SCCM 2012 environment, fully patched. I cannot seem to get the Configuration Manager client to run when using a distribute image task sequence. Basically here is what I've tried. Setup a reference PC with Windows 7 SP1 x64 like I've been doing for years, i.e. NOT joined to a domain, very little added software installed, using a local admin user to setup some basic profile preferences. From there I have tried numerous methods to capture/create the image, all of which seem to work fine. The first method is using MDT 2013 toolkit package job ultimately using ZTIBackup.wsf script. When I use this method I manually run sysprep myself, pointing to an answer file, and shut the machine down.

 

The 2nd method is using standard Capture Media (Cd-rom) created from the SCCM 2012 environment. Once captured I then use an 'Install existing image package' task sequence. Nothing fancy here, the usual steps, ending with the Setup Windows and Configuration Manager step. Everything runs fine, I see that last step happen in WinPE, I even see the config manager client package get downloaded, and once done it finally says the computer will restart.

 

I've also tried via build and capture, all with the exact same results. Once it restarts the pc kicks into mini setup, does it regular installing devices, etc, reboots one last time, checks video performance, and ultimately boots to Windows. The image seems fine, it joined the domain as specified in the TS, but it never runs the config mgr client part. The smsts.log file does not appear to show me any glaring errors, except one line that says 'SMS client is not installed' and the 'Action (Setup Windows and Configuration Manager) requested a retry. But it also says 'Successfully completed the action (Setup Windows and Configuration Manager). I'm also left with the _SMSTaskSequence folder on the root of the C drive since the TS never knows it's finished and thus never deletes it. I have googled for days and can't seem to find a solution. SMSts.log file attached. Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks!

smsts.log

[Daniel.Cumming]

I have this exact same issue, the only difference is I am installing Windows 10 1607.

 

it partitions fine, it downloads and apply's the OS fine, it downloads the Configuration Manager Client fine, then reboots into the mini setup then the logon screen.

 

the folder

 

c:\_SMSTaskSequence

 

is left behind and the client isn't installed. no tasks after "Setup Windows and ConfigMgr" execute.

 

I have tried from 2 different "Windows Professional x64 1607" wim files and a "Windows Professional x64 1511" wim.

 

I am running "SCCM 2012 R2 SP1 CU3" on "Windows Server 2012 R2" and i have the "SMSTSWaitForSecondReboot" variable set.

 

I have attached a log file and screen grab of my task sequence.

 

any help with this would be appreciated.

 

Daniel.

smsts.log

[tregelen]

I found that I was having this at the place I work now. When I started they had already created their base image for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 and had left the client installed inside that WIM. There were always issues with imaging until I removed the custom WIM and used the install.wim from the base ISO. Once I did that we haven't experienced that issue again. Maybe see what happens with the base wim.

[Daniel.Cumming]

I have now tried creating a new task sequence with windows 10 enterprise install.wim and windows 10 RTM install.wim. the same issues occur with both versions as the initial windows 10 professional 1607.

 

the client doesn't get installed and all steps after the client install are never executed.

 

as a test i also tried installing to a workgroup instead of the domain and also putting the computer into the default computer OU in AD so not to apply any group policy settings.

 

still no luck.

 

any more ideas?

[tregelen]

Did you install KB3159706? From what I have been told you require that update to administer Windows 10 1607 with SCCM (I haven't started using 1607 yet).

[Daniel.Cumming]

i just checked and that update has been installed. is there anything else that i can check?

[stein_brian@yahoo.com]

So I am not exactly sure why but all of a sudden my latest test images started working. I have tested it both using MDT litetouch to build and capture as well as my original customized way of capturing the image. In my case the only smoking guns are things I'm actually doing within the image, i.e. certain software installs, reg tweaks etc. On these latest test images I literally left off all software. So basically, install windows (win7 in my case), fully update it with all windows updates, customize profile the way I like it, run sysprep and capture the image.

 

Once the captured wim is imported into SCCM I setup a TS to deploy it, and add in all my software packages that I need. For whatever reason it now works. One piece of software I used to put in the image was we still use an old version of Altiris and the client was always loaded into the image. While I have a hard time believing that was the issue I now leave that out of the image and deploy it as part of the TS. The last 3 days I've been able to deploy this 'golden image' to 2 different model computers.