Need constant mouse movement

[reem01]

We have encountered a problem with one of our loads on just a certain subset of machines and wondering if anyone has ever seen this before.

 

We have a developer load that we are using on Dell OptiPlex 960's in one remote office. We created the load in another location and it worked fine, but at this other location you need to continually move the mouse for the load to go through. If we have the motherboard replaced it works fine. I do not want to work with Dell on proactively replacing all motherboards, but I may need to. My WDS admin also mentioned that once the noticed that if he moved the mouse during a load it seemed to load faster, not sure that is true or not.

 

Any thoughts? Anyone seen this behavior before?

 

Thanks

[anyweb]

sounds weird, can you describe your imaging process please in details, hopefully Greg (from Dell) can chime in

[reem01]

sounds weird, can you describe your imaging process please in details, hopefully Greg (from Dell) can chime in

We can tell when this process starts if it goes really slow we will have issues. Step #7 is when if you don't move the mouse the process just sits there.

 

1 – Admin boots computer into a Windows PE environment using PXE. (User chooses x64 or x86 PE environment).

The Windows PE environment contains the Network and Storage drivers for each model of desktop and laptop we support. The 86 environment also contains the appropriate Windows XP drivers. These drivers loading the Windows PE environment are download from Dell’s webpage (as part of the system administration Driver Packs where available, otherwise individually.)

 

2 – Admin enters credentials for connecting to WDS server.

 

3 – Admin selects task sequence based on operating system, architecture, and model.

 

4 – Admin accepts default domain and OU.

 

5 – Admin accepts default time zone and keyboard settings.

 

6 – Admin selects additional applications required for load (or bundles of applications).

 

7 – Admin confirms start of WDS load.

 

8 – WDS load formats hard drive.

 

9 – WDS load creates two partitions (OSDisk, BDE Drive).

 

10 – WDS copies installation scripts.

 

11 – WDS injects drivers based on selected Task Sequence.

Each task sequence has a different set of drivers base on Operating System and Architecture. Drivers are all provided from Dell’s support site. Newer models contain System Admin Driver Pack CABs, older models have individual drivers that were downloaded and extracted one at a time.

 

12 – WDS load installs operating system on OSDisk partition.

Windows 7 operating system is simply the unaltered Windows 7 Enterprise image.

Windows XP is a captured custom WIM file.

 

13 – WDS restarts computer.

 

14 – WDS rejoins domain.

 

15 – WDS installs selected applications.

 

16 – WDS installs VPN (if machine is laptop).

 

17 – WDS restarts computer.

 

18 – WDS installs company mandatory applications.

 

19 – WDS updates the Windows Update system.

 

20 – WDS applied installed Windows Updates.

 

21 – WDS enables, but does not activate BitLocker.

 

22 – WDS installs scripting bundle based on operating system.

Current Windows 7 scripting bundle contains:

- Add Domain Security Groups.

- Enable Remote Desktop.

- Set Custom Logon Authentication.

- Disable IE8 welcome prompt reg file.

- Fix for Sharepoint and Office integration reg file.

- Set Power Configuration.

- Move PC from Install OU to appropriate site-based OU.

 

23 – WDS restarts computer.

 

24 – WDS renames the local admin account.

 

25 – WDS is complete.

[Keslaa]

Did this ever get resolved? I am running into the same thing with our OptiPlex 960 machines. Boot image loads extremely slow; task sequence equally slow. Drivers are loaded for NIC and drive. This only happens on the 960 model.

 

Eric

[anyweb]

what bios version on the dell ? is it the latest ? if not upgrade to the latest does it change ?

also try using nic drivers from the network card vendor (broadcom or intel)

[Keslaa]

what bios version on the dell ? is it the latest ? if not upgrade to the latest does it change ?

also try using nic drivers from the network card vendor (broadcom or intel)

 

Turns out it was the BIOS version. I updated to A10 and that made the issue go away. Thanks!