Image Capture "Nightmares"

[Zeus_at_Work]

Ok I am new to SCCM but understand the basic concepts. I have recently taken over a position that utilizes SCCM to deploy OS's and software packages, and it works fairly well in that regard. It is running on Server 2008 and I am assured it is SP2 (however help/about makes no mention of SP2)?.

 

Being more accustomed to the way Ghost works, I am used to doing things slightly differently. So the scenario here is that I have 50 brand new HP 6000 Pro systems. I've unpacked one, physically set it up with everything each user would get (Office, Anti-Virus, and some custom Windows settings ie: splash screen). Ideally I would LOVE to be able to take (or capture) a "snapshot" of that single machine, create an image file (wim?) and push that out to the reamining 49. Currently SCCM works fine for doing bare metal installs through what might be described as a more "normal" method. Pushing out works fine for doing that. However after 3 days in these forums and others, trying everything I can find to simply CAPTURE the image has failed. I have no issues PXE booting (after finding out that SCCM might make multiple references to the same system and prevent PXE from booting properly). Getting past that hurdle... I get 2 slightly different errors, when trying two completely different processes for just CAPTURING the reference PC (which is completely comfigured).

 

1. Method 1 was just a typical Build and Capture TS looking like the following:

-Build the reference Machine

-Restart in PE

-all other entries of this section have been disabled.

 

-Capture Reference Machine

-Prepare ConfigMgrClient

-Prepare OS

-Capture the reference machine.

 

This boots from PXE and get to the spot where it has a GUI saying "Initializing Windows PE" and I get the following error code "Capture failed with the error code 0x00000032"

 

2. After reading this forum and trying whatever might be suggested, method 2 was a more custom solution to the same problem and looked more like this:

-Use Toolkit Package

-Set Backup Share

-Set Backup Filename

-Create Image

 

For this method, it fails at a similar time, during the screen that says "Iniitalizing Windows PE" and the error code in this case is 0x0000001

 

In either case I cannot seem to JUST CAPTURE AN ALREADY CONFIGURED MACHINE...... being that the other 49 are identical hardware I thoguht this would be the easiest solution, however now I am having nightmares over my inability to get something, that takes 5 minutes with Ghost, to work at all in 3 days of searching forums and trying everything...

 

Is there not a simple solution to capturing a reference PC (forget the build that is done)? Or can anyone shed some light on what those errors might be or how I might proceed? I'm at a dead end here... and if I cannot figure out a way to take a snapshot this week, I will have to resort to bare-metal installs and manually changing a few things on each PC.

 

HELP! Any help appreciated! Thanks! Please keep in mind I am a newb to this software so if you require me to do anything to provide more information, i am happy to do so but you should also tell me how to do that. Thanks again.

[Zeus_at_Work]

get your sccm 2007 sp2 media, as it's similar to installing a site, except choose to Install the console.

 

see pic

 

Excellent thanks I see the "console" option... now I just have to find where it is hidden/stored. You can't do it from some executable from where it is alerady installed? (is that an option to save me looking for media or a network share?) If not that's fine. Also I am happy to say that the capture media is making good progress... the book says as long as 3 hours... I'm also fine with that.... *keeping my fingers crossed* If this works as I hope, then I'm happy. Thanks for the help.

[anyweb]

you'll need the original sccm installation media, its on technet/msdn if you cannot find it.

 

and as i said before we'll help you with this but you must be patient with it, especially in the beginning with OSD

 

cheers

niall

[Zeus_at_Work]

you'll need the original sccm installation media, its on technet/msdn if you cannot find it.

 

and as i said before we'll help you with this but you must be patient with it, especially in the beginning with OSD

 

cheers

niall

 

I found the original media.. am going through the install now... however the media is not SP2... will I have to patch it up to sp2 for just the console or is it merely an mmc connecting to the main site id?

[Zeus_at_Work]

Ok so now the capture media completed, created a ~9GB wim.... the reference machine, however, during its capture media/reboot process does the following:

 

reboots / setup is configuring the registry / setup is startnig services / then errors saying "Windows could not finish configuring the system. To attempt to resume configuration, restart the computer." Which I have done several reboots... always ending up in the same place back at the error. Any thoughts?

 

The other curiousity I have is regarding the capture media creation process. I had right clicked a TS and said "Create task sequence media". The rest was pretty much wizard driven and straight forward. I guess my question is... if the TS itself is the problem, then creating media from that TS doesnt make any sense...... or is it that I can right click any TS and say create task sequence media, and it is independant of which TS I right clicked to begin that process?

 

once again..... error after problem after issue after problem...... I have made zero progress in 4 days now.... *annoyed with SCCM*

[Zeus_at_Work]

I found the original media.. am going through the install now... however the media is not SP2... will I have to patch it up to sp2 for just the console or is it merely an mmc connecting to the main site id?

 

 

Well apparently everyone has given up on me.... but oh well, in any case, I've installed the sccm console on the imaging pc I work on.... much more convenient (or would be if it worked). After the install when running the console I received the following error:

 

The ConfigMgr console could not connect to the ConfigMgr site database. Verify that this computer has network connectivity to the SMS Provider computer and that your user account has Remote Activation permissions on both the ConfigMgr site server and SMS Provider computers. For more information, see "How to Configure DCOM Permissions for Configuration Manager Console Connections" in ConfigMgr Help.

 

We looked up the solution for that and walked through the appropriate steps listed to grant the Remote Remote Activation permissions. When I cam back to run the console again, it ran for 30-40 minutes saying "connecting" and never did anything..... and still hasn't... is this normal? Should it take this long?

[Zeus_at_Work]

Well apparently everyone has given up on me.... but oh well, in any case, I've installed the sccm console on the imaging pc I work on.... much more convenient (or would be if it worked). After the install when running the console I received the following error:

 

The ConfigMgr console could not connect to the ConfigMgr site database. Verify that this computer has network connectivity to the SMS Provider computer and that your user account has Remote Activation permissions on both the ConfigMgr site server and SMS Provider computers. For more information, see "How to Configure DCOM Permissions for Configuration Manager Console Connections" in ConfigMgr Help.

 

We looked up the solution for that and walked through the appropriate steps listed to grant the Remote Remote Activation permissions. When I cam back to run the console again, it ran for 30-40 minutes saying "connecting" and never did anything..... and still hasn't... is this normal? Should it take this long?

 

Well after waiting an hour im sure this process is as fruitless as any of the others I've attempted with sccm...... sop far im 0 for 10... and not a single solution to any of them have appeared anywhere....... I have an XPSP3 workstation for imaging... nothing else on it except antivirus.. it is a clean OS otherwise... and regardlses of what we try it wont connect to the specified site... I'm glad Microsoft doesnt make cars.... it would take 5 people to drive one, it wouldnt work half the time, and when you asked for help.... invariably someone would claim that they make wonderful cars because once you learn how to use them, they can also make you dinner, wash your clothes, record your fave. movie, and be your answering machine.... of course any single one of those options would only work 1/4 of the time.... but someone would still swear that is fantastic because it can do so much!

 

Thanks for the "help".. enjoy the evolution of SMS.... it never was good, and apparently never will be. There are far superior products for far less cash.... and im off to use one now.... peace out!

[Zeus_at_Work]

as regards your errors, 0x00000032 means not supported, 0x00000001 means incorrect function.

Chris is just trying to help and you are most likely so frustrated with trying to get the job done that you failed to understand that,

 

the SMSTS.log file can be found/accessed by reading this post

 

after working with SCCM for some months/years you'll soon realise that it is a far better tool for the job than Ghost could ever be, as you can automate everything from start to finish in a repeatable way,

 

I'd recommend you go the build and capture route, start from scratch, learn what you hve to learn and understand that Ghost's way of doing things may be fine for small deployments but is not diverse enough to allow you to take control of an enterprise. Sccm (Configmanager) will handle small deployments and very big ones too, and learning how to do build and capture will teach you loads about the process's involved and how to streamline everything.

 

we will help you if you are willing,

cheers

niall

 

 

** Please delete this thread..... it's pointless to keep as it can't possibly be useful to anyone **

[Lucid]

Installing the SCCM 2007 Administrator Console...

1.Log into the desired machine with SCCM administrator credentials.

2.Obtain the Microsoft SCCM 2007 software (hopefully you have a copy of the source files stashed on the network).

3.Execute “...\smssetup\bin\i386\setup.exe”.

4.Click the Next button.

5.Select the “Install or upgrade an administrator console” radio button, and then click the Next button.

6.Accept the terms of the license agreement, and then click the Next button.

7.Select the “No, I do not want to participate right now.” radio button, and then click the Next button.

8.Accept the default directory by clicking the Next button.

9.Enter the following, and then click the Next button:

a.Server name: (NetBIOS name of your SCCM site server)

10.Click the Next button to accept the Settings Summary information.

11.If prerequisites are missing they will be displayed within the upper pane of the console window, and will need to be installed; and the SCCM 2007 administrator console setup will need to be run again.

12.After the prerequisite checking has completed successfully, click the Begin Install button.

13.After successful completion, click the Next button.

14.Click the Finish button.

[Zeus_at_Work]

yup... did that... if i hadnt have killed it, it would still be sitting there trying to connect...

 

Please don't waste your time trying to help me with this product, I won't be using it and I've asked this thread be turfed..... others should save their time as well... mine's valauble to me and any product that monopolizes 4 days of work time and accomplishes absolutely nothing.... is a waste of code.....

[anyweb]

we'll still be here when you come back to SCCM,

by the way, did you ever manage to see what the SMSTS.log file said ?

 

cheers

niall.