using SCCM 2012 RC in a LAB - Part 12. Updating an Operating System image using Offline Servicing.

[anyweb]

In Part 1 of this series we got our AD and SCCM servers ready, and then we installed System Center 2012 Configuration Manager as a standalone Primary site. In Part 2 we configured the SCCM server further by adding some Windows Server roles necessary for the following Configuration Manager 2012 functionality, Software Update Point (SUP) and Operating System Deployment. In Part 3 we configured the server further by Enabling Discovery methods and creating Boundary's and Boundary Groups. In Part 4 we configured Client Settings, Added roles and Distributed the Configmgr Client to our Computers within the LAB, then in Part 5 we enabled the Endpoint Protection Role and configured Endpoint Protection settings and targeted a collection called All Windows 7 Computers with these settings and policies.

In Part 6 we configured our SUP further to Deploy software updates to our All Windows 7 Computers and Build Windows 7 X64 collections. In Part 7 we used the Build and Capture process to create our Base Windows 7 X64 wim image. In Part 8 we created a USMT 4 package to migrate the users data using hardlinking and then we imported the captured image into ConfigMgr and created a Deploy Windows 7 X64 task sequence. We created a Deploy Windows 7 X64 Collection and set some User Device Affinity collection variables.

In Part 9 we created an Application, and created a deployment type for that application to only install if the Primary User was True for that device (User Device Affinity), we then copied our Task Sequence (duplicated it), deployed the new Task Sequence, added a computer to the new collection and then PXE booted the computer to the Deployment Menu. In Part 10 we monitored the Deployment process in a lot of detail to how UDA sent state messages and we verified that our application installed on the users Primary Device, in addition we modified our collection variables, and added a prestart command to our boot image to prompt for the SMSTSUdaUsers. In Part 11 we setup the Reporting Services Point Role and verified that reporting was working.

Now we will use a new feature in ConfigMgr which allows us to Patch operating system WIM images using Offline Servicing. This means that you can apply Windows Updates by using Component-Based Servicing (CBS) to update the your previously captured WIM images.

The Offline Servicing feature is applicable for Component Based Servicing (CBS) updates and for the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Vista SP2 and later
• Microsoft Windows Server 2008 SP2 and later
• Microsoft Windows 7 RTM
• Microsoft Windows 2008 R2

DISM is used to inject the updates - Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM)






Note: At the launch of ConfigMgr 2012 Beta 2 Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 are not supported. They will be supported with Configuration Manager 2012 RTM.



Step 1. Review our current Captured WIM file.

Perform the following on your SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin.

In the ConfigMgr console, expand the Software Library and then expand Operating Systems, select Operating System Images. This will contain our previously captured Windows 7 X64 WIM image. Select our Windows 7 X64 WIM image and note the four tabs which appear.



Click on the Update Status tab. This tab will list any updates that have been added to our image via Offline Servicing, we haven't completed any Offline Servicing on our WIM image yet so for this reason it will appear empty.



Note: Even though our Captured image has updates installed in it already, unfortunately the Update Status tab will not list udpates that are in the captured image unless those updates that have been added via Offline Servicing after the WIM image was added to ConfigMgr.


Step 2. Perform a Software Update Point Synchronization

Perform the following on your SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin.

Before we perform Offline Servicing, we want to make sure we have the latest updates Synced. In Software Updates, All Software Updates. In the Ribbon, click on Synchronize Software Updates.



answer Yes to the Sync request



while it's syncing, using CMTrace, monitor the WsyncMgr.log file found in D:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Logs, look for the Sync Suceeded line to be sure it's finished. If you have synced recently it will be quick.



Once the sync is complete, mark any new updates that were released since you last updated your target OS and download them and add them to your Target Operating System Software Update Group (for example, update these updates to your Windows 7 updates software update group which we created in part 6.


Step 3. Start Offline Servicing

Perform the following on your SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin.

Select our Captured Windows 7 X64 image and click on Schedule Updates in the ribbon



The Update Operating System Image Wizard appears, note that it automatically selects the architecture of your image (X64) and you can list all the updates it has found available to this Operating System. If you want you can sort by any of the column headings, for example click on Bulletin ID to see what are the latest Bulletin ID's being made available to Offline Servicing.




Note: if no updates appear, make sure to download them first.

click next, and you are presented with the Set Schedule screen, this is great for ConfigMgr admins as it means you can decide when your server will do the Offline Servicing work (disk intensive) so for example you could schedule it to occur on Saturday evening when everyone is home. If you want to set a schedule click on Custom Schedule, however as we are in a LAB we will choose As soon as possible.

Note: Injecting updates into the WIM images offline is disk intensive so you should not perform this operation except when the server is 'at rest'. Also allow for free space on your Configmgr Server drive as the WIM image will be duplicated (backup copy created) during this process.



you'll be presented with a summary of Updates offered to the Offline Servicing Process



click next to continue and review the completion screen, the wizard is quick, the injection however takes time as you will see.



Step 4. Monitor the Progress with the OfflineServicingMgr.log file

Perform the following on your SCCM 2012 server as SMSadmin.

ConfigMgr 2012 introduced some new logs one of which is the OfflineServicingMgr.log file, open it in CMTrace so that we can monitor the progress of our Offline Servicing. You will note it mentions copying our current WIM image to a temporary folder called ConfigMgr_OfflineImageServicing, and it's at this point your ConfigMgr server will become slower to use (especially in a LAB as typically your hardware isn't that fast in a LAB and this is very disk intensive).



if you browse this temp folder in Windows Explorer you can see the WIM file and some other temp folders used for the CBS injection process (via DISM)



Note: make sure to close Windows Explorer or browse to a different folder than the one above as if you are browsing it during Commit, then the process will fail to delete the temp files/folders.

keep watching the log in CMTrace as it will tell you what percentage is done, for example, 25% of the copying is completed



once it's done copying the WIM file it mounts it to inject the CBS updates



and after some time it will check all available updates to see if they are applicable or not, each update will have an Applicability State which can be listed as any of the following:-

• NOT_REQUIRED
• INSTALLED
• APPLICABLE
• APPLICABILITY_CHECK_NOT_SUPPORTED

finally you can see how many updates are being applied to the mounted image



and then it commits those changes, verify that all is well in the OfflineServicingMgr.log file before continuing, note that in addition to unmounting the image (commiting changes) it then creates a backup copy of the original WIM file (with a file extension of BAK). Also look for the line saying Schedule Processing Completed, this notifies you that all is done.



Now Browse to where your original captured WIM file is stored and you should see the original WIM file is renamed to BAK and the new file (larger file as it has updates applied) is in it's place. If you need to keep the original file copy it elsewhere or give it a new name.




Step 5. Review our updated Image in the ConfigMgr Console.

Now that the OfflineServicing process is complete, lets examine the WIM file in Operating System Images (click refresh to update the display). You should see that the Scheduled Update Status says Successful, and that the Update Status tab lists the state applicability of the 78 updates it referenced in the OfflineServicingMgr.log file.



Right click on our Windows 7 X64 Enterprise image and choose Properties, click on the Installed Updates tab, here you can see when any updates were added via Offline Servicing (in our case, it was 9 updates and they are indeed listed in the Date Installed column.




Step 6. Update your image to your Distribution Points

The last part of this process is to update your newly updated image to our Distribution Points, this is not done automatically you must do it yourself, this means that the scheduled task can run (Offline Servicing) and when it's done, you have to review the changes made before you decide if you want to update the image to your DP's or not.

Select our image and click on Update Distribution Points in the ribbon



click ok When prompted



That's it, you've now injected Windows Updates (CBS) using a new feature in ConfigMgr 2012 called Offline Servicing, once the WIM image has completed updating to the DP's your Task Sequence will reference the New updated image and your Enterprise (LAB) will be using the most secure, most up to date image available.

 

Related reading

 

• Customizing Offline Servicing of Operating System Images -http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2013/07/15/customizing-offline-servicing-of-operating-system-images.aspx
• Increase the OfflineServicingMgr.Log file size

[iburnell]

Two quick questions NIall

 

1) If you patch up your .WIM each month how does it cope with the older/superceded patches in the .WIM file?.

2) Could the "patched up" WIM be copied to a 2007 site so builds benefit from fully patched image

[anyweb]

good questions,

1. not sure yet, will have to find out when that happens but i would assume that the superseded updates will overwrite the old ones. (ie: replace)
2. no unless you remove the configmgr client first as they are different hierarchies and versions.

[Iroqouiz]

Would like to know that as well. Any updates on that?

 

Thanks for all the great guides, they've helped me a lot.

[itkroplis]

Hi!

When I add a new win7 wim file and the executive "distribute content", is created in C:\ SMSPKGSIG new folder (for example PRI00014.1). Copying process is interrupted and win7.wim size is 20MB !?

If I try to execute this win7.wim "Shedule Updates". I get the response "Failed to copy the image from the package source location to the siteserver machine."

 

OfflineServicingMgr.log:

There is an image associated with this schedule.

Total number of individual updates to be installed is 90.

STATMSG: ID=7903 SEV=I LEV=M SOURCE="SMS Server" COMP="SMS_OFFLINE_SERVICING_MANAGER" SYS=SCCM2012.LV SITE=GS0 PID=3884 TID=2968 GMTDATE=se mai 12 08:56:28.559 2012 ISTR0="GS000015" ISTR1="" ISTR2="" ISTR3="" ISTR4="" ISTR5="" ISTR6="" ISTR7="" ISTR8="" ISTR9="" NUMATTRS=0

Package source location for image GS000015 is not writable. GLE=5

STATMSG: ID=7915 SEV=E LEV=M SOURCE="SMS Server" COMP="SMS_OFFLINE_SERVICING_MANAGER" SYS=SCCM2012.LV SITE=GS0 PID=3884 TID=2968 GMTDATE=se mai 12 08:56:28.568 2012 ISTR0="GS000015" ISTR1="" ISTR2="" ISTR3="" ISTR4="" ISTR5="" ISTR6="" ISTR7="" ISTR8="" ISTR9="" NUMATTRS=0

Schedule processing failed

 

The problem is probably here:

Package source location for image GS000015 is not writable. GLE=5

What rights and where to be?

-------

 

 

Update:

Create a new sharing folder. I gave the right to sharing and security rights of every all / full. Began to work well. Lack of understanding of how SCCM authenticate. Although SCCM admin users and SCCM server account is given full rights.

 

 

Update2:

 

Sharing Permission change to Everyone to full controll.

Interestingly, with an account sccm2012 the authorization? Maybe the system!

[anyweb]

well in my example above SMSadmin is the user running the configmgr console and that user is a local administrator of the same box, are you performing this as a user that has local administrative permissions on that server or has the user rights to read/write to that folder (the package source folder mentioned in your log file)

[itkroplis]

My user has domain Enterprise Administrator. And has a maximum right. It turned out that sccm2012 authenticate the System.

[hhancock]

Does the Windows 7 Updates Software Update Group need to be deployed before it can be added to the WIM? I have not deployed the Software Update Group yet and noticed that the Schedule Updates Wizard doesn't populate with any information.

 

* I just need to deploy to the All Unknown Computers Device Collection.

[hhancock]

Okay, I've gotten Offline Servicing to work thanks to this guide. I have a quick question with regards to adding updates to the Windows 7 Updates SUG (Software Update Group). Do I just do the following?

1. Download update (if it isn't already)
   
2. Edit membership (to make it a part of my Windows 7 Updates SUG)
   
3. Schedule Updates on the Operating System Installer Image
   
4. Update Distribution Points
   

Is that it?

[anyweb]

that;'s about it, but i'd review the logs between point 3 and 4 to be sure the wim was updated successfully, in addition you may want to deploy the new wim image using a separate duplicate task sequence to verify it's working ok prior to rolling it out.