How can I capture an image using capture media in ConfigMgr 2012

[anyweb]

Normally you would want to automate building your reference image using Configuration Manager or MDT or a mixture of both. So if for example you want to capture a reference image you could do so using a fully automated Build and Capture task sequence in System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager.

 

In this post however, I'll explain how you can capture an image manually and Configuration Manager 2012 provides a method of doing just that called Capture Media. This media is created as an ISO file which you burn directly to CD/DVD or mount in a virtual machine and use. But first you need to make sure that the image you want to capture is in the right state, listed below

• workgroup joined

In order for the image to be captured the computer must be a member of a Workgroup, In other words, the machine you want to capture the image from must not be joined to a domain.

 

Tip: It's recommended that you build your master image without joining a domain as domain join can impact an image and make troubleshooting problems that occur later on, harder. Settings get applied when you join a domain, such as Group Policies are set, software may be installed, registry keys might be changed. Keeping a computer off the domain before capturing it, eliminates these and other potential issues.

 

I'd recommend you use Virtual Machines (Hyperv, Vmware Workstation) or whatever virtual software you like to create the 'image' you want to capture.

 

Step 1. Create the Capture Media

Perform the following on the Configuration Manager server as a SMSadmin.

Open the ConfigMgr console, click on Software Library, Operating Systems, expand Task Sequences. In the ribbon click on Create Task Sequence Media



when the Create Task Sequence Media wizard appears click on Capture Media



click next and browse to the path of where you want to store the ISO file, give it a name like capture_media.iso



click next, then click on browse beside boot image



select your X86 boot image

 

Note: if you are trying to capture x64 UEFI hardware such as the Microsoft Surface Pro 3, you must use a x64 boot wim.



click ok, then click on Browse beside Distribution Point



select your distribution point



now your selected boot image and distribution point are listed, click next to continue through the wizard



if you get a UAC prompt accept it



finally the media is done !



if you need to troubleshoot it's creation look at the CreateTSMedia.log file in your confmgr LOGS dir. (D:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\AdminUILog)

 

Step 2. Remove the Configuration Manager client if installed

Run

Ccmsetup.exe /uninstall 

from the C:\Windows\CCMsetup folder, you can monitor the CCMSetup.log file to verify it uninstalls successfully as shown below

 

 

Once done remove the following:-

 

• delete any logs and files left behind in the ccmsetup and ccm folders
• delete c:\windows\smscfg.ini

• delete the two SMS certs for the local computer in CertMgr.Msc

 

Step 3. While in Windows, start the ISO/CD/DVD on the Workgroup Computer

Perform the following on the computer which you want to capture an image of as a local administrator.

if you are using virtual hardware (hyperv or vmware) just mount the ISO on your workgroup computer (click on Media, Insert Disc, browse to the ISO location), otherwise burn the ISO to cd/dvd and insert that burned cd/dvd into the computer you need to capture.

While still in Windows (do not try to boot from this ISO/CD/DVD) you should see the following



click on Run TSMBAutorun.exe

Welcome to the Image Capture Wizard appears, click next..



Enter a path and name for the WIM file, I chose \\sccm\sources\os\captures\captured.wim and then enter the credentials of a user with permissions to write to that location



enter some Image Information



review the summary



and click finish to start the capture process, notice how it prepares the config manager client



and then it syspreps



before rebooting into Windows PE to capture the system



and the capture begins !



success !



all done, the image is captured.

 

Troubleshooting Tips:

 

• If there is no CCM client installed, check for the SMSTS.log file in C:\Users\Administrator\AppData\Local\Temp\
• If you have the CCM client installed and you see an error in SMSTS.log (probably in C:\Windows\CCM\Logs or C:\Windows\SysWow64\CCM\logs) which sates Waiting for CCMExec service to be fully available, locate the SMS Agent Host service in services.msc and start the service.
• If you get the following error after inputting the Capture path and Network credentials "The network location cannot be reached. For information about network troubleshooting, see Windows Help. (Error: 800704CF; Source: Windows)" then verify you entered the credentials correctly, in addition you can test mapping a network drive using the same path and same credentials, if it fails, reboot the computer and try the wizard again

[jonesy5090]

Thanks for all the effort you've put into these posts - your documentation is far superior to anything Microsoft has to offer, they should take a leaf out of your book!

 

Keep up the good work.

[Steph01]

Hello and thank you very mush for all these good guides.

 

Here my 1st post just because this guide is the only one I have problem with. All other SCCM 2012 guides went with no error.

 

The problem I have is simple. After I create and burn the media, there is nothing that auto-starts. Digging the CD, I found SMS\BIN\I386\TSMBAUTORUN.EXE, but it does nothing when launched. On the root of the media, there is only the SMS folder and VOLUMEID.XML.

 

I tested to boot on it and it does not boot. It's 163MB in size.

 

I don't know what I missed since the log is like yours and states the media creation was a success.

 

Thanks and Regards,

Stephane

[anyweb]

sounds to me like your capture iso is faulty, can you try making it again please, how did you burn it to CD ?

[RUH]

I have the exact problem as Steph01. I tried burning the iso on a CD as well as USB. Autorun does not appear and when i click on SMS\BIN\I386\TSMBAUTORUN.EXE. nothing opens. I might be missing the sysprep folder in C:\ but it should alteast give me an error.

Are there any other requirements for this?

 

any ideas?

 

Thank you, All of your guides are great

[anyweb]

what software did you use to burn the ISO ? have you tried mounting the iso in any virtual machine ?

 

Thank you, All of your guides are great

 

thanks, spread the word !

[RUH]

I tried it with Imgburn, I also chose to directly install it to a usb. I tried it on several different computers but no luck. This is how my icons looks like.They dont look like proper application icons. If I try to do it using task sequence. its says it should be running in full OS. How would I start the program from full OS? is it only through capture media?

 

[kletsah]

I tried it with Imgburn, I also chose to directly install it to a usb. I tried it on several different computers but no luck. This is how my icons looks like.They dont look like proper application icons. If I try to do it using task sequence. its says it should be running in full OS. How would I start the program from full OS? is it only through capture media?

 

 

Is the OS running on a VM in vmware? Then probably autorun is disable in the registry. Renable the autorun functions in the registry and autorun will be available again to autorun the bootmedia.

[anyweb]

thanks to Andrew on Technet this may be the answer to your autorun problem

 

The capture media seems to work fine on Windows 7 installations where Autoplay is enabled and the media can launch TSMBAutorun.exe automatically. However, if you have to launch TSMBAutorun.exe by navigating to the SMS\bin\i386 folder (for instance if autoplay isn't working or you extract create/extract to a USB key), then the wizard does not launch. This seems to be because when you use explorer to run TSMBAutorun.exe the current working directory becomes SMS/bin/i386 and TSMBAutorun.exe expects to find TSMBootstrap.exe in <currentworkingdir>\sms\bin\x64 (or x86) - which would resolve, as John as found, to an invalid path of D:\SMS\BIN\i386\SMS\BIN\x64\TSMBootstrap.exe.

 

On newly built systems using MDT2012, I think the Apply GPO Pack step applies a default Windows 7 SP1 local policy that disables autorun - therefore we encounter the issue trying to use the capture media. Simply running gpedit.msc and cancelling the 'Turn off Autoplay' option in 'Computer Configuration/Administrative Templates/Windows Components/AutoPlay Policies' allows the Capture media wizard to run via autoplay.

If you do leave Autoplay turned off, you can workaround the issue simply by opening a command prompt at the root of the capture media drive and running sms\bin\i386 smbautorun.exe.

[n00blar]

Great article.

 

Question, what's the recommended way of creating an OS image? Is it this one (create an image with all business-like applications) or the one specified in Part 7 of the SCCM 2012 labs?

 

If I use the captured image (Part 7 lab), I can install all my packaged applications as an OSD task. Later on, if need be, I can upgrade those deployed packaged applications.

I'm wondering if I can, safely, upgrade applications that have been installed in the captured-media image?