WDS Multicast with Unattend.xml

[lesmckinlay]

Hi Guys

just a quick question. Once i have created an unattend.xml for one image can i use the same unattend.xml for another image or do i have to recreate another with WAIK and point to another image. Its just i'm trying to use an xml file i created for one installation and it won't work for another.

 

Regards

Les

[winoutreach5]

When you create an unattend.xml file using Windows System Image Manger (WSIM), a component of Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK), a catalog file is generated and the xml file is designed to work with that image. If you wish to use the same unattend file with a different image than the image you used to create the file the architecture must be the same as well as the service pack version.

 

If your deployment is failing because of the unattend file specifically, you will want to check the unattend logs. You should be able to find the log file in one of the following paths:

 

· %WINDIR%\System32\Sysprep\Panther

· %WINDIR%\Panther\

· %WINDIR%\Panther\Unattendgc

 

If you don’t find the error code listed in the log file paths listed above, you might also want to check the Event Viewer on the WDS server and see what, if any, error is logged.

 

To generate general server health information, you would use the following command: WDSUTIL /get-server /show:all /detailed

 

More information on multicast deployments can be found on TechNet here.

 

Another option is that you might want to consider the use of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) as it acts as a common console that combines all deployment tasks into an easy to use interface. MDT even allows you to create “universal images” by allowing you to easily add and remove drivers and applications to and from the deployment images. While the current version of MDT is MDT 2012, there is still a great introductory video on TechNet here that walks you through the process of using the deployment workbench of MDT 2010. One more benefit of MDT is that it is compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2003, 2008, and 2008 R2 so you would only have to learn one utility to learn ALL of your deployments.

 

Jessica

Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro

[lesmckinlay]

Thanks Jessica

i'll give it a try and let you know how i got on. :-)

thnx

 

Les

[lesmckinlay]

Working fine now jess. Many thanks.

 

Les.x.

[winoutreach5]

Les,

 

So glad to hear it is working for you! Let me know if I can be of help in the future.

 

Jessica

Windows Outreach Team -- IT Pro