Issues with Apply OS Image, Apply Data Image, and USMT hardlinking

[h4x0r]

So back when we updated CM2012 to SP1, I noticed that after we updated our freshly captured images, that suddenly the deployment was failing on them. The only thing I found (at the time) to fix the issue was to include the Apply Data Image step in the TS, which applied image 1-1 to a 100MB partition that was created earlier in the format and partition step. Then I would apply image 2-2 (which is the OS) to the other partition (which would be the system drive).

 

The long and short of it is this: when using the USMT with hardlinks, the format and partition step is skipped, and when the TS gets to the Apply Data Image step, it fails because the 100MB partition is not formatted and ready for data. I'm concerned that it will fail anyway if I leave it out (as was the case after updating to SP1), but it is failing now, so I'm none the worse for it.

 

I didn't mind having to add the Apply Data Image step back a couple months ago, but I did find it odd that we had gotten along fine without it until then. Is there something I'm missing regarding the format and partition step, as well as the Apply OS Image step that is making it more complicated? It seems that other TS examples that I've looked at recently do not always have the Apply Data Image step, which makes me more curious now. If I can do without it, then it would seem to resolve my USMT hardlink issue...but right now, my standard TS will not complete without it anyway, so it make me wonder if there's something odd that I'm forgetting to do when capturing/applying the OS image.

 

Any help is greatly appreciated!

[h4x0r]

Well I feel kinda stupid...I rebuilt my TS, and apparently must have had something not set right, because our fresh image will install correctly now without the Apply Data Image step. I just tell the Apply OS Image step to apply image 2-2 to the next available formatted partition and it is working with my hardlink now.