Hi @all,

i have a Lenovo T520 with 8 Cores, 256SSD for OS, 750GB SSD for Data

OS is Windows 8.1 x64

Hyper-V is installed

MDT 2012 Update 1 inkl. ADK and WAIK

i have created a Virtual Machine with 2CPUs 4GB Memory

Problem is, that the Installation of Windows 7 incl. Updates take half day (Capture)

what can i do, that the harddisk perfomance, network perfomance is higher?

HELP

Hi, 

We are currently using mdt 2012 and I was wondering if their was any way to add or change the DevicePath reg key using mdt such as adding a reg add command in the task sequence or something? 

Thanks in Advance!

Bob

Hi everyone.  Recently one of our users decided to purchase a non standard HP Zbook 15 (we have a Zbook 15 which works, but this is a different sku).  Anyways, our image works fine with our standard Zbook 15 but with this "upgraded/custom" laptop the deployment failed right after running DISM in PE.  Failure states "failed to save environment"/"Fatal error is returned in check for reboot request of action (Restart Computer)"  

I've run the deployment from the same thumbdrive on both a standard Zbook 15 and the custom zbook 15.  I've grabbed all logs from both devices and compared them to see where we start seeing a departure from succesful imaging.

Both logs are pretty similar until the scripts diskpart and attempt to assign TSM Root Drive.  Screenshot 1 shows a couple of lines before and after in smsts.log where the deviation happens.  Screenshot 2 shows where I think the same deviation happens but under bdd.log.  I've attached both sets of logs in this7z file from my dropbox.  

As for hardware specifics on both laptops, The failed one is a supposed up version of our standard Zbook 15.  The failed one has 16GB RAM compared to our standard 4GB.  Runs a i7 processor vs standard i5 and also has a mSATA 32GB drive card plus an extra 700GB drive in RAID mode, while the standard only has a 500GB and runs in AHCI mode.  It came preconfigured in some form of RAID array which I removed and allowed both drives to be individual and still fails.  I've also configured it to AHCI and IDE modes, disabled the mSATA drive and nothing has helped.  BIOS versions where the same during all this testing and I recently upgraded the fail one to the latest from HP.

I read the one post (MDT 2012 Deployment Error: failed...) and the provided blog post but although the errors are the same, I'm already running MDT 2012 Update 1 and using ADK instead of WAIK.  I've used imagex info to check the boot wim and can see that it's version 6.2.16384.  I'm willing to try any possible suggestions. (Can't upgrade to ADK 8.1 though because of compatibility with our SCCM server).

Thank you for your time and patience.

Guys - I am strictly using MDT/WDS for deployment.

I have created a standard task sequence and able to deploy Windows 8.1 to bare-metal machines using just pxe and boot isos.

However, I am trying to get USMT with hardlinking to work. I have read that this should automatically work if you kick the Litetouch.vbs from the desktop. I have done this, but USMT is not automatically restoring the files (created simple text files on the desktop and mydocs). I have checked the USMT folder after the machine is imaged and I see the files in the profile.

I have not made any modifications to the customsettings.ini (boot.ini) related to USMT. Or modified the standard task sequence.

Any suggestions?

one last question. is there a way to pxe aboot nd get hardlink to work as well?

thanks!

-PD

Hi everybody !

I have a issue with WDS + MDT2010.

First of all, I can only access to the server remotely, I have a person who does the tests but he don't have skills in this domain so I'm a bit alone face to the problem and I'm lost.

The network is composed like this :

HQ based in FR (where I am) and an office in the USA, this is the same domain for the two.

We have a working deployment server here in FRANCE but impossible to make working the server at the USA. This server is too DC, DNS, DHCS etc.

The issue is showed by this picture : http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/444/20531368.jpg/

Voici le fichier Bootstrap.ini :

[Settings]

Priority=Default

[Default]

DeployRroot=\\"SERVERNAME"\DeploymentShareMDT$

The person who tries to deploy the computers can't use the admin rights, he is not allowed to use them so he use an user account. But in the past he ever had deployed laptops with his credendials.

Is someody had a good idea about my problem? They have laptops to deploy and make pressure on me...

Best regards all !!

We have an existing custom Windows 7 image that we use on multiple computer models.  The newer shipments of these otherwise similar PCs (same model name) have started to be shipped with Advanced Format disks and our image doesn't work on the more recently manufactured systems.

We are deploying both kinds of hard disks at the same time with the same custom wim file.

With MDT 2010, how can we make an existing image created on a conventional disk work on an advanced format disk?

Is there a way to make the new 4K disk work as a 512K disk with a disk config tool or is there a command in MDT 2010 to do some kind of special partitioning that works with advanced format disks only if the system is detected as having a 4K disk?

Using MDT 2012 Update 1 and started having a weird issue where MandatoryApplications properties are being skipped over during the deployment process.

CustomSettings.ini is configured to process [Default] first, followed by model specific subsections for fixing up minor things that are specific to that model. There are MandatoryApplications settings under each subsection, and it ends up looking similar to this...

[Settings]
Priority=Default, Model

[Default]
MandatoryApplications001={f3389f14-6071-414b-b989-08e35cf82f27}

[HP EliteBook 840 G1]
MandatoryApplications002={d13e2dc4-3b27-4173-b143-30b5f57d7e53}

Applications defined under [Default] install just fine, but nothing under the model subsections installs. No errors, also.

BDD.log shows...

------ Processing the [DEFAULT] section ------	ZTIGather	4/17/2014 9:48:41 AM	0 (0x0000)
Property MANDATORYAPPLICATIONS001 is now = {f3389f14-6071-414b-b989-08e35cf82f27}	ZTIGather	4/17/2014 9:48:42 AM	0 (0x0000)
Added value from [DEFAULT]: MANDATORYAPPLICATIONS = {f3389f14-6071-414b-b989-08e35cf82f27}	ZTIGather	4/17/2014 9:48:42 AM	0 (0x0000)
------ Processing the [HP EliteBook 840 G1] section ------	ZTIGather	4/17/2014 9:48:42 AM	0 (0x0000)
------ Done processing \\Server\ProductionShare$\Control\CustomSettings.ini ------	ZTIGather	4/17/2014 9:48:43 AM	0 (0x0000)

ZTIApplications.log shows...

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit version: 6.1.2373.0	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
The task sequencer log is located at C:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\SMSTSLog\SMSTS.LOG.  For task sequence failures, please consult this log.	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
Write all logging text to \\Server\productionshare$\logs	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
Validating connection to \\Server\productionshare$\logs	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
Already connected to server Server as that is where this script is running from.	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
Language/Locale Identified (in order of precedence): 1033,0409,0x0409,9,0009,0x0009	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
Processing Application Type: MandatoryApplications	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:35 AM	0 (0x0000)
Ready to install applications: 	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
################	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Entry: {f3389f14-6071-414b-b989-08e35cf82f27}	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Name:  SysConfigs	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
################	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Using a local or mapped drive, no connection is required.	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Change directory: Z:\Applications\SysConfigs	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Run Command: \\Server\ProductionShare$\Tools\X64\bddrun.exe sysconfigs.bat	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
ZTI installing application 	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Event 41031 sent: ZTI installing application 	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
About to run command: \\Server\ProductionShare$\Tools\X64\bddrun.exe sysconfigs.bat	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Command has been started (process ID 3624)	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Return code from command = 0	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Application SysConfigs installed successfully	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Event 41033 sent: Application SysConfigs installed successfully	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Property InstalledApplications001 is now = {f3389f14-6071-414b-b989-08e35cf82f27}	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:36 AM	0 (0x0000)
Processing Application Type: Applications	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:37 AM	0 (0x0000)
Application List is empty, exiting ZTIApplications.wsf	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:37 AM	0 (0x0000)
ZTIApplications processing completed successfully.	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:37 AM	0 (0x0000)
Event 41001 sent: ZTIApplications processing completed successfully.	ZTIApplications	4/17/2014 10:06:37 AM	0 (0x0000)

So it ends up looking like the Applications List is not being properly populated, or something is just not processing CustomSettings.ini correctly. I've double-checked that the applications are hidden and enabled on the share, and have deleted/recreated the applications on the share.

Anyone have any ideas?

Hi all,

I'm having trouble with our newest laptop model (Dell Latitude 6440) and starting the Deployment Wizard from a PXE connection.

When booting via PXE:

• I get the Welcome screen just fine.
• When I click "Run the Deployment Wizard", I get the following error: "No network connectivity is available. Please connect your computer to the network and try again." 
• ipconfig shows no connection
• wpeinit.log shows no network devices detected

However, when booting from CD, everything works fine.  This is the exact same version of the boot image, just the ISO instead of the .wim.

I've updated the network drivers several times, but haven't been able to resolve this. Does anyone have any idea why my boot image works fine from CD, but not from PXE?

Thanks so much!
Rachel

Now I'll start by saying I just say Keith mention needing to copy the 6.2 unattend files to 6.3. Which I'll try doing, but won't have time until next week. Has anyone thus far imaged a tablet with 8.1u1 yet? I built all new images using the 8.1 ISO that includes update 1. I have the latest ADK installed, but I'm guessing something in MDT isn't aware of what's changed.

As of right now, if I image a tablet it always goes back to the desktop when an app is closed even if it is not set to boot to desktop. Anyone else experience this? Next week I'll try building all new task sequences and reference images after copying all the 6.2 unattend files to 6.3

We would like to automate reimaging laptops with Windows 7 while they are powered off in a charging cart. 

I know MDT can be set to run a deployment sequence automatically, I'm looking for more info.

We will do the WOL manually, but then need the rest to happen without further manual interaction.

Is there a way to use WOL to not only wake these laptops, but also boot them into PXE boot without having to press F12 and have this happen only when they start via WOL so that they do not try to PXE boot automatically every time they are powered on or reboot?

Can an OS deployment sequence be set up so that the OS deployment only launches automatically skipping all wizard pages when a specific set of computers (MAC addresses?) connect so if any other random computers boot to MDT, those other computers still get the menu that lets you choose which task sequence you want to run? 

Since we will not be able to see the laptop screens with the lids closed, we need the multicast OS deployment to start automatically once all the computers in the group boot and join the session.

Can all of this be done without SCCM? 

I use VMware to capture reference images for MDT, and I've just started preparing to deploy W8.

I wanted to deploy W8.1 but as my VM host uses an older Opteron 280, W8.1 will not install or capture due to MicroMuppets pulling support for the chip... however, W8 works fine.

So I decided, until I update my VM host, to deploy W8.

I installed MDT 2013, along with the Windows ADK.

I built a reference image of W8 no problem, I then tried to capture but a virtual cpu fault occurred after loading WinPE. The cpu fault I identified as above, the cpu is not supported by W8.1.

I then realised I'd installed Windows 8.1 ADK, so I tried installing the Windows 8 ADK thinking it would fix the capture issues, however after installing W8 ADK my deployment share complains and says; 'ADK not installed' and that I need to install the Windows ADK, specifically 8.1.

So my question is; Is it possible to use the W8 ADK to deploy W8, or am I forced to use the latest 8.1 ADK? Why is MDT 2013 not recognising W8 ADK?

Thanking you.

Dan

I am generating computer names by Type and serial number using the below custom ini properties.

[Settings]
Priority=CSettings, CRoles, Locations, LSettings, LApps, MMSettings, MMApps, RSettings, RApps, ByLaptopType, ByDesktopType, ByVMType, ByIsOnBattery, HardwareInfo,Default
Properties=Type,MakeAlias,ModelAlias
OSDComputerName=%Type%-%SerialNumber%

[ByLaptopType]
Subsection=Laptop-%IsLaptop%

[ByDesktopType]
Subsection=Desktop-%IsDesktop%

[Laptop-True]
Type=LT

Used to work great but for some reason now when i refresh a laptop, it is renamed M-SERVICETAG instead of LT-SERVICETAG.

If i look at the BDD.log i see this:

Property TYPE is now = MZTIGather 4/10/2014 1:27:05 PM 0 (0x0000)
Obtained TYPE value from SQL:  TYPE = MZTIGather 4/10/2014 1:27:05 PM 0 (0x0000)

I have a SQL connection in MDT i use to install applications depending on computer make and models, however i do not use it for naming convention so i do not understand why MDT is getting and using the type from SQL 

I'm rolling out some deployment testing, and everything is working great.  However, in the last steps of the MDT deployment, when MDT is logged onto Windows 7 and MDT is finishing up, I get a few boxes like below.  As a test, I disabled the UAC in the MDT answer file, but after that, I still get these messages.  Anyway to disable?  Maybe it's the firewall?  If so, is there a way to disable the firewall during the deployment process? 

I've been successfully deploying Windows 7 and Windows 8 via LiteTouch for many years, first using MDT 2010, then 2012 Update 1. Little kinks here and there, sometimes relating to the newer version of WinPE, but overall I love it and it works well.

I've just tried to deploy my first Server 2012 machine via MDT, and it fails at the point where it tries to log into the freshly deployed OS for the first time and resume the task sequence from within Windows. It appears to log in as the local admin, but before the desktop is displayed at all, a pop-up message appears stating "Unable to find litetouch.wsf needed to continue the deployment."  Because the desktop is not displayed, I cannot see whether the network connection is active, and it's not possible to launch or check anything until I respond "OK" to the dialog box. 

I'm booting from WinPE 5.0, very newly regenerated boot images - in fact, these are the first boot images based on WinPE5.0 that I've ever used. I suspected a problem there, so I used that same boot image to deploy another Win8 machine to the same hardware via my long-used Win8 Client task sequence, and it worked flawlessly. The "hardware" is a VMware virtual machine using the Paravirtual SCSI adapter and the VMXNET 3 adapter.  Once I dismiss the dialog on the Server 2012 machine and reach the desktop my network connection appears normal. The same drivers are used on the workstation and again, it behaves normally.

One interesting feature is that my deployment of Server 2012 lingers for over 1/2 an hour at the end of Installing Operating System on the "Applying unattend.xml with DISM.EXE" step.  The only other time I ever observed that was when I attempted to apply lots of Windows Update packages to a Win8 client deployment as part of the task sequence. It would take forever on "Applying unattend.xml with DISM.EXE" and some update or other prevented that deployment from ultimately succeeding.  I disabled that part of the task sequence and client deployments started succeeding again.  It's as if my Server 2012 task sequence is attempting to apply lots of updates at this stage, but I've explicitly disabled that in the task sequence so I'm not sure what it's spending so long thinking about. 

I could flood this post with more info, but let's start there.  Does anything obvious come to mind for anyone?

Thanks in advance for all replies!

BJ

Hello,

I have a MDT setup in a workgroup environment. I have edited the bootstrap.ini to include my admin user id of

UserID=IP\adminuser

UserPassword=MyAdminPassword

I ran the litetouch.wsf on my reference computer I am trying to capture and it initially connects to the DS to start the process but when the MS solution accelerators screen appears on reboot and it tries to connect to the DS again I get the error telling me a connection to the DS could not be made. Connection OK. Possible cause: invalid credentials. Even though it is the the same credentials that connected to the DS during the litetouch.wsf script correct? Or is there another config file I am supposed to set the credentials in for the next part?

I am new to WDT so I appreciate any assistance. Thank you.

Hi,

I believe what I am trying to do is not possible from previous readings on this forum, BUT then I see something in my MDT 2013 OSD wizard that seems to indicate there might be a way to get it done. So here goes.

For my own demos, I am trying to develop a deployment share that is much like Johan Arwidmark's hydration kit. Some machines, like a domain controller or a SQL cluster are all well-defined: computer names, IP addresses, etc. are fixed and can be set in customsettings.ini or in the Task Sequence with variables. However, I would also like the ability to have to deploy a "generic" machine where I can select roles, applications, etc.

This would require having different wizard pages shown for different task sequences. From what I've read, this may not be possible without developing a custom wizard (and that might be too much effort). However, I currently have two task sequences and depending on which one I select, I see a different number of steps to complete? See screenshots. I don't know what I have currently configured that makes it like that.

 (when I select "Domain Controller 01" task sequence) (Task sequence ID "DC01")

 (when I select the "generic" task sequence)

Below is my customsettings.ini [the only rules file I have].

[Settings]
Priority=TaskSequence,Default

[Default]
_SMSTSORGNAME=Demo Deployment
OSInstall=Y
SkipCapture=YES
SkipAdminPassword=YES
AdminPassword=P@ssw0rd!
SkipProductKey=YES
SkipComputerBackup=YES
SkipBitLocker=YES
EventService=http://192.168.232.1:9800

SkipUserData=YES
SkipTaskSequence=NO
SkipTimeZone=YES
SkipBitLocker=YES
SkipSummary=YES
SkipFinalSummary=NO
FinishAction=SHUTDOWN
SkipLocaleSelection=YES
HideShell=YES

[DC01]
_SMSTSORGNAME=DC01 Deployment
SkipComputerName=YES
OSDComputerName=DC01
SkipDomainMembership=YES
JoinWorkgroup=DEMO
SkipRoles=YES

I would expect the settings for task sequence "DC01" to be applied after I select that task sequence in the wizard. That doesn't seem to work. The first task in the sequence is a "Gather" task that gathers local data and processes customsettings.ini.

I understand I can't override most settings from [Default] because they would have already been processed but as you can see, that's not what I am actually trying.

I am not opposed to having multiple rules files if that would work. However, it seems like that doesn't make much difference when it comes to actually seeing different wizard steps active. I've tried adding a second customsettings_dc01.ini file and having a Gather step that specifically references that file in the "Initialize" group.

I've considered some alternatives to making it work this way, such as having multiple deployment shares and "linking" them (although I haven't done this before) so I wouldn't have to copy all the applications.

I would also set the computer name and all in the task sequence using variables, but that still doesn't address the problem.

Any insight is appreciated,

SA.

I just built a new MDT 2013 server (on 2012 R2) and am attempting to deploy Windows 7 from it via litetouch.  I've been working with MDT 2010 for several years so I am pretty familiar with how it works and just about everything is fine with 2013 except for one small issue.  When the sequence boots into Windows 7 for the first time, it just sits there at the desktop and nothing happens.  This happens every time and performs the same on virtual and physical machines.  All I have to do is reboot the machine and the task sequence will pick right up where it left of and finish everything correctly.

I have found similar reports that seem to be resolved by adding pauses to either the ltibootstrap, litetouch, or ztiutility scripts to give the machine additional time to initialize, but none have worked for me.  The only seemingly relevant log entry comes from the BDD file.  The last entry is:

I question the relevance of this entry because I don't actually have to manually register the dll to get it to work again.  Everything else in the BDD and SMSTS logs looks fine and don't appear to give any indication of what is going on.

I have also attempted to add an additional restart to the task sequence immediately following the restart that is initiated after the OS has been laid down, but since the task sequence doesn't start after that first autologin, it doesn't execute.

Thoughts?

After installing Trend DeepScan AV software on our MDT 2013 server, some of the deployments are extremely sluggish and some steps seem to halt completely. As soon as the AV software is inactivated, everything goes back to normal. The MDT folder and the entire deployment share have been excluded in the AV configuration but didn't change anything.

Does anybody know what more to exclude in the AV configuration for MDT to work without issues? I checked the Microsoft page with products and their exclusions but MDT isn't listed there.