Creating Custom Boot Image (boot.wim)

When using  System Centre Configuration Manager for OS deployment you always use WinPE as your boot media/environment for deploying  the actual image… Normally you can just use the boot image supplied with SCCM (a WinPE 2.1 wim, taken from WAIK and placed in \\”SiteServer”\SMS_”SiteCode”\osd\boot\”architecture”\boot.wim), with out any further considerations. Well you might have to inject some NIC and Storage drivers, but that's properly it! A problem you might run into though, is lacking functionality of that WinPE build, like no HTA, MDAC/ADO support etc, or you might need to ad a “Custom media hook” to run a script prior to [...]

By |2008-10-29T10:52:03+01:00oktober 29th, 2008|OS Deployment|9 Comments

Speed up your Microsoft Virtual PC environment

  Playing around with OS deployment (and teaching MS MOC courses) I often use virtual environments such as Microsoft Virtual PC and Virtual Server. Now more often that not I find myself pulling out what little hair I have left, in sheer frustrated over the speed with witch VPC/server runs… I mean trying to run a DC, a SCCM server and a client is near impossible unless you like  long walks along the beach and other slow boring things… So I find myself converting stuff to VMware as it seems to run some what faster along with other need features.. [...]

By |2008-10-23T11:29:55+01:00oktober 23rd, 2008|Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI)|Kommentarer lukket til Speed up your Microsoft Virtual PC environment

Setting up the Custom Media Hook (pre TS action)

  If you want to run a script before the actual TS start, well even before the boot CD looks to SCCM for policies to run, you could add a Custom Media Hook. The Media Hook will run a script defined in an INI file and not enter TS mode before it has finished.. This could be useful in any number of scenarios like cleaning the disk, enabling the disk if it has been encrypted,  setting variables, entering data to DB and so on and so on. Now enabling this feature is quit simple, and then again it is not! [...]

By |2008-10-22T17:45:01+01:00oktober 22nd, 2008|OS Deployment|15 Comments

Easy way to install depending on Chassis Type (laptop, Desktop or Server)

Lets say you have a application you only want to install on laptops, like f.ex. VPN or battery SW. Well now how do you get around this?? I use the MDT variable IsLaptop  as an option on my Task Sequence step. 1. add the MDT Gather step somewhere after the image has been deployed     2. On the Install Software step you only want to install on Laptops, you add the “Option-Task Sequence Variable” IsLaptop equals TRUE   This will make sure this step is only run is the Chassi type is LAPTOP. You can of cause do the [...]

By |2008-10-22T13:15:15+01:00oktober 22nd, 2008|Configuration Manager (SCCM)|4 Comments

Configuring WebDAV on Windows Server 2008 for Configuration Manager 2007

The WebDAV components is a required component for the configuration Manager site systems. In Windows server 2003 you simply add the component from Add/Remove programs in the Control Panel. Hovewer in Windows server 2008 the component has been removed. Installing WebDAV on Windows Server 2008, requires a download and some configuration in ISS.  32 bit: Download webdav_x86_rtw.msi from http://www.iis.net/downloads/default.aspx?tabid=34&g=6&i=1621 64 bit: Download webdav_x64_rtw.msi from http://www.iis.net/downloads/default.aspx?tabid=34&g=6&i=1618 Start the installation by double clicking the correct msi file (in this guide I am installing the 32 bit version).   Select I accept the License agreement and click Install. Click Finish. Open Start, All [...]

By |2008-10-21T16:47:05+01:00oktober 21st, 2008|Configuration Manager (SCCM)|2 Comments

Client push fails when Management Point is installed on Windows 2008 server

I just went back from a customer that experienced a problem when they used client push to install clients. All client reported the same in ccmsetup.log Failed to correctly receive a WEBDAV HTTP request. Failed to successfully complete HTTP request. (StatusCode at WinHttpQueryHeaders: 405) The solution to this problem is adding this line: <add name="WebDAV" path="*" verb="PROPFIND,PROPPATCH,MKCOL,PUT,COPY,DELETE,MOVE,LOCK,UNLOCK" modules="WebDAVModule" resourceType="Unspecified" requireAccess="None" /> To the %windir%\System32\inetsrv\config\applicationHost.config file. Open the applicationHost.config file Search for the text <handlers accessPolicy="Read, Script"> Add a new line after the text and paste this line: <add name="WebDAV" path="*" verb="PROPFIND,PROPPATCH,MKCOL,PUT,COPY,DELETE,MOVE,LOCK,UNLOCK" modules="WebDAVModule" resourceType="Unspecified" requireAccess="None" /> It should look like the [...]

By |2008-10-11T15:39:41+01:00oktober 11th, 2008|Configuration Manager (SCCM)|2 Comments

Configuration Manager OSD Frontend

We have received a lot feedback about our Coretech Application Creator. Some of you mention that the application name is a bit misleading. Well, you're right, the name don't reveal the real magic behind the application. The application has two main features: It's a OSD frontend which can be used to prestage computers and also to configure collection variables. It automates the entire software distribution process. The name will be changed in future releases. For more information about the application please refer to my previous post or Jakobs post

By |2008-10-11T13:59:48+01:00oktober 11th, 2008|Configuration Manager (SCCM)|1 Kommentar

Coretech Application Creator for SCCM without Active Directory integration

Download: [download#3#size#nohits] System Requirements: Windows XP/Vista. Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 Development team: Kent Agerlund: Contributor Michael Pedersen: Contributor Jakob Gottlieb Svendsen: Main Developer In the first version of our Coretech Application Creator the Collection membership was based on Active Directory Groups. Based on the first feedback we developed a version without the Active Directory integration. In this version the application will automatically create collections, import the package, create 2 programs and optionally two advertisements. The application is pretty esasy to use, but I will advice you to read the help before you start. For detailed information about installation and configuration [...]

By |2008-10-11T13:28:32+01:00oktober 11th, 2008|Configuration Manager (SCCM), Tools|1 Kommentar

Configuration Manager 2007 Hardware configurations

Below you'll find some real life Configuration Manager hardware numbers. Primary site server with local SQL Hardware Specifications for medium sites (below 6.000 clients) CPU 2 Intel Pentium 4 Xeon > 3 GHz (or better) RAM 4 GB Disk See below   RAID No. of physical disk Purpose Raid 1 2, 150 GB each. C =50GB (Operating System, SQL Application) X= 50 GB (Config mgr. Backup Files, Pagefile) X= 10 GB (TempDB) Raid 1 2, 150 GB each. X = 146 GB (SQL Logs) Raid 10 4, 150 GB each. X = 60 GB (SQL DB) X = 40 GB [...]

By |2008-10-10T08:43:47+01:00oktober 10th, 2008|Hardware & Drivers|Kommentarer lukket til Configuration Manager 2007 Hardware configurations

Capture from VPC keeps rebooting when deployed.

  I normally like to capture my reference images from a virtual machine as it eliminates a lot of the driver issues you have if you capture an Actual machine. I did sometimes run into problems capturing XP images though. The build and capture posses would work fine, but once I deployed the image (with Storage driver and HAL replacement scripts and everything ) it would just enter an endless loop ether before the minisetup, or just after. The problem turned out to be the old UberBug problem where WinPE 2.1 formats the HD in a way that XP doesn't [...]

By |2008-10-08T16:24:03+01:00oktober 8th, 2008|Configuration Manager (SCCM)|Kommentarer lukket til Capture from VPC keeps rebooting when deployed.

Automated Windows Installer Properties from .INI (Embedded VBScript)

Download: [download#2#size#nohits] Have you ever needed the functionality to read the property values from an .ini file, every time a installation or repair is run? This small script created for Windows installer, will do the job. Purpose:   Automatically reads a ini file located in the MSI SOURCEDIR property. Each parameter in the ini file is read into the property that have the same name. ex. "DaysSerial"="0100000" line is read in to property named DaysSerial and setting the value to 0100000 System works both with "DaysSerial"="0100000" ini format, or DaysSerial=0100000 ini format. If you later change the ini file at the [...]

Coretech Application Creator For SCCM

This version is obsolete! please download new Coretech SCCM Manager at https://blog.ctglobalservices.com/confmgr07/coretech-sccm-manager-1-0-3-1-freeware-download/ System Requirements: Windows XP/Vista. Microsoft .Net Framework 3.5 Development team: Kent Agerlund: Contributor Michael Pedersen: Contributor Jakob Gottlieb Svendsen: Main Developer 1. Introduction This utility is developed based on many years of experience with Microsoft System Management Server now System Center Configuration Manager. Our mission is to streamline every aspect of the package creation process thus making the daily administration of the system smarter. In the latest version you’ll also find functionality to prestage computers and configure variables used in the image deployment process. This utility is Freeware, [...]

Using WDS for legacy RIS images, SCCM boot Images, and PSP (SCCM PXE Service Point)

  Setting up WDS 1. If WDS is already installed go to step 4 2. Make sure you are running Windows Server 2003 SP2 or later 3. Go to "add or remove programs" and open "add/Remove windows components". Scroll to the bottom of the wizard and check of "windows deployment services" and hit NEXT (Make sure you have the srv2003 source files as you will be prompted for files) 4. to check the status of your WDS open a command prompt and type wdsutil /get-server /show:config 5. If WDS operational mode is Mixed or legacy, you are done. 6. In [...]

By |2008-10-07T16:22:07+01:00oktober 7th, 2008|OS Deployment|3 Comments