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simps100

Image Creation - Best Pratice

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Hi all

 

Currently within our SCCM we have various different images all doing pretty much the same task but vary depending on the model of the laptop.

 

Historically we would receive a new model of laptop, install Windows 7 / Drivers / Updates / Base Software and capture it and create a task sequence which would then be used for that model, as a new model come in we would repeat the process.

 

Whilst that works - as we grow we are getting more and more devices, images for the older machines are out dated and its becoming abit of nightmare to maintain- so id like to build just one base Windows 7 image with the latest updates / base software and install the drivers as part of a task sequence.

 

I have already imported the drivers we need for all our machines, and built up the application catalog for software.

 

What are the best practices for creating this first base image with just Windows and the latest microsoft updates - is it ok to use any model laptop?

 

Or is it better to create a task sequence to build and then capture the base image? There seems to be a tonne of different options just trying to work out the best one!

 

Thanks

 

Marc

 

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Hey,

 

I'm sure there are other more elegant ways, but what we do is we keep so called "golden image", which is a virtual machine with no drivers but Windows OS + local system tweaks (like profile cloning).

 

When we receive a new physical PC, we use this image as a base image to deploy an OS, and feed relevant drivers along with all available Windows updates during the OSD stage. Most of the drivers nowadays support silent installation, hence that's the only time consuming part, but once it's tuned it just works like a charm.

 

Hope it helps.

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Always use a VM when creating a "base image". You can either create the VM manually (using the iso and manually installing windows+updates+coreapplications[flash, java, adobe etc]) or you can automate it using a build and capture task sequence.

 

Once captured you only need a single task sequence. You just add the drivers packages for all your models into that task sequence and set a condition so a driver package only installs for a particular model.

 

Example, if we assume we have 3 seperate driver packages for Dell 100, Dell 230 and Dell 540. Add all 3 packages to the task sequence and set a wmi condition so the driver package for Dell 100 only installs on the Dell 100

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Thanks - Did think a VM was the way to go so will go ahead and go that way!

 

Once captured you only need a single task sequence. You just add the drivers packages for all your models into that task sequence and set a condition so a driver package only installs for a particular model.

Example, if we assume we have 3 seperate driver packages for Dell 100, Dell 230 and Dell 540. Add all 3 packages to the task sequence and set a wmi condition so the driver package for Dell 100 only installs on the Dell 100

 

One question with this - For this to work, within the task sequence do i add a separate "Apply Driver Package" for each model of laptop we have and add the WMI condition?

 

Also have never setup a WMI Query, is this fairly straight forward?

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Yep, that's all you need to do. It's quite straight forward (compared to the rest of the OSD task sequence):

 

https://www.vmadmin.co.uk/microsoft/64-mssystemcenter/353-sccmwmicwmiquerydrivers

 

 

 

 

Thanks - Did think a VM was the way to go so will go ahead and go that way!

 

 

One question with this - For this to work, within the task sequence do i add a separate "Apply Driver Package" for each model of laptop we have and add the WMI condition?

 

Also have never setup a WMI Query, is this fairly straight forward?

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Yep, that's all you need to do. It's quite straight forward (compared to the rest of the OSD task sequence):

 

https://www.vmadmin.co.uk/microsoft/64-mssystemcenter/353-sccmwmicwmiquerydrivers

 

 

 

 

Great thanks

 

Have build base image - Snapshot and ran the capture media, the machine starts the process, reboots and then get a blue screen "HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED"

 

Have never captured a VM - am i missing anything?

 

Edit: looks like this is down to our ESX version. Any reason I can't use a hyper v for the same purpose?

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Great thanks

 

Have build base image - Snapshot and ran the capture media, the machine starts the process, reboots and then get a blue screen "HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED"

 

Have never captured a VM - am i missing anything?

 

Edit: looks like this is down to our ESX version. Any reason I can't use a hyper v for the same purpose?

 

why not make it even easier and use VirtualBox :)

 

Works perfectly for me, its free and no messing around with ESXi drivers etc. Just fire up a VM, set the networking to "Bridged" and you're game.

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Just make a Hyper-V VM if that is what you have and install whatever OS you want to capture. Create Capture Media and mount the ISO for it while you are in windows. Then just execute the capture and it will sysprep and do everything it needs to do for you.

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