using SCCM 2012 beta2 in a LAB - Part 7. Deploying Windows 7 Enterprise

[anyweb]

In Part 1. of this series we Installed SCCM 2012, in Part 2 we started to configure it. In Part 3, we configed Beta 2 some more by enabling Active Directory discovery methods, adding some site system roles, configuring the computer client agent and client push settings and finally doing a manual client installation to verify it all worked, in Part 4 we looked at installing an application using Application Management and the Software Catalog and the Software Center features of SCCM 2012, and in Part 5, we added the FSP, SLP, SMP, SUP. In Part 6 we got our SCCM 2012 server ready for Deploying Windows 7 Enterprise SP1 so that we can start deploying some Windows 7 clients to enhance our LAB, now we will create a Build and Capture Task Sequence.

 

 

The Build and Capture Task Sequence

 

A build and capture task sequence is used to create the Master (or Core) image. The image created in the build and capture task is the image to be used in the Deploy Task Sequence. You would typically add only FAT applications to the master image, such as Office 2010, ForeFront Antivirus SAP and so on. Windows updates are also important as we want our clients to be secure. Therefore you must use a Server Locator Point in the Setup Windows and ConfigMgr step in the Task sequence. That way the workgroup computer can find the windows updates correctly from the SUP. Do NOT join the master image computer to a domain, workgroup only. The captured image will contain the base Operating System, plus some key applications, plus windows updates and some patches/fixes. Advertise this task sequence to a Build and Capture Collection, add computers to that collection via direct membership or computer association. Do NOT join the computer to the domain, keep it clean, free of GPO’s and other domain changes (registry pollution…) Virtual machines are the best for creating Images, keep the image hardware agnostic, vmware or hyperV are recommended, hyperV doesn’t require nic drivers… Only add FAT applications, apps that change infrequently within the organisation, such as Office 2010. Software size should also be considered. Add windows updates by specifying SLP in the Setup Windows and ConfigMgr step.

 

 

 

Step 1. Create the Task Sequence

 

Perform the following on the vNext server as SMSadmin

 

In the Configmgr Console click on Task Sequences under Software Library, Operating System Deployment. In the Ribbon click on Create Task Sequence

 

 

when the wizard appears, choose build and capture a reference operating system image

 

 

fill in the image details and click on browse to select the boot image

 

 

as we are Build and Capturing a X64 image, we need to specify the X64 bit boot image

 

 

so it now looks like this

 

 

in the next screen we get to select our Operating System Installation source Image that we added in Part 6, in addition to this i'd recommend you DON'T enter the Product Key and that you DO enter an Administrator Password

 

 

next we should join a workgroup, to keep the build and capture image clean (as explained above)

 

 

and next we get to install the Configmgr Package from definition, select it and if you want windows updates installed (we havn't created any windows updates deployments yet.. we will soon) then specify your SLP settings as per this post

 

 

for the software updates step select All Software Updates

 

 

for the Install Applications step, select the Yellow Starburst and pick an application you've added previously

 

do it again (click on the Yellow Starburst) and add some more apps, this is to see multiple apps getting installed in one step, place a checkmark in if an application installation fails, continue installing other applications in the list

 

 

this is Windows 7 so click through the system preparation step, and fill in the Image Properties

 

 

and fill in the capture image details (I created a folder called captures in \\vnext\sources\captures and added the 2k8r2\SMSADMIN account as the capture account, make sure you type the capture account details correctly otherwise you'll have a long wait until the next Build and Capture is done and you get to see if your capture actually succeeds or not due to a typo)

 

 

click next at the summary and review the confirmation screen.

 

[anyweb]

Step 2. Import Computer Information

 

We need our Virtual Machine to be imported into SCCMs database before we can add it to our Build and Capture collection so lets do that. In the ConfigMgr console, click on Assets and Compliance, Devices, and in the Ribbon click on Import Computer Information. If you havn't already created a Virtual Machine do so now, we need one with 1 gig of Virtual Ram and we need to know it's MAC address.

 

 

when the wizard appears choose import single computer

 

 

fill in the computername (pick one !) and the MAC address

 

 

click next, next and add the computer to the All Systems collection

 

 

success !

 

 

you can check the All Systems collection (Update Membership and press F5 to refresh), your computer should appear.)

 

 

 

 

Step 3. Create A Build and Capture Collection

 

 

In the ConfigMgr console, click on Assets and Compliance, Device Collections, and in the Ribbon click on Create Device Collection

 

 

fill in some details about the collection and click on Browse beside Limited Collection, select All Systems

 

 

for Membership rules we will add the computer we imported above via a direct membership rule, click on New Rule, Direct Rule

 

 

click next at the Create Direct Membership Rule Wizard, and select the following

 

• Resource Class: System Resource
  
• Attribute Name: MAC Address
  
• Value: 00:00:00:00:00:00
  

 

obviously fill in the MAC address of your Virtual Machine that you intend to use for the Build and Capture

 

 

click next, you should see our imported computer, select it and click next

 

 

after the Direct Membership rule wizard completed successfully screen...click close and then click Next (in the Create Collection Wizard) and next again

 

 

Now that our collection is created, lets Deploy our Build and Capture Task Sequence to that collection

 

[anyweb]

Step 4. Deploy the Build and Capture Task Sequence

 

In Software Library, select Task Sequences, select our Build and Capture Task sequence and right click, choose Deploy

 

 

when the Deploy Software wizard appears, click on browse beside collection and select our Build and Capture collection

 

 

and select our VNEXT distribution points

 

 

click next, and select Make available to boot media and PXE

 

 

click next through the schedule (dont set anything), and at the User Experience window

 

 

for Distribution Points note the warning in yellow (we'll come to that in the next part of this series)

 

 

click next and review the confirmation, congrats ! we are getting places In the next Part, we'll create the Network Access Account and capture our Windows 7 X64 SP1 Enterprise image

 

 

 

Note: Repeat the above steps (Step 1. onwards...) to create a Build and Capture Windows 7 Enterprise task sequence so we have both Windows 7 and Windows 7 SP1 images captured.

 

[ramlan]

Hello,

 

Upto Lab Part 6 everything went fine. Now, I am at Part 7 - having problem with PXE boot. I created VM on Hyper-v - added legacy adapter and changed BIOS to boot from legacy adapter. For some reason, the VM is unable to contact vnext server (sccm2012) to boot. I have enabled pxe service on distribution point. What is missing? no clue. Will keep searching google and see, if, i can find a solution.

 

Appreciate, if any one can help me.

 

I am not running DHCP on vnext server (sccm2012). Getting dynamic IP address from Linksys router.

[anyweb]

I am not running DHCP on vnext server (sccm2012). Getting dynamic IP address from Linksys router.

 

that's most likely your issue, what reason do you have for NOT running dhcp server on in your hyperV lab (don't you have a domain controller ?)

[ramlan]

Thanks friend.

 

I have no valid reason to put why, I was not running DHCP. I will disable DHCP from router and install DHCP on DC (2008 R2) and continue with the lab exercise. Will keep you updated.

 

You are worthy of MVP award from MS. This site and your material has helped me a lot to learn many new stuff.

 

Thanks

 

Ram

[jayinoz]

Hi, great series, but i'm a little confused by this step

 

Step 2. Import Computer Information

 

We need our Virtual Machine to be imported into SCCMs database before we can add it to our Build and Capture collection so lets do that. In the ConfigMgr console, click on Assets and Compliance, Devices, and in the Ribbon click on Import Computer Information. If you havn't already created a Virtual Machine do so now, we need one with 1 gig of Virtual Ram and we need to know it's MAC address.

The link points to the beta 1 and the use of HyperV - I'm using vmware, so presumably no issue, but I'm not sure which sections of this link I'm supposed to use, and where this then links back in with this page.

 

Does this make sense?

 

Thanks,

[Peter van der Woude]

You only need to use that link if you still need to create a VM. If you've got a VM already, you can skip that part.

[jayinoz]

Thanks - so I just need a standard VM fully installed running Win 7 Ent x64 sp1?

[Peter van der Woude]

It doesn't need to have an OS on it, as that's want you are going to deploy to it anyway.

[jpjeffery]

That 'build and capture task sequence is used' link in the intro doesn't seem to work.

 

Right now I'm puzzled about this part of the process BUT I've only done a quick scan through so will save any remaining questions until I've gone through the process properly!

[jpjeffery]

Well, first, congratulations on this excellent guide. It's helped me a lot (with a deadline of rolling out Windows 7 as a pilot/UAT to two users for this Monday a.m. - which, despite this guide I don't think I'm going to meet, at least not with SCCM 2012!)

 

I've hit upon my first problem. When running the 'Import Computer Information Wizard' it fails with this error message:

Error: Following computers have not been imported:

 

Name: W7_32BIT

MAC Address: 00:50:56:82:00:08

SMBIOS GUID:

Source Computer:

Choose Target Collection: None Chosen

Errors

The SMS Provider reported an error.

ConfigMgr Error Object:

instance of SMS_ExtendedStatus

{

Description = "Unable to save changes";

ErrorCode = 2152205056;

File = "e:\\nts_sccm_retail\\sms\\siteserver\\sdk_provider\\smsprov\\sspsite.cpp";

Line = 1242;

Operation = "ExecMethod";

ParameterInfo = "SMS_Site";

ProviderName = "WinMgmt";

StatusCode = 2147749889;

};

 

My first thought was to manually create the folder structure mentioned in the "File = " line but that hasn't helped.

 

I have to admit I don't really understand what this part of the process is trying to achieve. I thought that I could just build a machine from SCCM but the implication of this article is that to do so you have to refer to an existing machine with the required OS already on it. Is that right? And if so, why is it done this way?

[anyweb]

the file referenced is nothing to do with any physical path on your server, are you sure your machine account SERVER$ has local admin rights on this computer, and that you are doing this as local administrator (user) ?

[jpjeffery]

Thanks for your reply.

 

I'm logged on as our domain Administrator account. Everything being built is on the same box, apart from the WSUS server which is separate. I've not done much WSUS configuration since I'm currently only interested in the OS deployment, rather than patch deployment.

[anyweb]

is the server's computer account in the local administrators group?

[jpjeffery]

It wasn't. I added it this afternoon after seeing yourt last post. Rebooted the server. No change: The error persists.

[anyweb]

so to recap

you are logged on as a local administrator of this server and the computer account has been added to the local administrators group ? did you log off and log on again before retrying ?

[jpjeffery]

Nearly. I'm logged on to the server as domain Administrator. I rebooted the server.

[edcraven1978]

Hello All,

 

I have a question regarding the application installation part of creating the task sequence. I have only one application in my software library which is XML Notepad 2007 but when I click the yellow star to add it to the task sequence, no applications are listed. Anyone have any idea why that might be? The task sequence works flawlessly otherwise...

 

Thank You,

 

Eric D. Craven

[wede]

Hi,

 

I also ran in to the error, but on the sccm 2012 rc running with admin account and also running the console as admin gives the error

 

Error: Following computers have not been imported:

• Name: test
  
• MAC Address: 00:21:5A:F7:EF:B8
  
• SMBIOS GUID:
  
• Source Computer:
  
• Choose Target Collection: All Systems
  

Errors

1. The SMS Provider reported an error.ConfigMgr Error Object:instance of SMS_ExtendedStatus{ Description = "Unable to save changes"; ErrorCode = 2152205056; File = "e:\\nts_sccm_release\\sms\\siteserver\\sdk_provider\\smsprov\\sspsite.cpp"; Line = 1286; Operation = "ExecMethod"; ParameterInfo = "SMS_Site"; ProviderName = "WinMgmt"; StatusCode = 2147749889;};
   

I tried importing another computer with a different MAC-address that starts with 88:AE........and that computer is succesfully imported.

I the tried a third computer with a different MAC-address that starts with 00:23... imports ok

 

My collegue then tries to import the computer that gives error and he succesfully imports it with another name. He then deletes it and tries again -> error once again

 

Any ideas on what might be a reason for this?

[hosebei]

Hi,

 

Any ideas on what might be a reason for this?

 

Yes, I ran into the exactly same Problem. I then checked MAC-Adresses, and I saw, that the MAC Adress I wanted to add was already about 200 times as an object in SCCM. That was, because the SCCM Boot CD was in the DVD-Rom, but the MAC Address wasn't in SCCM. So now, evertime the Computer made a restart, and booted from the SCCM CD, it connects to the SCCM Server and the SCCM Server doesn't know the Object. So it always creates a new Objekct named "Unkown", and with the MAC Address of my Server. I then shut the Server down, deleted all "Unknown" Object, and after that, I was able to add this MAC Address. Hope this helps

[ns_feeney]

I was able to configure this correctly. However when I start the VM (on the same host) and it attempts to contact the host with the correct (ip). It doesnt look like its advertising correctly. Any tips to troubleshoot?

[anyweb]

are you using ConfigMgr Beta 2 or Release Candidate 2 ?

[Daniel Olsson]

Hi

 

The reason

Hi,

 

I also ran in to the error, but on the sccm 2012 rc running with admin account and also running the console as admin gives the error

 

Error: Following computers have not been imported:

 

• Name: test
  
• MAC Address: 00:21:5A:F7:EF:B8
  
• SMBIOS GUID:
  
• Source Computer:
  
• Choose Target Collection: All Systems
  

Errors

1. The SMS Provider reported an error.ConfigMgr Error Object:instance of SMS_ExtendedStatus{ Description = "Unable to save changes"; ErrorCode = 2152205056; File = "e:\\nts_sccm_release\\sms\\siteserver\\sdk_provider\\smsprov\\sspsite.cpp"; Line = 1286; Operation = "ExecMethod"; ParameterInfo = "SMS_Site"; ProviderName = "WinMgmt"; StatusCode = 2147749889;};
   

I tried importing another computer with a different MAC-address that starts with 88:AE........and that computer is succesfully imported.

I the tried a third computer with a different MAC-address that starts with 00:23... imports ok

 

My collegue then tries to import the computer that gives error and he succesfully imports it with another name. He then deletes it and tries again -> error once again

 

Any ideas on what might be a reason for this?

 

Hi

The reason for this issue is that you might have started the computer before you executed the "Import Computer Information" Wizard in ConfigMgr 2012.

Remove the "unknown" computer account listed in all systems collection and try the wizard again

I have seen this issue in ConfigMgr 2012 RTM aswell.

 

// Daniel Olsson

[nhutminh008]

I have a very short questions sir!

My office has around 1000 computers. If I use the method "impprt computer information" and provide MAC address to collection like you did above, I must do 1000 times to deploy to all computers right?

Can you teach me how to tailor this ?