7:43 AM : Firehose
Wow. I just watched a screencast with the most information I’ve ever seen packed into 32 minutes and 14 seconds. The screencast was actually tremendously informative and would be beneficial for anyone who is working on deploying operating systems. Here’s the link: http://edge.technet.com/Media/System-Center-Configuration-Manager-2007-and-Microsoft-Deployment-Toolkit-Screencast/
I also found another interesting link last night that I forgot to mention. I didn’t use it, but it might be useful to someone else out there: http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/cstauffer/archive/2008/02/13/notes-on-getting-pxefilter-vbs-working.aspx
I’m going to try to apply some of what I saw in the screencast at this point.
7:52 AM : Fixed up Windows Deployment Services
I removed the boot images I’d added to WDS and set the PXE Response Policy to not respond. Apparently this is important so that Configuration Manager will respond instead.
7:55 AM : Configuring Client Agent Properties
I am now working on configuring the client agent properties appropriately to reflect customization in titles and subtitles. I entered a network access account on the General tab and customized the text on the Customization tab. For reference, I used:
| Field | Value |
| Organization name | Extend Health, Inc. |
| Software updates | Installing approved software updates |
| Software distribution | Installing new applications |
| Operating system deployments | Installing operating system |
8:15 AM : Configuring SAN
Trying to get some SAN volumes straightened out so our deployment files go onto the SAN rather than the local drive.
8:30 AM : Deleting All Packages, Advertisements, Etc
I’m taking Configuration Manager back down to square one as far as what I did last night (creating an OS, task sequence, etc). That means that the steps I record next would be as if Configuration Manager was brand new. The one thing I’m not going to do is recreate the collection I created last night, called PXE Registered Systems. When a new machine attempts to PXE boot, WDS will reply to that PXE boot and (through the integration via the PXE filter) redirect that PXE boot to Configuration Manager. However, Configuration Manager can’t do anything with the machine until it’s registered in the system. The PXE filter helps to register the machine with Configuration Manager so that Configuration Manager can then take over and complete its work.
10:09 AM : Adding Boot Images
I just added both of the default (WinPE2) boot images back into Configuration Manager and am assigning them to both distribution points (our primary distribution point plus the distribution point created by adding the PXE site role).
10:18 AM : Adding Windows Server 2008 64-bit
I set up a nice folder structure for Windows Server and added the operating system image to Configuration Manager. I also assigned the operating system to just the primary distribution point (not the PXE distribution point).
10:28 AM : Added Configuration Manager Client Software Package
Added a software package (from definition) for Configuration Manager Client Upgrade. The “upgrade” should also work for the base installation per the screencast referenced above. To add the software package, I chose Add Software Package From Definition, then chose Configuration Manager Client Upgrade (I later renamed this to Configuration Manager Client Installation). I copied the source files from the Configuration Manager 2007 installation CD into a shared folder structure and pointed the source to that folder. I then renamed the software package and published it to the primary distribution point only.
10:47 AM : Added Custom Backgrounds to Boot Images
I added a couple of nice background images to each of the boot images for aesthetic value.
10:51 AM : Deleting Operating System Image
Apparently I should have been doing this with the screencast – it turns out I was supposed to copy the entire folder for operating system source. I’m wiping out the operating system image, copying the whole source DVD, and recreating the operating system image to the same specs.
10:54 AM : Creating Operating System Install Package
I’m now creating an operating system install package, which is where I need the full source of the operating system. I also had to deploy the install package to the primary distribution point.
11:06 AM : Adding Drivers
I need to add the Broadcom NetXtreme II drivers since I frequently use these for deploying. I commented on this last night, so I won’t belabor the point further. I simultaneously created a driver package and added the drivers to the boot images, and then pushed new versions of the boot images to the distribution points.
5:29 PM : Heading Home
So I dealt with trying to get PXE running successfully for the rest of the day and am ready to give up for a while. I can’t forestall the actual Office Communications Server deployment any longer. I am pretty frustrated. OCS tomorrow, just so I have a break from this.
