Client Management Suite

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  • 1.  Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 08, 2011 10:44 AM

    OK so getting 7.1 figured out with help of the excellent people here. Now I am on to wanting to capture an image.

    Currently, I know of to discover a computer, move into groups, and add the management client.

    I am now looking for the steps needed to do a capture.

    I see things such as deployment folder and pxe and automation folder.

    If anyone can give me the steps required to prep the pc for a capture and then to perform the capture, I can figure each one out...I think!

    Or something that lists each step. What I have found so far seems to send me everywhere.



  • 2.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture
    Best Answer

    Posted Apr 08, 2011 12:30 PM

    Real basic:
    Settings > All Settings
    Expand Deployment and Migration
    Expand Symantec Boot Services (PXE)

    Remember to always save changes.

    Add preboot configurations for WinPE or Linux, depending on what you want
    For example you might create one called MyCompanyWinPE which has x86 architecture WinPE for both PXE and automation

    Choose sysprep configuration files and upload Deploy.cab, which you can find on a Windows CD or online -- used by the Prepare for image capture task

    Start the PXE services on your NS

    Add OS Files and OS Licenses.  OS Files are not necessary if you aren't doing scripted installs yet.  OS license is necessary because sysprep will request it later.

    Jump up to Agents/Plug-ins > Deployment and Migration > Windows (x86) or (x64)
    Enable automation folder and plug-in for your computers

    Create three new tasks, and then a job to contain them.  This is all done under Manage > Jobs and Tasks
     Prepare for Image capture
     Gather image
     Reboot to production

    Your prepare for Image job should specify whether you reboot to Automation (a local WinPE copy stored on the hard drive of the client machine, if you've enabled it as recommended above) or PXE (load over network and then boot to temporary WinPE).

    Your create image job should be 'Disk image' if you're using Prepare for Image capture.  If you want to skip Prepare for Image capture, you can make this a Backup Image.  Sysprep is not required, and the image will not be replicated.  Instead, it stays on the NS or site server that gathered it.  This is a nice option while you work out network issues, driver issues, and anything like that.  You're just backing up the system then later creating a job to deploy it right back to the same system.  No reason to fuss with sysprep yet.

    Third, create a Reboot To task that Reboots to production.

    Finally, create a job encompassing these two or three tasks, then apply it to your test system.

    This was quick and dirty, hopefully I didn't miss anything.



  • 3.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 08, 2011 01:03 PM

    Does it matter if you have additional agents/plugin's installed on the base image such as pcAnywhere, power scheme, inventory, and so forth? 



  • 4.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 08, 2011 02:57 PM

    Prepare for image capture should solve that.  It strips out GUIDs.  As I said I recommend for getting the hang of it, do a backup image (Job has three tasks, actually: Reboot to PXE, Create image (backup image), Reboot to Production).  With that working (.img or .gho file successfully captured), move on to the sysprepped image.



  • 5.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 12, 2011 10:09 AM

    In my task list, I do not have a gather image. Would it be called capture image instead?



  • 6.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 12, 2011 11:08 AM

    My 7.1 console shows it as"Create Image".



  • 7.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 12, 2011 12:38 PM

    Yes, capture or create.  I still name them Gather Image out of an old habit when imaging tasks looked the same whether you were gathering an image or deploying an image.



  • 8.  RE: Exact steps to doing a capture

    Posted Apr 13, 2011 03:36 PM

    Alrighty. I am working through this and we will see how bad I mess it up!