Windows Deployment Server | Capture Image Issues

[Nikolithebear]

Hey all,

 

Im back with more WDS Woes and Im sure youre all getting tired of it (just like I am).  Anyways Everything is working hunky dorey however Im running into an issue where I cannot capture the image directly to the WDS Server. The error Im getting is Supplied Kernal Information version is invalid. This wouldnt be an issue but this server is being moved off my desk and into a datacenter next door and I dont really want another share floating around the network.  I tried the WIM file with windows 10 and window server 2016 and nothing has worked.  Googling has come up with nothing either.  Any ideas? 

[leadeater]

What's the process you are using to capture the image?

 

I use an ESXi VM to do it, install Windows going in to Audit Mode making sure never to do the OOBE, Windows Updates etc, Sysprep generalize shutdown, boot in to Capture PXE.

[Nikolithebear]

34 minutes ago, leadeater said:

What's the process you are using to capture the image?

 

I use an ESXi VM to do it, install Windows going in to Audit Mode making sure never to do the OOBE, Windows Updates etc, Sysprep generalize shutdown, boot in to Capture PXE.

I had a feeling you'd return.

 

I pxe boot into WDS capture enviroment with a Win10 OOBE using sysprep.

 

So don't do it with an OOBE image only audit?  Whys this?  What if the deployment environment needs an "OOBE" Deployment? 

[leadeater]

11 minutes ago, Nikolithebear said:

I had a feeling you'd return. So don't do it with an OOBE image only audit?  Whys this?  What if the deployment environment needs an "OOBE" Deployment? 

Audit mode is used to customize images for capturing and deployment. WDS and Answer File will do the OOBE automatically for you every time you deploy a computer. As part of the sysprep command you need to point it to your answer file. When Windows boots for the first time it will use the settings in the answer file to do the OOBE, everything should be totally automated.

 

If you need to do specific profile customization you can tell sysprep to copy any changes to the Audit Mode profile to the system default profile. I tend try and do everything possible using GPO and keep my images unchanged other than Windows Updates, no software or anything. I use GPO Software Install (MSI) policies or Startup scripts to install software after imaging.

 

Edit:

If you don't sysprep every computer will have the same SSID and that will cause havoc and break a lot of shit.

 

Edit:

After you sysprep an computer and it shuts down the OS it is in an OOBE pending state which is what you need. You need to capture the OS in that state and not in an Audit Mode state, in case that was confusing.

[leadeater]

Oh what boot wim are you using for WDS? Windows 10 or Server 2016?

[Nikolithebear]

Just now, leadeater said:

Oh what boot wim are you using for WDS? Windows 10 or Server 2016?

I tried both, still same issues.  Which I thought was odd because some people where saying ot use win2016.  I'm currently trying it in audit mode to see if its do-able in this work environment. 

[leadeater]

1 minute ago, Nikolithebear said:

I tried both, still same issues.  Which I thought was odd because some people where saying ot use win2016.  I'm currently trying it in audit mode to see if its do-able in this work environment. 

Should be Server 2016. When you changed it did you delete all capture images and generate new ones using the Server 2016 boot wim? If not the capture images will still be using the old boot wim not the new one.

[Nikolithebear]

Just now, leadeater said:

Should be Server 2016. When you changed it did you delete all capture images and generate new ones using the Server 2016 boot wim? If not the capture images will still be using the old boot wim not the new one.

I will delete my old capture images and remake it with the win2016 boot wim.  Ill report back with progress hopefully.  

[leadeater]

8 minutes ago, Nikolithebear said:

I will delete my old capture images and remake it with the win2016 boot wim.  Ill report back with progress hopefully.  

Check my edits to the 2nd post I made btw, think I may have worded what Audit Mode was for a bit confusingly and OOBE. I think you are doing it correctly, maybe not using Audit Mode to customize the image? But that isn't a requirement only best practice. Mostly likely your actual issue is the capture image is using the Windows 10 WIM.

[Nikolithebear]

4 minutes ago, leadeater said:

Check my edits to the 2nd post I made btw, think I mayhave  worded what Audit Mode was for a bit confusingly and OOBE. I think you are doing it correctly, maybe not using Audit Mode to customize the image? But that isn't a requirement only best practice. Mostly likely your actual issue is the capture image is using the Windows 10 WIM.

Progress!  After deleting all my old boot.wims that I was using i remade all the boot images with the win2016 image,  Im able to surcomvent that error however Im having trouble entering the credentials.  Whenever I hit connect and put in the credentials and point it to use the local admin account on the wds server it gives access denied. Odd...

[leadeater]

3 minutes ago, Nikolithebear said:

Progress!  After deleting all my old boot.wims that I was using i remade all the boot images with the win2016 image,  Im able to surcomvent that error however Im having trouble entering the credentials.  Whenever I hit connect and put in the credentials and point it to use the local admin account on the wds server it gives access denied. Odd...

Hmm, I've always used AD credentials.

[Nikolithebear]

Just now, leadeater said:

Hmm, I've always used AD credentials.

Ill try with my AD creds but Im not an admin here.  I do administrate this server, but not an administrator  In time though.... In time... 

 

So after using my AD credentials it made the list of group images appear but still not able to hit the next button.  Then when I re-do the connection part of entering the netbios name and hitting connect the credential box opens up.  In the credential box in the bottom before i enter my information it says Access Denied.  Even when trying the local admin on the machine and pointing it to itself for creds it dosent take it.  

[leadeater]

I'll get back to you in 60 minutes, watching WAN show 

[Nikolithebear]

1 minute ago, leadeater said:

I'll get back to you in 60 minutes, watching WAN show 

Okay, I most likely wont be at work then but thank you for all your assistance.  You've gotten me farther then I was before.  Thanks again!  Enjoy the WAN show while I drive home. 

[leadeater]

Everything I've read says you need to be a Domain Admin, the actual documentation page from Microsoft that gets linked no longer exists (grr). There are work around methods but it's simpler to just copy the image of the computer after capture using a USB or mounting a network share after booting the system again, not ideal but works.

[Nikolithebear]

11 hours ago, leadeater said:

Everything I've read says you need to be a Domain Admin, the actual documentation page from Microsoft that gets linked no longer exists (grr). There are work around methods but it's simpler to just copy the image of the computer after capture using a USB or mounting a network share after booting the system again, not ideal but works.

Okay, Ill ask one of our domain admins to try his creds and see if it works for him.  Then if we need to make images Ill just ask him to come over and put his creds in.  (He sits literally right next to me)    Well See  Thank you again for all your help.