Vista Deployment

[Gore1FL]

I am using about 1/2 of the Vista deployment to get a standard image out.

There are reasons I need to do this process the way I am, but rather than getting into that this is the procedure:

Build the image
Load the software
Customize the standard desktop

Run the Utility to make the Vista answer file.

Upload the image to a Symmantec Ghost server

Run scripts to rename the device and make other configurations
Join the domain
load Faronics DeepFreeze

So far I have run into several issues. The main ones are

1> I can't get the install to stop asking questions (despite inclusions in th answer file) such as user name, time zone, network type (home work, or public)

2> It won't kick th scripts to complete the cutsomization after the OOBE.

Should I be going into audit mode instead of OOBE?

Is there a way to start the scripts? I tried in the seventh pass, but it doesn't seem to work.

I really want to simply deploy the image as it is and kick off the scripts. (that's what we did in XP)

We've done to sysprep what should be the equivelent.

The biggest pain in the ass about this is that it takes about 30 min to put the image on the PC, about 5 to run sysprep, and then about 15-20 to run it sysprepped. -- in other words, if it doesn't work I've pissed away almost an hour.

Without generalizing it, I can push it to other PC's because the drivers are wrong. That means I still have to create an image and the push it down to something else, which takes even more time.

This is eating my lunch time wise. I need to have something working by May 1, and I am pissing away hours doing single tests. Any help would be appreciated. I have lived at technet.

[MyNameGoesHere]

1. yeah use BDD. Ok ikno you can't so here

not exactly what you want but you get the gist of it i think..Also why not use Vlite?


1. Boot system from Vista CD/DVD
2. “Install Windows” screen appears > accept defaults then click next
3. Click “Install now”
4. At the next screen it will prompt you for product key. DO NOT ENTER THE KEY AT THIS TIME. Instead leave this field blank and click the Next button. It will ask you again if you want to enter the product click, click "No".
5. Next there will be a window asking you to select the correct Vista Edition you are loading and warns you must install the one which matches your product key. Select the edition you want, check mark the box "I have selected the edition of Windows that I purchased" and then click "Next" (must select correct edition!)
6. Checkmark box to "I accept the license terms" then click "Next"
7. Click on “Custom (advanced)” option (upgrade will be disabled)
8. Choose where to install Windows. Select new hard drive for OS then click next. If there is an existing partition you MUST delete it first or you will end up with two OS installations (Note: you can create custom size partition but default will be entire drive. Also this is where you can install mass storage device drivers if required - no more F6 method)
9. Wait while setup continues it will copy and expand windows file and install features (it will restart several times)
10. You come the "Set Up Windows" Screen. Do not enter user name or password or click Next or you will have to continue with a complete manual setup. Instead you will jump right to Audit mode.
11. To enter Audit mode hit CTRL+SHIFT+F3 and wait for system to reboot. This skips the user welcome experience and log you onto the desktop as Administrator. In AUDIT MODE you can install drivers and applications then go right to sysprep when you are ready (Sysprep Windows will be always open).
12. Wait while Vista completes installation and reboots.
13. You will end up on desktop in Administrator account with the Welcome Center and Sysprep Windows open. You can close or minimize these Windows for now
14. Install drivers and applications and customizations if necessary. QC system.
15. When ready to ship to end user find the Sysprep Window (see picture below). Leave the System Cleanup Action option on the default setting “Enter System Out-of-Box Experience (OOBE)” then check the “generalize” box then “shutdown” from shutdown options then click ok. System will automatically shutdown.
16. Attach the COA sticker to the chassis.
17. System is now ready to be boxed and delivered to customer.

[Gore1FL]

2. I have to go about it way differntly.

Ultimately I have 2 images (actually, about 5, but varied on the two)

The way I need to go about this is to load Vista enterprise from CD, Load the standard software. build the standard desktop, and start menu, etc. build the default profile, and thin run sysprep, ghost the image and have it brought down from that image to a variety of hardware.

This eliminates the touchless, altogether. I have to do a variant of light touch. All I really need is PE, generalize, specialize and OOBE. it runs scripts during the passes to rename the PC to a standard and join it to the domain correctly. These scripts take 2 to 4 restarts to work correctly.

The standard install simply won't work in my environment as stuff has to happen in a specific way, on varying software, with minimal or no trainign from the implementation staff. Some software has to be loaded after these steps (like deep freeze) or nothing will stay configured.

I've got most of this to work now, but windows still forces stupid things to happen (like kanuqge steup) despite having everything in the answer file.

It would be nice if MS actually documented the significance of the passes. I, for example, should not have to enter en-US for language in 2 different places for it to work properly. -- once I have it figured out, it'll be the same basic answer file for every following build.


I guess I should be too upset as a lot more is workign than not, but the Vista deployment book is crap, and the help files are not as useful as they should be.

The fundamental changes aren't even the worst of things. The simply fail to take into consideration that anyone would have extraordinary needs and barriers.


What is giving me fits now is the OOBE

[Gore1FL]

3. I've almost got it

I need to find away to reboot into OOBE from audit and find what driver I have that is unsigned, and I am nearly there. Just a little work on the standard user customization, and I'll be ready to go beta with it.

I really hate it that vendors simply don't supply drivers I can just shove into a directory rather than run setup and guess what files are needed.

Broadcom, Intel, NVidia, ATI, etc should just let me extract the files need for pnp installation. I now I am not the only one in the world who does unattended images...

[Gore1FL]

4. IT DEPLOYS!!!!

And takes about 45 minutes including bringing the ghost image down!!!!

[Gore1FL]

5. Let me append to add...

With 20 applications, third party drivers installed, domain joined, etc.

From a DVD it should take 20 mins just to install the O/S. I'd call this a success.