KACE Product Support

Create your image on hardware you have, then sysprep it.  Do *NOT* let it reboot into the sysprep process before imaging it.  It will run sysprep once the image is deployed, and will manage to add hardware appropriately with native drivers.  You can add drivers to the sysprep process if necessary.

You can certainly use post-install tasks with the USB key.

These are instructions for creating a new sysprep image off the original, but show you how to do the initial sysprep as well.

Beware formatting the drive in your preinstall tasks.  You will specifically have to make sure you do not format the USB drive.  Multiple drives / partitions will complicate things.

Beware images that require multiple / special boot partitions.  I have noted sometimes the drives lay down reversed, or pick up reversed lettering.  You may need to adjust your preinstall tasks appropriately to lay down the partitions / drives in the correct order.

Creating a New Base Image

• Log onto the K2K
• Under Deployments->Images choose the latest image
• Scroll to the bottom and select duplicate
• Rename the new imaging task as build (IE. W7SP1 Build)

Preparing for Sysprep

• Remove all possible post-installation tasks from the new image task
• Deploy the image to a target machine
• Once deployment is complete, update the target with all possible updates
  • Windows Updates
  • Dell Updates
• Remove any Windows Update or Dell Update caches
• Ensure the KACE Agent and related software is removed from the machine
• Delete C:\Windows\setup\scripts\
• Ensure other post-installation software is removed from the machine
• Ensure all profiles are trimmed to the minimum required
• Ensure all caches are empty
• Ensure the registry looks clean
• Leave the domain
• Run disk cleanup
• Defragment the drive
• Reboot cleanly twice
• Image the machine and rename the imaging task as clean (IE. W7SP1 Clean)
  • Skipping the above assumes you are perfect.
  • Skipping the above also assumes all our vendors are perfect.
  • You have been warned.

Reconfigure the Unattend.xml file

• Copy the unattend.xml file from C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\ to a different machine where you have installed the WAIK.
• Make sure you have a copy of the installation media. The file you need to open the unattend.xml is located on an installation DVD in the sources folder.
• Open the unattend.xml file in the WAIK and make any necessary adjustments. Usually this will include a change to the Administrator password.
• Save the new file and copy it to C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\ on the machine you plan to clone.

Running Sysprep

• Delete the sysprep_completed.tag file from C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\
• Open the C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\ directory in a command prompt.
• sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\unattend.xml
• Do not turn the machine back on until you are ready to capture the image

Capturing the Image with the K2K

• Connect the computer to the K2K
• Boot the computer, and make sure it goes into PXE boot so the K2K can capture it.
  • If the machine boots to the hard drive before capture, it will set up the machine, and you will have to start over.
• Choose imaging
• Upload an image to the KACE
• Name the image (IE. W7SP1 Sysprep)

Checking the sysprep

• Once the machine has been imaged, reboot it and allow it to run the unattended setup
• Check that the OOBE is successful
  • Note: We have not applied post-installation tasks. If these are required for functional boot, you can only test by deploying the new image below
  • If OOBE is not sucessful, you will have to start over, or modify the unattend.xml file within the image

Recreate the image

• Duplicate the new image and give it an RC name (IE. W7SP1 RC)
• Test the image
• Reapply all the post-installation tasks as appropriate
• Test the image

Clean up

• Rename the RC image as the base OS name (IE. W7SP1)
• Delete the Clean and Sysprep images

Troubleshooting

• Logs
  • C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\setupact.log
  • C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\setupapi.log
  • C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\setuperr.log
  • C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\netsetup.log

Setup your KBE and Source Media, or you have done Sysprep and capture an image in System Images. 

On your K2000, go to Deployments>Boot Environments> select your KBE that you have build.

You will need to check this box for - [ ] 'Create bootable USB flash drive image for this Boot Environment' and click save, 

A Caution Box with Red outline will appear on the top page of Boot Environment Detail - 'A rebuild process is currently in progress. This configuration is locked for edit until the process completes. Refresh this page to check for status changes'. Click on it to download a zip file, extract it to your local machine and read the readme.txt file. 

Plug the USB drive, open a cmd window go to the extracted folder and type install.exe, K2000 UFD Boot Environment will show up with 'Disk #1, Partition #0'. If you are not sure which drive the USB is at, verify which Disk No# by using Disk Management. Click 'Format and Install' and once K200 UFD complete its  task, you may remove the USB safely by using the Safetly Remove Hardware.  

Take this Bootable USB drive and deploy to the target machines and set the BIOS to boot from USB Drive. 

Select Imaging from the KBE Main Menu> Deploy image to this machine> Select the Image Name > Start Deploy. 

If you have configured a System Image with Drivers PostInstallations Tasks, it will be installed after OS exit Boot Environment.