Lenovo Models not matching SDA Driver feed path
Using version 9.0.146 of the SDA.
I have some Lenovo desktops that I am trying to image, but their driver paths are not matching up with the paths the Driver Feed is listing. For example, I am trying to deploy and image to a ThinkCentre M70s Desktop for Windows 10 21H2. The driver feed downloads the drivers to:
windows/10/x64/21h1/lenovo/11db
windows/10/x64/21h1/lenovo/11dc (alias)
windows/10/x64/21h1/lenovo/11ew (alias)
windows/10/x64/21h1/lenovo/11ex (alias)
But when I run my scripted install, the drivers are not injected. I opened the log file on the SDA and see that the ThinkCentre M70s Desktop is actually being detected as 11t8 and the expected path should be windows/10/x64/21h1/lenovo/11t8 not 11db which is what the Driver Feed says and where it put the drivers.
In earlier version of the SDA there were some scripts in \drivers_postinstall\feed_tools that I could run that would show me the driver path, but they are no longer there. Also, the Driver Feed builder 3.0.0 that is available on the Quest site appears to only work for 8x and lower appliances because it still puts the drivers in the path of Make\Model and not the new 4-character model ID folder.
In order to get this to work with my Lenovo and HPs it seems like I am going to need 2 things:
- A utility I can run on a computer that will tell me the new machine type (4 character code)
- A reference table that will tell me exactly what driver feed matches the machine type because in the example I gave, I did pick the correct Model and OS, but the folder path was wrong for the lenovos.
I tried to find utilities on the Deployment Workbench - Tools page on the SDA, but that only links to old articles.
Answers (5)
but if you boot your KBE and the menu shows off use <alt> <tab> to switch to the cmd windows you see the expected driver path for the booted computer
The first thing you probably need to understand is that this is not a KACE issue. For the driver share to work, the device type needs to match the name of the directory created in the driver share where that specific make and model device's drivers are stored. Over the years we have learned that the response that is given, when your SDA does WMI call to establish the make and model, is totally the responsibility of the hardware manufacturer. KACE is literally just reading the data they set.
So imagine if you will that Lenovo create a batch of BIOS that has the incorrect model code in, when trying to install drivers the WMI call gives wrong information and so drivers are not deployed.
It happens so you are best to run the Driver Harvesting utility where you can see the results of the WMI call and then ensure you have a directory in your driver share which is correctly labelled.
Comments:
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First thing you probably need to understand is that this is a KACE issue because they have not updated the information for us to figure this out on our own.
Secondly, the tools you mention do not work on the 9.0 SDA. The Driver Feed Builder has not been updated since version 3.0 which was release in 2017. The 3.0 feed build still uses the old folder structure that has the Make and Model number in it, not the 4-characters code you see on the \drivers_postinstall\ share.
Check the links on the SDA Tools page and they link to old articles. On the SDA 9.0.146 appliance these are the links:
Article: Driver Feed Builder (itninja.com) - Builder has not been updated since 2017 and not in the Version 9 downloads. Only for version 8 and below
Driver Feed Advisor - Links to another old article that is not applicable
We need a tool that will report the code and we need a method to match the code to a model in the Driver Feed. - JordanNolan 2 years ago
The ID 11T8 , is only for
Model": "ThinkCentre M70S Gen 3" (this is your computer per the Expected Path by the driver feed).
So... ThinkCentre M70S Gen 3 is different than
ThinkCentre M70S (the one in KACE's Catalog, and the one you are probably downloading)
Model: "ThinkCentre M70S",
Product ID: ["11EX", "11DB", "11DC", "11EW"]
So these are two different models, and unfortunately at first glance, I do not see the model ThinkCentre M70S Gen 3 available in KACE's Catalog.You may want to contact support.As a workaround you could manually build\create the PATH in drivers_postinstall:
/windows/10/x64/21h1/lenovo/11t8
And place the uncompressed driver pack there. Source:
"Lenovo ThinkCentre M70S Gen 3 Win10 21H1"https://download.lenovo.com/pccbbs/thinkcentre_drivers/tc_m70tsq_gen3-m80tsq_gen3-m90tsq_gen3-p360tiny_w1064_20h2_21h1_21h2_202204.exe
I'm not fully in the loop, but what I can tell you is, Lenovo needs a lot of R&D to catch up to HP and DELL standards when it comes to organizing, tagging and distributing driver packs.
Comments:
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Hi Channeler,
What tool did you use to find the 11t8 code and is there a reference document for matching the codes to the drivers?
The issue I have is the Driver Advisor tool is gone and the Driver Feed Builder has not been updated to work with version 9 of the SDA. - JordanNolan 2 years ago-
https://blog.lenovocdrt.com/#/2020/lucv3
Once you add them to your SCCM like tool, you can get more details about the IDs.
I assumed you were looking at a newest revision of that same device, and that's how I found it.
Unfortunately, AFAIK, there is no matrix, or tool, or table or reference manual containing this information in an organized way. - Channeler 2 years ago-
So still not really a KACE issue, more of a Lenovo challenge, as I mentioned before ;o) - Hobbsy 2 years ago
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Thanks for the links Channeler. Unfortunately, since KACE made the decision to go from the MFG\Model structure it seems this is going to be an ongoing issue with these new IDs for the driver paths.
I have a 1-year-old Dell Latitude 9250 that I imaged with SDA 8.0 and the device was recognized then, but now it is not. And I also had an issue with a couple of HP Probooks that are a couple of years old.
Not sure why anyone would think it is the fault of all the MFGs when KACE had a system that worked in Version 8 and now is pretty spotty in version 9. - JordanNolan 2 years ago
for Dell computers it is: wmic computersystem get SystemSKUNumber or Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_ComputerSystem | select Model,SystemSKUNumber
for hp it's different, I forgot. Use WMI-Explorer.
And Lenovo as I know Quest it's different, too and you have to look with WMI-Explorer for hours, because Quest don't tell you....
