BDD 2007 - New BDD blog

Richard Smith one of my fellow Microsoft consultants from the UK has started a blog (finally!). Richard is very knowledgeable on everything about BDD and operating system deployment so I am sure you will find his blog very useful. 

Richard has started his blog with two great video walk through's covering Lite Touch and Zero Touch deployment. This are very informative and should prove particularly useful to those new to BDD.

It looks like I will have too put together my own video walk through's now just too keep up!

I recommend that you subscribe to his blog as there is bound to be lots more great stuff coming... No pressure Richard;)

https://blogs.technet.com/richardsmith

Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, confers no rights, and is not supported by the authors or Microsoft Corporation. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified in the Terms of Use .

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Emilios, Have you set the DeployRoot or ResourceRoot values anywhere? Also are any of the applications launching CMD or BAT files? Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Can you send me a copy of the BDD.log file from this server. That will help me troubleshoot the problem. My email address is ben dot hunter at microsoft dot com. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Ricky, The install path looks correct. Are you having the same problem with all applications? Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    No Idea ;)

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Ok. Thanks again. Do you know of a quick way to hide the initial cmd windows on start up (running wpeinit)? From memory, I think it is possible under WinPE 1.1, can't remember the setting though? Just a cosmetic one... Thanks

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Bill, This issue has not been solved by MDT. The only suggestion I have is that maybe you look at deploying these images using a USB stick or similar device. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Nick, Can you post a copy of your Customsettings.ini file? Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Ben, I have managed to capture the image whilst booting from a USB or CD. The options are now available. Many Thanks Nick

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Leo, This is generally caused by one of two issues:

  1. The account you specified in the wizard or customsettings does not have access to the applications share.
  2. The working directory for the application is not correct. This should look like:      %DEPLOYROOT%ApplicationsAppName Thanks, Ben
  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    If you put the msp file in the updates folder then you only need to run the following command: setup This is because it will automatically find the MSP file. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The Update function is required only when changes have been made to the bootstrap.ini file or when new drivers have been imported into the Deployment Workbench. This process creates two files in the DeployBoot directory called LiteTouchPE_x86.iso and LiteTouchPE_x86.wim. The reason the the update(files only) takes so long is because of the image creation process.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hey Ben...New to the Blog, but I have been working with BDD for about a week and half now.  Right now I am only deploying Vista Business and trying to get Office 2007 to work.  Vista works great, it is just Office 2007 that errors out.  I get the following error: "Application Microsoft Office 2007 returned an unexpected return code 87".  I try to Google and none of the results are even relevant. I am thinking that my problem lies within "My Quiet Install command".  I honestly do not know what to do here as funny as it sounds.  I've tried using the OCT tool and point to where it is on my distribution share.  I am next going to try the config.xml file.   Any and all will be greatly appreciated!! Thanks, Greg

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Ben. Thanks for the last post, worked a treat. Installed patch 1 for BDD today. I'm running into a problem during the lite touch where install fails when I have multiple patches in OS Packages. Fails on Unattend.xml?? Then lite touch throws a message saying that the build fails and halts at that point.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    I did, all fixed now!

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    A previous post discussed setting Multiple Keyboard locales my modifying ZTIGather.xml. That proved very useful. I now have the build defaulting to the required Locale and Keyboard. However, I cannot get the "Set time zone" selection to Default to the required setting. I have SystemLocale=en-AU in customsettings.ini, but it appears to not process this. Any ides with the Time Zone in customsettings.ini?? Many Thanks.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    When I run the wizard I do not get any questions with regards to capturing an image. I get; Choose migration Type - Refresh Configure the Computer Name - Default Join the Computer to a domain or workgroup - Workgroup Specify where to save your data and settings - default Specify where to save a complete computer backup - default Select an Operating system to install Set Time Zone Select one or more applications to install Specify credentials for connecting to network shares I am using the administrator account for everything.

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Glenn, You are right this is written to the Windows PE registry. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Niatross, There is no way around this as the boot disks use different scripts. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Assuming you are using Vista then try using the following in the customsettings.ini: TimeZoneName=AUS Eastern Standard Time

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Amanda, This would suggest that you do not have the correct network drivers for Windows PE. Windows PE 2.0 is based on Vista so you must import the correct Vista network driver into the workbench. Then you will need to update the deployment point (creating a new WinPE bootimage) and update WDS with the new WinPE image. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Bret, To help you with your problems I would need to see the log files. These are located in c:minint. You can send me them at ben dot hunter at microsoft dot com. You should create a $OEM$ folder in the build folder located in distributioncontrol folder. this will then be copied during the build process. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Brian, Thanks for the tip, I will have to give it a go when I get some spare time. Although I have no idea when that may be :). The update option re-creates the Windows PE ISO image every time you use it, that is why it takes so long. It will update the ISO even if you have made no changes. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    There is a known issue with the patch - KB933566 Security Update. Try removing that patch and see what happens. BEN

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    The wizard at the begining of the deployment should ask you where to save the captured image. Does it do this? You also need to make sure that the account you used to connect to the distribution point has rights the location that you specified. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    How did you create a quite install command. Did you run "setup /admin" and create an MSP file? Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Ben, Thanks for help with the quiet install command.  I am going to try it here in a few minutes, I will let you know how it goes. One more question and it is more of a general question.  Everytime I add a OS or an App, to I have to burn a new LiteTouch_x86.iso? Thanks Ben, Greg

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Ben, New to the blog. I am working on deploying a custom Vista image to stand-alone computers. I would like to use a lite touch deployment with the removable media option. The obstacle I have run up against is that the image is 6 GB and growing. Lite touch works great over a networkd, but when I create a "Removable Media" deployment point and try to update it, I get an error message stating that the image is too large to fit on a DVD. I know how to split images, but the Lite Touch Deployment point doesn't seem to work with .swm files. Is it possible to create a multiple DVD Lite Touch Deployment? Does the new MD address this? I would greatly appreciate any suggestions/help Thanks, BillH

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Per TechEd broadcasts I seen should add the Ubberbug.reg file in task sequencer > First PreInstall task. So I did and don't see the registry entry in Windows XP image. My guess why not is it is written to PE. Is this correct? Thanks! Glenn Aurelius

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Ben, I am having a small issue with removable deplyoment points running from a 16GB usb memory stick. I get all the screens that i expect to see for the LTI process but once i have selected apps right at the end in the deployment summary I get errors saying "Warning unable to set working directory: (-2147024893) Then the i get "Application - Name of app  returned an unexpected return code 2" Do you have any ideas? Thanks Emilios Theori

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Within in BDD I created the msp file from the OCT tool (There is a button there).  Then in my quiet command I put in the following: setup /adminfile \servershareupdatescustom.msp.  And it is not working for me. Thanks for responding!  As before all help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks Again, Greg

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Ben, Using "setup" as my quiet install command worked perfectly.  Thanks again for pointing me in the right direction on that. The other question I sent you about having to burn the Litetouch_x86.iso after every time you add an OS/App to the distribution, I think I answered on my own.   Once again thanks for everything. Greg

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Ben. I've been using BDD for a couple of weeks now mainly for lite touch. Can't find any info on the difference between update and update files when updating either deployment points ot media dist points? Any thoughts?? Thanks

  • Anonymous
    June 20, 2007
    Did you forget to post the link?? :) http://blogs.technet.com/richardsmith/default.aspx

  • Anonymous
    September 10, 2007
    I have tried elsewhere and have gotten nowhere. I hope you can help. I have been trying for two weeks now to first capture an image and then simply get something to complete successfully. I have not gotten the slightest part of BDD to work. Three times I have built brand new infrastructures in order to start integrating on a new clean, environment. Each time I have encountered a new, completely different set of errors that I have not been able to solve. Enough rambling and whining..... The latest problem is that when I boot my light touch cd, I get all the right prompts, and it applies my wim image to the workstation and reboots. Am I supposed to keep it from booting to the new os I just installed, or back to the light touch winpe cd? Booting to the os does not seem to do anything but sit there. When I boot to the winpe cd, it continues the install and then fails almost immediately at the post-apply part and gives me the error that it was "unable to find CustomSettings.ini, rc=1."  I have never seen this error before and when I open the Z: drive I can find that file in the control directory. Previously to this it would never, ever, ever, copy my $OEM$ dir to the workstation and I ptu a copy in almost every directory I could think of. Also, my sysprep folder only had the sysprep.inf file in it without the sysprep.exe. I have a ton more problems but I will try to fix these two first and then see where I get. Any, ANY, help would be appreciated. Thanks, Bret

  • Anonymous
    November 13, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    November 20, 2007
    Ben, Have you noticed that a BDD2007 Lite Touch ISO and MDT Lite Touch ISO are not compatible, even when your Deploy Root is the same in "Bootstrap.ini" for both BDD and MDT? Try taking a BDD2007 Lite Touch ISO and booting to a MDT Workbench. It throws an error. Try taking a MDT Lite Touch ISO and booting to the BDD Workbench. It throws a different error. This is true even when the Deploy Root/Distribution point is set to the same path. You would think MDT would be backward compatible. I don't want to have to make separate Lite Touch ISO's for each platform. Is there a way around this? Thanks, Niatross

  • Anonymous
    December 03, 2007
    Hi Ben, I have only just started using BDD 2007 and have run into a problem when trying to capture an image. I can successfully deploy Windows XP and Office 2003 but no captured WIM image appears in my DistributionCaptures folder. I am deploying as a workgroup via Litetouch.vbs but am not prompted to capture an image although 'Ask if an image should be captured' is ticked on my Deployment Point. Any help or advice would be most welcome. Thanks

  • Anonymous
    December 06, 2007
    Hi Ben, Here are the details from DistributionControlCustomsettings.ini [Settings] Priority=Default Properties=MyCustomProperty [Default] OSInstall=Y SkipAppsOnUpgrade=NO SkipCapture=NO SkipAdminPassword=YES SkipProductKey=YES

  • Anonymous
    December 17, 2007
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    March 19, 2008
    Ben, I'm tryint go apply applications using Microsoft Deployment thorough Quiet Installation. However, I'm getting a return error message: "Warning-unable to set working directory (-2147024875). Please advise if you have any ideas. Thanks.

  • Anonymous
    April 03, 2008
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    May 07, 2008
    The comment has been removed