Windows 8.1 image deploys with Windows 7 boot loader

[KarlFife]

Here’s the issue:

Take a known good Windows 8.1 install
upload it to FOG 1.2,
re-download the very same image to the very same physical hardware (or identical hardware),
The windows installation ends up with the windows 7 called out in the boot-loader/manager!

Very strange!

Here is the output of BCDEDIT before and after the round-trip TO/FROM FOG:

ORIGINAL Windows 8.1 --------------------------------------------------------------

Windows Boot Manager

identifier {bootmgr}
device partition=\Device\HarddiskVolume1
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {c1ae8640-4b59-11e4-8114-b10821be20eb}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader

identifier {current}
device partition=C:
path \WINDOWS\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 8.1
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoverysequence {03a5c5e2-4b5a-11e4-8114-b10821be20eb}
recoveryenabled Yes
allowedinmemorysettings 0x15000075
osdevice partition=C:
systemroot \WINDOWS
resumeobject {c1ae8640-4b59-11e4-8114-b10821be20eb}
nx OptIn
bootmenupolicy Standard

POST-FOG Windows 7’ified version -----------------------------------------

Windows Boot Manager

identifier {bootmgr}
device locate=unknown
description Windows Boot Manager
locale en-US
inherit {globalsettings}
default {current}
resumeobject {0c121f20-5ab9-11e2-b3d0-e9781536b5ba}
displayorder {current}
toolsdisplayorder {memdiag}
timeout 30

Windows Boot Loader

identifier {current}
device locate=\Windows\system32\winload.exe
path \Windows\system32\winload.exe
description Windows 7
locale en-US
inherit {bootloadersettings}
recoveryenabled No
osdevice locate=\Windows
systemroot \Windows
resumeobject {0c121f20-5ab9-11e2-b3d0-e9781536b5ba}
nx OptIn

You can ALSO observe the same in advanced startup options.
(f8 in boot, or "change advanced startup options>advanced startup>restart now )

“Continue: Exit and continue to Windows 7”
Instead of:
“Continue: Exit and continue to Windows 8.1”

Does This Matter?
Beyond confusing people upon bootup, I can’t say for sure.
This change may be part of other reversions that happens in the round-trip, to/from FOG. I have noticed that creating a windows backup/restore chokes on restore with an error code that seems may point to a version mismatch. The post-FOG instance creates a “Windows 7” boot drive for recovering the image.

FYI: Running Windows 8.1 installer over the existing installation will revert the boot manager/loader settings, but I haven’t YET tested whether it solves the other quirk.

Any information on this would be much appreciated!!

[Junkhacker]

this is known. we use a prebuilt generalized BCD file to replace the existing one on windows 7/8 resizeable images. they’re configured the exact same way, and it’s purely a cosmetic difference having it labeled windows 7 instead of windows 8. this is something we do as to not require everyone to use sysprep or fogprep anymore.

[Tom Elliott]

Specifically, to add on to junkhacker, it’s what we do so you don’t have to sysprep and still have a valid resizable.

[KarlFife]

Thank you. It sounds like my windows 8 enterprise (native) image restoration issue is being caused by something else. I’m happy to be able to rule out out this detail as a possible contributor.

Since I’m talking to dev & senior dev, I’d like to ask, is paid support available in case we get wedged? We pay for pfSense support.

This project is great! I just pushed a pre-configured Win8 Enterprise from a vSphere VM to a bare-metal PC, in a wirelessly connected trailer on a construction site in Wyoming, from a FOG server, running as a VM in our Chicago office. I feel like Neo.

[Junkhacker]

if you have any trouble, you can come back to us on the forums. i think that the level of support provided at the forum is quite good and i don’t think any of us have the time to provide any higher standard of support, even if you paid us to (unless you’re willing to pay enough for us to quit our jobs). Donations are welcome, of course, and they do keep the project afloat.

[KarlFife]

Good. I’m always happy to contribute to projects that contribute to productivity.