Unable to capture image

[cwu_doug]

Hi team,

I was able to sysprep (oobe) a Windows system and capture an image on FOG boot, however I had to reboot back into system to make a few more changes to allow FOG client to re-enable after deploy.

Now when I re-run the sysprep tool (tried audit and oobe), I get the following error messages:


I have looked at other forum pages of this error and I have already confirmed the SystemReserved partition is not assigned any letter.

Can anyone see the error?
Also not sure if the images uploaded OK? It keeps saying failed when trying to upload file nor image?

Thanks

[george1421]

@cwu_doug said in Unable to capture image:

I was able to sysprep (oobe) a Windows system and capture an image on FOG boot, however I had to reboot back into system to make a few more changes to allow FOG client to re-enable after deploy.

Just a point here, if you developed your golden image on a VM and took a snapshot of the VM just before you ran sysprep, you could rewind sysprep, make your changes, take a new snapshot, then run sysprep again without having to unseal and reseal the golden image. You can only unseal and reseal an image 3 times before it will complain. There are ways to reset this counter, but its just simpler to use a VM to develop your golden image and use snapshots to recover from bad things happening to your image.

Now when I re-run the sysprep tool (tried audit and oobe), I get the following error messages:

This is probably not a FOG issue, but either related to after the system was unsealed it picked up updates from the network which is causing sysprep to fail. Your pictures did not get uploaded correctly to the forum so I’m only guessing to what they say, vs what I’ve done before to bork a golden image.

[cwu_doug]

@george1421

I am hoping I can use we transfer to upload images which is jpeg files:

https://we.tl/t-PocCHt3U8I

I am actually using physical workstations as we want to prep drivers/updates on these specific models so when deployed, no need to update or run software like Dell Update Commander to get latest drivers when all up to date.

But would you still recommend capturing from a VM then?

How would you get around after using Sysprep a few times? Windows Reset?

Thanks!

[george1421]

@cwu_doug said in Unable to capture image:
OK there are a few things to unpack here.
First the errors this is a you workflow thing, not a FOG issue. The problem is that you did not shut down the workstation properly for image cloning. There are 3 ways to power off the computer for proper disk cloning (regardless of the disk level imaging technology used)

1. Let sysprep power off the computer
2. Use the following command shutdown -s -t 0
3. Turn off fast boot/startup
   If you want know more about this issue google windows dirty bit

I am actually using physical workstations as we want to prep drivers/updates on these specific models so when deployed, no need to update or run software like Dell Update Commander to get latest drivers when all up to date.

You could use driver injection via FOG with a post install script to copy the hardware specific drivers over to the target computer during image deployment, then have the computer pickup the drivers during OOBE and install them: https://forums.fogproject.org/topic/11126/using-fog-postinstall-scripts-for-windows-driver-injection-2017-ed

But would you still recommend capturing from a VM then?

I always recommend using a VM when developing your golden image. This will give you a hardware independent image that you can push out to any computer, plus you will have the capabilities to rewind your changes if you find issues with your sysprep’d image. Using the above driver injection keeps the number of images we need in inventory low. If you have 1 image for every hardware platform and you are on a 4 year replacement cycle that means you need to keep at least 12-15 images on your FOG server vs 1 hardware independent version.

How would you get around after using Sysprep a few times? Windows Reset?

I can’t answer this because I always use MDT to build the golden image and then snapshots while the image is under development. I’ve never needed to reset the sysprep counter. I’m sure there are answers if you google it.

[cwu_doug]

@george1421 OK I see, and thanks for that!

I went through the dirty bit and realised Sysprep was the issue in hand, as it was re-imaging over the same sysprepped image which seems to cause issues with cloning.

Removing the bit didn’t seem to work, so I then had to completely re-install a fresh Windows and start over again, and ran sysprep and fog cloned it successfully.

I see why using VM would be easier as you can sysprep as many as you need etc.

Thanks!