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KACE Systems Deployment Appliance 9.2 Common Documents - Administrator Guide

About the KACE Systems Deployment Appliance Getting started Using the Dashboard Configuring the appliance Setting up user accounts and user authentication Configuring security settings Preparing for deployment Managing device inventory Using labels Creating a Windows or Linux Boot Environment Managing drivers Capturing images Capturing user states Creating scripted installations Creating a task sequence Automating deployments Performing manual deployments Managing custom deployments Managing offline deployments About the Remote Site Appliance Importing and exporting appliance components Managing disk space Troubleshooting appliance issues Updating appliance software Glossary About us Legal notices

Create answer files for Sysprepped images

Create answer files for Sysprepped images

The Sysprep Creator Wizard guides you through the steps to create an answer file for Sysprepping an image.

1.
On the left navigation pane, click Library to expand the section, then click Sysprep Unattend Files to display the Sysprep Unattend Files page.
2.
Select Choose Action > Sysprep Creator Wizard.
* 
NOTE: You can also start the wizard by clicking the link on the Library Overview page.
3.
In the Sysprep Creator Wizard that appears, on the System Information page, complete the following steps:
a.
Provide the following information:

Option

Description

Name

The name of the unattend.xml file configuration. The name you provide here identifies this configuration on the Sysprep Unattend Files page.

Operating System

The target operating system.

Architecture

The operating system architecture.

b.
Click Next.
4.
On the Configuration page, complete the following steps:
a.
Provide the following information:

Option

Description

Registration Data

Owner

The name of the user for which the operating system is installed.

Organization

The name of the organization to which the operating system is licensed.

General Settings

Time Zone

The time zone where the system is used.

Location

The country where the system is used.

Primary Language

The language the operating system uses.

Fallback Language

The fallback language of the operating system, in case the selected language is not available.

Local Administrator Account

Username

The name of the local administrator's account for this system.

Password

The administrator user's password.

Enable the built-in Administrator Account

Select this option if you want to enable the built-in Administrator account on the target system. This is useful if you want to run or install programs and apps on the target system before a user account is created.

Number of times to auto-login

Specify the number of times the system automatically logs in to the account defined in the Networking area.

Networking

Join a workgroup

Select this option if you want the target system to join a specific work group, and in the Workgroup Name field, specify the name of the group.

Join a domain

Select this option if you want the target system to join a specific domain, and provide the following information:

•
Fully Qualified Domain Name (FQDN): The fully qualified domain name.
•
Credentials to join the domain: Specify the Username and Password for accessing this domain.
b.
Click Next.
5.
On the Windows Setting page, complete the following steps:
a.
Provide the following information:

Section

Description

Out of Box Experience

Use this section to provide the Windows Out-Of-Box Experience (OOBE) settings, as required. For example, you can select the size of icon, disable automatic daylight savings, or hide wireless setup. For complete information about these settings, see your Windows documentation.

Windows Activation

Specify the Windows system settings, such as if and when to install Windows updates, replicate the profile of the user running Sysprep, or disable User Access Control (UAC). For details, see your Windows documentation.

b.
Click Next.
6.
On the Miscellaneous Setting page, complete the following steps:
a.
Enable or disable each of the following settings, and provide the relevant information that appears in each group of settings, as required. For complete details, see your Windows documentation.

Option

Description

Internet Explorer Options

Enable IE Options

Select if you want to enable Internet Explorer options and provide the related settings that appear, such as whether to block pop-ups or disable the First Run wizard.

OEM Information

Enable OEM Information

Select if you want to specify OEM options and provide the related settings that appear, such as the manufacturer name or device model.

Taskbar Links

Enable Taskbar Links

Select if you want to specify links on the Windows taskbar, provide the related links.

Advanced Options

Enable Advanced Options

Select if you want to enable advanced Windows options such as whether to Persist all installed Plug and Play devices, or to Reset activation grace-period timer.

b.
Click Save.
Your configuration for creating answer files for Sysprepped images is complete. The Sysprep Creator Wizard closes and the Sysprep Creator Wizard Options page appears.
7.
Review the options listed on the Sysprep Creator Wizard Options page, and make a selection, as applicable.
◦
View Sysprep Unattend File Detail: Click to see the contents of the unattend.xml file that can be generated using your newly created configuration. The Sysprep Unattend File Detail page appears, showing the unattend.xml file details. For more information about this page, see View and edit answer file configurations.
◦
View Sysprep Unattend Files List: Click to see the Sysprep Unattend Files list page. This page shows all configurations defined on the appliance that can be used to generate Sysprepped unattend.xml files.
◦
Download Unattend File: Click to download the unattend.xml file generated using this newly created configuration.
◦
Download Unattend File with KACE Image Prep: Click to download the unattend.xml file generated using this newly created configuration, together with the KACE Image Prep.
◦
Download KACE Image Prep: Click to download the KACE Image Prep.
* 
NOTE: You can also download the KACE Image Prep using the Choose Action menu on the Sysprep Unattend Files page.

View and edit answer file configurations

View and edit answer file configurations

The Sysprep Unattend Files page lists all answer file configurations defined on the appliance that can be used to generate Sysprepped files. From here, you can open a specific answer file configuration, and review and edit the relevant details on the Sysprep Unattend File Detail page.

1.
On the left navigation pane, click Library to expand the section, then click Sysprep Unattend Files to display the Sysprep Unattend Files page.
2.
On the Sysprep Unattend Files page, in the Name column, click a configuration name.
The Sysprep Unattend File Detail page appears.
3.
Review the contents of the Sysprep Unattend File Detail page.
4.
Use the Notes field to provide any specific information about this configuration.
5.
Optional. If you want to make changes to the contents of the unattend.xml that is created using this configuration, you can do so in the XML field.
Basic XML validation is available. If you break the XML syntax, an error message appears when you try to save your changes.
6.
Click any of the following links to download the related components, as required:
◦
Download Unattend File: Click to download the unattend.xml file generated using this newly created configuration.
◦
Download Unattend File with KACE Image Prep: Click to download the unattend.xml file generated using this newly created configuration, together with the KACE Image Prep.
◦
Download KACE Image Prep: Click to download the KACE Image Prep.
* 
NOTE: You can also download the KACE Image Prep using the Choose Action menu on the Sysprep Unattend Files page.
7.
Click Save.
The Sysprep Unattend File Detail page closes and theSysprep Unattend Files page appears, listing all answer file configurations.
* 
NOTE: These configurations are view-only and cannot be edited.

Best practices for creating Windows system images

Best practices for creating Windows system images

This topic provides information about KACE-recommended best practices for creating a Windows Golden System Image.

Audit the appliance before beginning

•
Keep 20 percent of available space (or more) on the appliance.
•
Back up and remove un-used images, then copy and remove those images from the restore share directory.
•
Remove test images, or images that have been updated. (Updated or outdated.)
* 
CAUTION: Never run a "Delete Unused System Images Files" or delete an image while capturing an image.

Start fresh

•
Create the golden image in a virtual machine to keep it clean of extra drivers. This also is helpful in updating the image on a regular basis.
•
Do not image or create a golden master image of a machine that comes directly from the manufacturer. Only use volume license media. Avoid using OEM Media. For more information see https://support.quest.com/kb/135252.
•
If applying updates that occurred after capturing the image, only deploy a non-sysprepped image back to original machine.
•
Update images every couple of months and run a cleanup on the images.

Configure the workstation

The following KB articles are recommended best practice methods for creating the base OS installation for System Image capture. If using a Legacy enabled BIOS, use the Single Partition Golden Image KB. If the BIOS is in UEFI mode, use the UEFI KB. Kace highly recommends minimal partitions on your base OS.

•
UEFI vs. Legacy BIOS Imaging: https://support.quest.com/kb/190265
•
Single Partition Golden Image: https://support.quest.com/kb/187971
•
UEFI Imaging: https://support.quest.com/kb/186950
•
Understanding Imaging, KKE Videos: https://support.quest.com/kb/video-articles?k=understanding%20imaging

If not following the above KB articles, use the following guidelines:

•
If working from a machine that was deployed with the appliance (Scripted Install or Image), make sure to delete the KACE directory on the root of the drive and delete %allusersprofile%\quest\kace.
•
If working with a machine that had previously been sysprepped, make sure to delete sysprep_succeeded.tag from windows\system32\sysprep.
•
Install all patches and updates.
•
Create an administrator profile and customize the profile that is to be set up as default.
•
KACE recommends creating a base image, and using post-installation tasks to deploy your software at a later time. This will make your images more flexible when having to deploy to numerous departments, or different types of users.
•
If creating a "full" image, avoid installing software that is updated regularly (flash, reader, and so on), make these into post-install tasks and leverage the KACE Systems Management Appliance for updates.
* 
CAUTION: It is NOT recommended to install applications such as anti-virus, encryption (such as Dell™ Data Protection), security, virtual CD software, any software that emulates hardware, or the KACE Agent in the image. These can often interfere with the image deployment process.

If the image is captured in WIM format, keep at least 60% of the drive space on each partition as free/available.

Sysprep, capture and deployment guidelines

•
Capture the image without sysprepping OR if using a virtual machine (VM): use the snapshot feature to have a copy of the non-sysprepped OS and customizations. If capturing a non-sysprepped image, remember this must be deployed back to the exact same hardware.
* 
NOTE: Creating a golden master on a virtual machine leverages creating snapshots at different stages, such as prior to sysprepping. This allows a restore to a previous snapshot much quicker than re-deploying a system. This also allows for easy testing of deployments to another virtual machine. Testing driver injection would require deployment to specific models.
•
If there is an issue with sysprep, and these happen often, it is best to restore a non-sysprepped image to the original machine, which will also avoid rearm issues. With the VM option, reverting back to a snapshot will allow updates to the system.
•
If capturing the non-sysprepped image to the appliance, be descriptive in your naming of captured images; include whether the machine is sysprepped, and include the version or date of the capture.
•
Descriptive names enable system administrators to choose the correct image to deploy from the drop-down list in KBE.
•
Use the notes field in the appliance Administrator Interface as a change and audit log.

Sysprep

•
Sysprep is a Microsoft tool that they require for capturing an OS image to deploy to a different system. You can either use the Microsoft Sysprep tools and command line or use the KACE Sysprep Creator Wizard if you do not have an unattend.xml file.
•
If you configured a "default" account, ensure to set it to True in the unattend.xml file. The sysprep creator wizard has an option to copy the current profile to the default profile.
•
When running sysprep by command line and not the Sysprep Creator/Executor, use the /generalize, /oobe, /shutdown, and the /unattend switches.
•
Shutdown is preferred so that the PXE boot isn't missed on a reboot. If using the option, sysprep must be run from the customized account.

Capture

•
Verify that enough space is available on the appliance and then capture the sysprepped image.
•
After the capture, reboot the sysprepped machine to verify that mini setup runs correctly.
•
Test to make sure everything in the image works as desired.
•
Capturing an image across the WAN is not recommended. Please limit image capturing to only the local LAN where the appliance is physically located.

Deploy

•
Add Pre/Mid/Post Installation tasks to your image on the appliance.
•
Test your deployment on a different workstation for verification.
•
If deploying an image to a remote location, please consider using a Remote Site Appliance (RSA) for best performance. Deploying an image across the WAN is not recommended.

Post-installation tasks

•
Be consistent with naming tasks. Adding prefixes such as "App-" or "Script-", "OSConfig-" "Mid-" helps to keep tasks organized.
•
Consider the ordering of your post-installation tasks in terms of placing prerequisites before the applications that require them.
•
Use cscript with VB scripts. For example: cscript myscript.vbs
•
When creating a ZIP file for an application task, select the contents to archive so that the file you call is in the root of the ZIP file.
•
For .msi deployments, use the install switch last. For example: msiexec /qn /norestart /i agent.msi
•
Use CLONEPREP=1 on the .msi Agent install if it is not intended to have the Agent to -check in, and create a KUID until the next reboot. For example: msiexec /i agent.msi HOST=blah CLONEPREP=1
•
If using 3.5 SP1 or earlier:
◦
Use the start /wait command when deploying software through appliance post-installation tasks.
◦
Use call when using .bat scripts in application tasks. For example: call myscript.bat

Capturing user states

Upload USMT software from the appliance
Upload USMT software from Media Manager
Create USMT Scan Template
Scan user states
Scan user states offline
Deploy user states to target devices automatically
Deploy user states to target devices manually

The appliance uses the Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) to migrate user profiles by running the USMT Scan State and Load State utilities. Before scanning devices for user states, you can configure the USMT Scan Templates that set the Scan State utility parameters and enable you to specify which data to migrate and which data to exclude from the capture. You can upload and install the USMT from the appliance or from the KACE Media Manager.

The USMT Scan State utility (Scanstate.exe) scans a device for data, and captures the information in a .mig file. The USMT Load State utility (Loadstate.exe) installs the data and settings from the .mig file on to a destination or target device. The Load State utility also enables you to migrate users states to devices manually.

Scan User States Offline: You can use the Scan User State Offline pre-installation task to scan user states from any device and upload the user state to the appliance.

Deploy User States: You can use the Deploy User States post-installation task to deploy the user states to target devices.

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