Commands From a Task Sequence

Running commands from a task sequence is easy enough, although for the last couple of days I've been wrestling with an issue of a task command which just doesnt want to run;

copy \\server\file.txt c:\folder\destination\

Strangly enough bringing the console up (F8) and running the command manually it works fine.

After much searching and some help from the MS Technet guys, there is a simple solution.

If you want to run any windows inbuilt command line from a task sequence you must insert "cmd /c" at the start of the statement. So;

copy \\server\file.txt c:\folder\destination\

becomes;

cmd /c copy \\server\file.txt c:\folder\destination\

So this includes functions such as copy, move, rename....basically anything which doesnt have an exe file. As an alternative, you could download a free command line for the appropriate action.... for example there are lots of free command line copy utilities out there which could be used as an alternative to the cmd /c copy command, in the form of an exe.

Its worth pointing out that each time you run cmd /c its running in its own memory space....so dont expect to be able to register variables or anything fancy as you will run into problems!

Drivers & Distribution Points in Config Manager 2007

We've been having problems getting NIC drivers working for a Dell Optiplex 755. We have a driver package for Dell 755s, and the NIC driver is within the package. When we image a 755 it doesn't pick up the driver.

We tried adding the driver to the task sequence...still didn't work.

The distribution point said it was ok, but just as a test we tried updating the distribution point..... and it worked.

It seems that when it comes to drivers there are a large number of people on technet having a very similar problem, so the point seems to be that if you add drivers....manually update your distribution points.

Incidentally, if you have this problem the error your likely to see in the error log is "failed to resolve driver".

Setting up Server 2008 64Bit with System Centre Operations Manager, Virtual Machine Manager and Configuration Manager 2007.

Ok, since this is the most convoluted process ever, here is a step by step order in which you should do things;

1. Boot from Server 2008 DVD, and install.

2. Name server & join domain - reboot

3. Configure IP

4. Disable Firewall

5. Enable Remote Desktop (you'll need it)

6. Disable User Access Control (via control panel / users)

7. Add the following roles
Applications Server
WebServer
Add ALL features for IIs ASP

8. Add BITS feature

So now you should have a 2008 server up and running; Crucially you MUST install Operations Manager and SQL first;

1. Install SQL from the SQL Server 2005 x64 media (which is 2 discs, although you only use the first one). Ensure to install everything except the tools portion.

2. Enable scripts in IIs - go into your default site in IIS manager, double click 'Handler Mappings', edit Feature Permissions, tick Read, Scripts & Execute

3. Also within IIS Manager, you need to edit the 2 report server web sites which should have been created when you installed SQL. Make sure everything is ticked as with point 2 above.

Next test that reporting is working.... because if it isnt Operations Manager wont work. You can test by going to your 2 report sites in IIS manager and testing that they both will launch in a browser window.

The following may help for additional documentation;

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb839480.aspx

Next install SQL SP1... dont jump ahead and install any other SP....just SP1

Now from your Operations Manager DVD, run the pre-requisities checker. There is no doubt that it will fail on SQL and ask you to install some hotfixes. The hotfix is K918222 and there are 6 parts to it.

Once done, run the checker again...you should have no errors and be able to install Operations Manager 2007.

Now for Configuration Manager

1. Install WebDav (latest version downloadable from MS)

2. Double check that BITS is enabled

3. Install the remote-differential-compression feature

4. Run the pre-requisities checker.... hopefully everything is ok and you can run the install

5. Choose configure primary site from the installer

6. Custom Install

7. Enter a server name, and use the site server as service account

8. Setup webdav as per the article at technet

9. Give Site System service account (the servers) full rights to the system OU & all sub folders in AD. This should ensure that objects are created within System\System Management

10. Extend the scheme. You only do this if this is the first Config Manager 2007 server in your domain. You dont have to do it, but I'd suggest you do since you loose certain functionality without doing it....and you will manually have to point all your clients to a management point. However, I'm not going to give instructions on Extending your AD Schema, since I dont want blaming if you destroy your network. There are 2 ways of doing it...manually or automatically. The later worked fine for us, but do your homework before undertaking this step.
11. In configuration manager you should now remove and re-install the management point.

12. Ensure that in Site System Status there are no errors....if there are resolve them.


Thats it.....

Intel vPro With Configuration Manager 2007

Just spotted this video....fantastic that you can now remote control workstations down to a hardware level using the Intel vPro chipset. Here's hoping our next delivery of Dell workstations includes this magic component;

configuration Manager 2007, Ops Manager 2007 & VMM 2007....on one server

Yes, we have undertaken the project of getting the complete suite of Systems Centre Tools all running from the same box. Whats more we have decided to do this using Server 2008. I have not been able to find a single documented case of anyone else unfortunate enough to venture into the scenario.....the install of all these systems alone (without any configuration) has taken around 4 weeks.

You would expect Microsoft would fully support all these "2007" labeled products on the flagship server product "Server 2008".....but no, we have continiously encountered the classic Microsoft banner "non supported scenario". Not one to let something as trivial as compatibility get in the way, and owing to the fact that we want to move forward with Server 2008, we decided to plod on with the project, using 2008 as the base.

I'm pleased to say that IT CAN BE DONE. However, as I mentioned it took several weeks to make it work, but I will be posting full documentation. The problems mainly arise because Ops Manager wont install on a fully updated and service packed version of SQL server, and Config Manager 2007 wont install on a non service packed version of SQL server. This coupled with the fact that there are compatibility issues between version of SQL Server on 64 bit Server 2008, means that the install needs to be done in an exact order, updating at the correct point in the sequence, and making sure that the new IIS7 is backward compatible....or thinks it is!!

Anyway, full instructions on installing these products on Serer 2008 will follow shortly...