Vista Deployment: What s in the Box and What s Not

Transcription

1 An IT Briefing produced by Vista Deployment: What s in the Box and What s Not

2 By Mark Minasi 2007 TechTarget BIO Mark Minasi is a best-selling author, popular technology columnist and commentator, and keynote speaker. He is the author of the recently released book Administering Windows Vista Security: The Big Surprises. He is also well-known for his books in the Mastering series, such as Mastering Windows Server 2003 and Mastering Windows NT Server, and his hardware PC repair and fix-it book, The Complete PC Upgrade and Maintenance Guide, now in its 13th edition. Minasi has also authored 19 other technology books, spoken on technical topics in 20 countries, and written and performed in a dozen technical educational videos. This IT Briefing is based on a Message Labs/TechTarget Webcast, Vista Deployment: What s in the Box and What s Not. To view this Webcast online, please click the link. This TechTarget IT Briefing covers the following topics: Overview Tools Windows PE ImageX Sysprep System Image Manager (WSIM) Common Questions Copyright 2007 Message Labs. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction, adaptation, or translation without prior written permission is prohibited, except as allowed under the copyright laws. About Message Labs Message Labs is a leading provider of integrated messaging and web security services, with over 14,000 clients ranging from small business to the Fortune 500 located in more than 80 countries. Messages provides a range of managed security services to protect, control, encrypt, and archive communications across , Web, and Instant Messaging. These services are delivered by Messages globally distributed infrastructure and supported 24/7 by security experts. This provides a convenient and cost-effective solution for managing and reducing risk and providing certainty in the exchange of business information. About TechTarget IT Briefings TechTarget IT Briefings provide the pertinent information that senior-level IT executives and managers need to make educated purchasing decisions. Originating from our industry-leading Vendor Connection and Expert Webcasts, TechTarget-produced IT Briefings turn Webcasts into easy-to-follow technical briefs, similar to white papers. Design Copyright TechTarget. All Rights Reserved. For inquiries and additional information, contact: Dennis Shiao Director of Product Management, Webcasts dshiao@techtarget.com

3 Vista Deployment: What s in the Box and What s Not Overview In the past, the installation of any version of the Windows operating system involved one of the following methods: Boot from CD and answer a number of questions. Boot from CD and use an answer file to respond to the questions. Boot from a DOS floppy and install from a network setup process or drive image. Boot via the network card accessing a Remote Installation Services server to use an install setup or image. Now, with Vista, installation of the operating system is much simpler. It involves three steps: Boot from a very simplified version of Windows called the Windows Pre-installation Environment, or WinPE 2.0. Copy a Windows drive image from the installation CD/DVD with WinPE. Configure the system by answering the configuration questions or supplying a script to do so. Because using a DOS floppy is no longer practical with current hardware construction, Microsoft created WinPE, a reduced-function version of the Windows operating system. It is small enough to fit on a CD or a USB flash drive, since it is between 160 MB and 200 MB. It is very basic, without a true GUI, and it reboots itself after 72 hours. However, it supports networking, disk operations, and registry editing. WinPE is the basis for Vista deployment. WinPE is installed by the act of booting from a Vista DVD, a WinPE CD, or a network card and BIOS that accesses a Windows Deployment Services server. This allows the user to copy the Vista image file onto the target machine, which is a very fast installation process. Once the image file is installed, the user can perform plug-and-play detection to configure the image for the hardware. The systems are relatively generic, with only two versions of the image required: 32-bit and 64-bit. The Windows customizations can be done from the GUI, such as installing applications and setting the configuration (by hand or by script). Users can also create an image that contains all the applications and settings, making installation even easier. Tools Many of the tools that are useful for Vista deployment are available in a free download called the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). It is approximately 992 MB and has a.img extension. It is, however, an ISO file. When it is downloaded, the user must rename it to a.iso file in order to install it. WAIK and Vista contain a number of tools, including: WinPE (in WAIK) ImageX (in WAIK) Sysprep (in Vista) Windows System Image Manager (in WAIK) Windows PE Figure 1 shows the simplest method for building a WinPE image CD. This WinPE will run on any XP Service Pack 2 machine, although on a 2003 Service Pack 1 machine, users will need to install the Microsoft XML Parser and.net 2.0. The 64-bit version of XP may require the 64-bit version of.net 3.0. After the image has been burned to CD, it is easy to see that a Windows image file (referred to as a WIM because the file extension is.wim) is a collection of large files. WIMs are not sector data; rather, they are folder and file data. The user can remove or add files to the image without deploying those files, and can even apply hot fixes to files in the image by using a WAIK tool called pkgmgr. Note that each WIM can contain multiple images. 1 IT Briefing:

4 Figure 1 ImageX ImageX is a command-line tool with no GUI with which users can capture (create) and apply (deploy) WIMs. It can image Vista, 2003 Windows Server systems, and XP systems, and works well as a system backup tool. If a system has very specific settings, before using ImageX to create a WIM of it, the user can generalize the system with a tool called Sysprep, explained later. Whether capturing or applying an image, the procedure is the same: Boot the system from WinPE (because a system cannot be captured while it is running). Connect to the location where the WIM either will be saved or already exists. Use the ImageX /capture or /apply options, as appropriate. ImageX is located in the Tools folder of WAIK, and there is a version of the tool for each of the architectures (x86, IA 64, or AMD 64). Note that ImageX is only part of WAIK, and is not in WinPE. Key ImageX options include: /capture to capture a WIM /apply to apply a WIM /info to see information about the contents of a WIM /split to divide large WIMs so that they can fit on multiple CDs /extract to pull out images from a WIM and put them into another WIM /delete to delete an image /mountrw (mount read/write) and /unmount to examine and alter the contents of a WIM, as shown in Figure 2 Figure 3 shows the window that opens after the /mountrw command is used. The window displays the contents of the WIM, and files can be added to or deleted from the WIM in this window. This can be used to create a more useful WinPE CD, for example, by putting ImageX in the WinPE image, as shown in Figure 4. 2 IT Briefing:

5 Figure 2 Figure 3 3 IT Briefing:

6 Figure 4 To make this CD bootable, there are two things that the user must do in the WinPE ISO folder: Call oscdimg to make the image bootable with the etfsboot.com boot loader. Have a WinPE image specifically named boot.wim located in a folder called Sources. The boot loader copies boot.wim into the RAM disk so that the system can run without the CD. It does not use the basic winpe.wim file for this, so in order to use the updated WinPE image created earlier, the user must copy the modified winpe.wim to the Sources folder and rename it boot.wim. Figure 5 shows the commands necessary for creating the correct boot.wim file and using the boot loader. Adding NIC drivers is a similar procedure using ImageX, as NIC drivers cannot simply be copied to the system32 folder. Figure 6 shows this process. Figure 7 shows how to add NIC drivers specifically in VMware. Capturing an Image The key role of ImageX is capturing an image of a full machine. To do this, the user should build a machine with all the applications, DOS writing system, text, file and colors, drivers, and so on, that are needed for that system. Once the system is configured and set as needed, Figure 8 shows the steps for capturing the image. Creating an image can take as little as 15 minutes, though other options may cause it to take longer. Applying an Image Once a disk image has been captured, it can be applied to other machines. Figure 9 shows the basic steps for applying an image. Unlike Ghost images, which, when applied, destroy previous images, multiple WIMs can be deployed on a machine. This technique of reimaging a machine enables a fairly large system to be replaced in about 10 minutes. WIMs can be compressed with ImageX in order to speed deployment. An ideal image is about 2.4 GB compressed and about 4.5 GB uncompressed. 4 IT Briefing:

7 Figure 5 Figure 6 5 IT Briefing:

8 Figure 7 Figure 8 6 IT Briefing:

9 Figure 9 Sysprep Sysprep is the tool that must be used to generalize a prototypical machine image before it is applied to many different machines, as in Windows NT, 2000, XP, and The Sysprep that is in the system32 folder of every copy of Vista is very similar to the XP SP2 Sysprep. However, the Vista Sysprep does not remove user accounts when generalizing. Note that Sysprep is not part of WAIK. When Sysprep is run on a machine, some settings are reset and a mini-setup series of configuration questions are run. For large deployments, an answer file can be created to respond to all the questions and allow the setup to be unattended. The command to enable an unattended setup is sysprep /generalize /oobe /shutdown /unattend:answerfile.xml In this command, answerfile.xml is the name of the file that does the setup. System Image Manager (WSIM) The answer file mentioned in the Sysprep section is a script. Windows System Image Manager (WSIM) is a GUI tool that allows users to build scripts. WSIM replaces Setup Manager. WSIM can be found in WAIK, and once WAIK is installed, the user can start WSIM. With the option File > Select Windows Image, WSIM opens a window similar to the one shown in Figure 10. The user can select a WIM from the window. Figure 11 shows the procedure for creating an answer file in WSIM. Figure 12 shows the GUI during the process of building a script. The pane in the lower left-hand corner shows the components to be configured. The center top pane is the answer-file script. 7 IT Briefing:

10 Figure 10 Figure 11 8 IT Briefing:

11 Figure 12 There are seven configuration passes or phases of setup and deployment. Some settings go into more than one phase. The GUI guides the user as to which pass a given component or package goes into, and the online Help is useful for learning the scripting process. 9 IT Briefing:

12 Common Questions Question: Will most people be deploying Vista in 2007? Answer: It depends on the business sector. Universities, for example, are moving to Vista very quickly. Question: Is ImageX on the Vista DVD? Answer: No, ImageX is not on the Vista DVD, it is in WAIK. Question: Will Mark Minasi be publishing a book on Imaging? If so, when? Answer: Mark will cover Imaging in his Longhorn server book, but the publishing date on that is unknown. Question: From a support compatibility standpoint, should general users hold off from updating to 64-bit? Answer: Microsoft has said that this is the last 32-bit desktop operating system they will ship. It is a certainly time to think about updating to 64-bit. Question: Are there any significant speed increases in general with the 64-bit Vista versus the 32-bit Vista? Answer: There is a general speed increase with a 64- bit system, especially since it tends to have higher RAM availability than a 32-bit system. Question: Will WinPE allow deployment of WinXP instead of Vista? Answer: Yes. WinPE is the next generation of the DOS floppy for deployment of NTFS. Question: How is WinPE compared to BartPE? Answer: WinPE is very limited in comparison. BartPE was designed to make a complete, bootable Windows with all the essentials. Answer: If a policy.pol file is prepared with the disabling settings and used to replace the policy.pol file in the WIM, it would probably work. Question: Can a WIM file be booted on virtual PC? Answer: Yes. Create a virtual machine and give it a virtual CD/DVD. Point this virtual CD/DVD to the ISO file. Question: How can BitLocker be deployed with WIM? Answer: BitLocker is a tool in Vista Ultimate Enterprise that encrypts a machine s entire drive. In general, the WIM should be applied, and then BitLocker used via a command line interface called manage.bde. Question: Will all 32-bit software install on a 64-bit OS? Answer: Almost all drivers will be troublesome. Question: What is the difference between applying 64-bit Vista versus 32-bit Vista? Answer: Not much, as the tools are the same. Question: In addition to the WAIK and other mentioned tools, is there further reading recommended for implementing automated Vista deployment to boot PC from a network and preinstall over LAN? Answer: Microsoft has many web pages on its site regarding this. In addition, Mark Minasi publishes free newsletters containing related information, and Rhonda Layfield has been writing articles for Redmond Magazine. Question: Is there any guidance on boarding NIC drivers as long as they are available on the CD? Answer: WinPE 2.0 offers a tool called DRV load, which allows NIC drivers to be installed on the fly rather than as part of a WIM. Question: Within a new image, can group policies be changed to disable USB and other things? 10 IT Briefing:

13 Question: Can batch files be set up in WinPE to automate common actions in order to make imaging as simple as it is in Ghost? Answer: Yes. The file called Winpeshl.ini is a text file for batch commands. Question: How can multiple operating systems be put into a single WIM? Answer: One way is to create a WIM with a single image, then add an image from another WIM with the ImageX /extract option. The other way is to use the ImageX /append option, which captures an image to an existing WIM. Question: How does Ghost compare to ImageX? Answer: ImageX can do most things that Ghost does, though Ghost has multicaching and ImageX does not. ImageX can perform most of Ghost s core functions. Question: Can ImageX image multiple machines like the Ghost multitask option? Answer: A single WIM can be deployed to many places at the same time. Question: Does Package Manager work for XP or XP Service Pack 2? Answer: No. An XP WIM cannot be created and then have hot fixes applied to it. Question: Does ImageX contain something similar to Ghost Explorer? Answer: Yes, it is /mount. This option is better than Ghost Explorer, as Ghost Explorer only allows viewing of the WIM contents, while /mount allows editing. Question: What are the recommended RAM and memory for Vista? Answer: The minimum requirement for Vista is 1 GB of RAM, but it will work better and faster with 2 GB of RAM. The hard drive should also be fast, around 5400 rpm. Question: Can PowerShell be put in WinPE? Answer: PowerShell is a new command shell that is a Windows.Net scripting shell. PowerShell cannot be run without the.net in place, and.net cannot be put in WinPE. About TechTarget We deliver the information IT pros need to be successful. TechTarget publishes targeted media that address your need for information and resources. Our network of technology-specific Web sites gives enterprise IT professionals access to experts and peers, original content, and links to relevant information from across the Internet. Our conferences give you access to vendor-neutral, expert commentary and advice on the issues and challenges you face daily. Our magazines CIO Decisions, Information Security, Storage, and WinStorage give you in-depth analysis and guidance on the critical IT decisions you face. Practical technical advice and expert insights are distributed via more than 80 specialized e-newsletters, and our Webcasts allow IT pros to ask questions of technical experts. What makes us unique TechTarget is squarely focused on the enterprise IT space. Our team of editors and network of industry experts provide the richest, most relevant content to IT professionals. We leverage the immediacy of the Web, the networking and face-to-face opportunities of conferences, the expert interaction of Webcasts and Web radio, the laser-targeting of newsletters and the richness and depth of our print media to create compelling and actionable information for enterprise IT professionals. For more information, visit MesssageLabs_03_2007_ IT Briefing: