10.9.1 base image and Recovery partition

[catesr]

Please excuse me if this has already been discussed but I haven't found anything to address my question. I am going to make a base 10.9.1 image using Composer to upload to Casper Admin and then use to image some 75 2013 macbook airs. My question is this. I have installed 10.9.1 on an external hd and am going to use this for my net boot image. Does composer include the Recovery partition when creating this base image.
Thanks ahead of time.

[rderewianko]

No, you have to create the recovery partition separately.

Jamf's KB: http://resources.jamfsoftware.com/archive/Deploying-OS-X-v10.7-or-Later-with-the-Casper-Suite.pdf

I've gone away from using the recovery Partition option in Imaging to create it, in preference for using https://github.com/MagerValp/Create-Recovery-Partition-Installer as its just easier to update with builds.

However, if you are not using FileVault, you don't technically need the recovery partition on new machines as they can do an Internet restore.

Why not use Imaging for it, with a thunderbolt cable, and a local copy of the image on a ssd. SSD -> SSD is much faster than Platter -> SSD

[mm2270]

No, don't think Composer will capture the Recovery partition by default. There are other tools you may want to look into to do that.
While I know I'm not necessarily answering your question, I just wanted to say that you should *really* consider using a 10.9.2 image, not 10.9.1. 10.9.2 is now a universal build (for the moment anyway), and, in our initial tests, the performance boost with startup and general functions is pretty significant. YMMV on the performance change, but definitely use the latest OS and not one from months ago.

[franton]

Google for "AutoDMG" and use that instead for your image. That I believe will create the recovery partition.

[bentoms]

You can create a never booted OS DMG in Casper Admin which includes the recovery partition.

I'll post how on my blog in the next few days & will report back here.

[mzago]

+1 for Googling AutoDMG. It's incredibly simple to use.

[catesr]

Thank you everyone.

[wmateo]

@mzago does AutoDMG capture OS and settings? I want to create admin account and some settings, etc.

[mzago]

@wmateo AutoDMG allows you to add packages. You could use createuserpkg, etc. to add the bits you want. You want your OS to be as close to stock as you can. It's also going to be easier long term if you keep out apps and put them in Casper Admin computer configurations rather than wrapping them up in the image.

Look up resources about modular imaging vs Golden Master imaging to get you on the right track. You want a repeatable process where you layer whatever you want on top of the image. Then when you need to create a new OS DMG for new hardware before a combo update, or a new combo update comes out, you're just throwing an Install Mac OS X.app at AutoDMG layering what you need on top.