Am I ok imaging this way?

[aamjohns]

In reference to this article:
https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/article.html?id=319
I became concerned.

Currently, I am using the InstallESD.dmg for 10.8.4 with InstaDMG to create an unbooted image for use with Casper Imaging. I have test deployed this on various systems without any known issues. And the kb doc reference by the JAMF post is very non-specific as to issues caused by imaging with InstallESD.dmg.

Note: The InstallESD.dmg file should not be used directly when installing OS X or when creating an image as unexpected results can occur

I would imagine others using Casper are imaging using unbooted InstaDMG created images. Do you have any issues? Am I ok doing it this way? I am also handling the Recovery HD by using this method:
http://managingosx.wordpress.com/2012/08/15/creating-recovery-partitions/
I then run the package on first boot.

I am new to Casper, and new to Mac administration. So before I go deploying this scheme I wanted to double check that this was a proper method to employ.

Thank you.

[bentoms]

I do pretty much the same.

In Casper admin we create compile a configuration with the InstallESD.dmg creating a DMG similar to the InstaDMG method.

Used this since 10.6.x & works well.

[scottb]

FWIW, I've imaged scores of Macs using the InstallESD.dmg. Never done it through Casper, but that's just another variable. I've not seen any issues, although this is the "official line" that I suppose JAMF and others must heed.

[dpertschi]

That article is specifically referring to droping the InstallESD.dmg directly into Casper Admin as the base OS installer. There are many folks on this list that do that though with good results, even though it is not advised or supported.

I do the same thing your doing, use that .dmg with InstaDMG to create my base OS which gets uploaded to Casper. No problems here with that method either.

[jhbush]

You can also create really nice ASR files using FileWave Lightning. It works great with JAMF and even adds the the recovery partition all in one shot.

[aamjohns]

Thank you for the responses and suggestions. Aaron.

[hkim]

The reason that JAMF states it, is because Apple states it clearly as well (scroll towards the bottom)

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT5599

So far in 10.7 and 10.8 it works just fine. We'll have to wait and see if it works in 10.9 but a little fairy told me that we may need to tinker with that process as it currently stands.

[mpermann]

@jhbush1973 Thanks for mentioning FileWave Lightning. I played with it yesterday and was able to very quickly and easily create clean never-booted 10.7 and 10.8 base OS images that worked great with Casper Imaging. I'd previously been using JAMF's instructions at https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/article.html?id=313 and Composer to capture my base images. I prefer starting with a never-booted image and had run into problems with the images that I had created using InstaDMG when deploying them with Casper Imaging. Not sure why Casper Imaging didn't like the images that InstaDMG was creating but it didn't at the time. I suppose it could have been a bug in Casper Imaging as at the time I was using version 8.52 and now I'm using 8.71. And it's SO nice to get the recovery partition without having to do any extra work. I wish JAMF would update Composer so it can capture the recovery partition when capturing an OS. Anyway, thanks for the suggestion!

[JPDyson]

@hkim, another little fairy told me that a well-respected elve of the mac admin community will help make your life easier, if you wanted to create an os package...

[hkim]

I wish there was a "like" button. Fairies and Elves are I'm sure hard at work to make sure that clean OS images that are easily to create and deploy pending any change in how things work today.