Autocaspernbi image not working?

[ajh11g]

Hi all, I've been experimenting with Autocaspernbi, and unfortunately it seems to not be working. The whole process to make the image seems work, I use AutoDMG to create OS.dmg from the app store Yosemite installer, add the Casper Imaging app, etc.

After creating the .nbi files, I add it to our machine running server, and it lists the image in the netinstall section, has it enabled over NFS, etc.

However, when I try to boot a machine to it, it doesn't work - older machines boot straight into its OS, and newer machines get the circle-cross symbol.

Am I missing something?

[franton]

Assuming you're not using a 10.10.4 image, then yes. The newer computers probably have a forked OS X build.

[ajh11g]

I'm using the latest 10.10.4 image.

[RobertHammen]

NFS or HTTP? Try the other... can you use SIU to make a Netboot image and see if that one works?

Are the Macs you are trying to NetBoot in the same subnet?

You probably have a NetBoot issue, not necessarily an issue with the NBI's made by AutoCasperNBI...

[MAD0oM]

is that your default? or are you using option and then clicking your NBI..im sure you're on the same Subnet if you're able to boot into other NBIs..hmm have you tried removing it, turning off NB, then putting it back, then turning on NB and try Netbooting from mac again to see if that works?

[ajh11g]

@RobertHammen I've tried both NFS and HTTP to no avail. Macs are on the same subnet. I'll try using SIU to make the nbi (this was the method we've used in the past, but I wanted to try out autocapsernbi to see how it worked).

@MAD0oM Yes, I have set it to the default, have tried turning netboot on/off, etc.

[bentoms]

@ajh11g can you post AutoCasperNBI's plist.. So I can see what options you ticked?

How much RAM is in the Macs you're trying to NetBoot?

Have you checked the perms on the copied NetBoot folder & items?

Can you enable verbose booting & then try?

[ajh11g]

@bentoms the Mac I've been testing with has 4GB; ours are typically 4GB and above. Also checked permissions on the copied folders, they're the same as the .nbi that works.

Here's the plist for NBImageInfo.plist: http://pastebin.com/YDG0XZuu

I'll try verbose booting and see if it leads me anywhere.

[gfarabaugh]

I am having the exact same issue. I have new iMac 14,1, running casper 9.72, latest version of autocaspernbi, and the iMac is on 10.10.4.

I kept all default options running through the autocaspernbi, checked the box for the rc.netboot file and added ARD authentication. Everything seemed to build OK.

When I netboot, either N or alt/option, I see the netboot file created. I select that and it seems to almost instantly go past it to the local HD.

I threw up my other NBI created from a machine from last year, and when I netboot that it shows the white circle with the line through it. I had this initially and that's why I tried to update my NBI to the most current machine I have.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

[gfarabaugh]

FYI - I just tried my same exact process using OS 10.9.5, casper imaging 9.72, and my new iMac and it worked fine. Must be something wrong in 10.10.4 regarding compatibility with autocasperNBI.

[ajh11g]

@gfarabaugh interesting, I'll try making a 10.9.5 NBI and see what happens. Although, I had this issue when I tried making a 10.10.3 nbi as well.

[bentoms]

hey @gfarabaugh.. Sorry for the delay in replying.

For me AutoCasperNBI has been successful in creating NBI's with 10.10.x.. How has the OS.dmg been created?

EDIT:

Just saw in the OP that you mentioned AutoDMG..

I noticed in the NBIImageInfo.plist you posted that the NBI is not set to the default image.. can you change it to the default on your NetBoot server & try again?

Also, what OS is your NetBoot server?

[ant89]

What i did was: restored one of my newest macs via internet recovery. It restored to 10.10.4 build 14E46.

After it restored. I placed it in target disk mode and used Composer to build an OS image Package.

Then used autocasperNBI and selected that dmg i just created from composer. Anyone else do it this way?

[ajh11g]

@bentoms I have attempted setting the nbi as default, then restarting the netboot server, etc., still no luck. The OS is 10.9.5.

[bentoms]

@ajh11g what did verbose booting show?

[ajh11g]

@bentoms Sorry I haven't replied since your last post. However, after getting the latest update for AutoCasperNBI and trying to make a new NetBoot image, it seems to work! Thanks for looking in to this earlier.

[bentoms]

@ajh11g awesome!!

[endor-moon]

@ajh11g, the NetBoot Server operating system version has to be the same as the NBI file OS version or nothing will work. So, if your server must support both 10.10 and 10.9, you must run 10.10.x on your server and 10.10.x on your NBI even if the workflow used by Casper Imaging is laying down 10.9.5. All your clients when netbooted will be running 10.10.x, but that doesn't prevent you from having a "nuke and pave" workflow to lay down 10.9.5.

Perhaps this was already clear but I thought I would jump in and point it out. Also, it is worth noting that even JAMF Support is suggesting we use AutoCasperNBI instead of their own solution.

For new hardware, I used the new hardware in Thunderbolt transfer mode as the source OS and that worked great. Even seemed to boot my old clients. I'm now using 10.10.5 but haven't checked to see if the new hardware still works.

Cheers...

[bentoms]

@endor-moon NBI server & NBI do not need to be on the same OS.

Essentially NetBoot/NetInstall is offering an image over DHCP with delivery over TFTP, HTTP/NFS & sometimes AFP.

This has largely, if at all.. Not changed over the years.

So OS of NBI server makes no difference, this is how things like NetSUS & BSDPy are able to host NBI's.

Oh & lastly, 10.10.5 is a universal build so should be ok.

[cdev]

Seconded. We've created NBIs running 10.4 - 10.10.5 all running on an Xserve running 10.4.10...