CasperNBI, can't actually image the HD

[skinford]

First thank you to everyone on JAMF Nation. I am a new Casper user but slowly moving forward. And all of your information, solves and tips have been a wonderful help to me, thank you again.

I have done do diligence on this and just wanted to find out what I may be doing wrong.

I have a CasperNBI and I can boot to it, it boots up, opens Casper IMG, I'm still having to click the image button in Casper IMG on my test system not sure about that at this point. It goes through what looks like the right steps, keeps the name, passes information I think at this point is correct, but it never actually lays down my image on the HD. Says everything is done and closes Casper IMG and then sits on the Desktop for ever.

What small steps may I be missing? Thank you all again for any pointing me in the right direction.

Have a great day everyone!

[strider_knh]

What does the imaging log say? The log should be posted to your JSS for the device or you can grab it from /var/logs/jamf.log.

This will tell you exactly what is happening and what may be missed in the process. By reading it you should be able to figure out why the imaging isn't completing properly. Also, take a quick screenshot of Casper Imaging so we can see how you have the configuration setup.

As to you having to press the Image button that is how it works, typically. If you setup Auto Run data for the device and choose the option to start imaging automatically then you will not have to press the Image button. That can be done in the device record or using the action button on a search result page. I would caution using this since it will start automatically, even on those cases you may want to change a setting.

You could also try the Pre-Stage imaging if you have serial number which will give you the auto start as well.

[rhoward]

Did you compile your image? If you are doing it over NetBoot there are issues with this happening. You can fix it by opening Casper Admin and clicking on your configuration and clicking complie. The compiling process may take quite a long time depending how large your image is with pkgs and dmgs. Do it over ethernet to speed that process up.

[skinford]

Thank you both @strider.knh and @rhoward I really am trying to get this learned on my own and not trying to have anyone do my job. I feel I'm close but missing something. I appreciate both of your time.

These are my steps:
1. Created a test Base El Capitan image with some software for the base already installed.
2. Captured the image with Casper Composer
3. Ran the Image DMG through AutoCasperNBI to create the CasperNBI (Which worked perfectly, woo hoo)
4. Copied my NBI to my test Apple server and made it the default with an Index of 1055, (But tried other Index’s)
5. Set the Startup Disk to my Test server and Restarted
6. I selected the Jumpstart configuration but not sure what to do there yet
7. iMac booted fine and starts Casper Image, all looks good from there it goes through all the steps (To Quickly) and then says it’s done and reboots without laying the image down

Here is the log as I have it from JSS from the unit I am trying to image:
Initializing Imaging Process...
Mounting smb://jss.tri-c.edu/CasperSuite...
Setting computer name to "MARS-TEST-iMac-SK"...
Creating /private/etc/jamf.conf...
Creating /usr/local/bin/jamf...
Creating jamfHelper...
Ensuring Apple's Setup Assistant does not appear...
Creating First Run Enroll Script...
Adding line for binding Tri-C.EDU Bind...
Adding line to add Xerox WorkCentre 4250 JSTC-144...
Creating First Run Post Install Script...
Adding line to Fix ByHost Files...
Adding line to Create user ladmin...
Adding line to Create user ladmin...
Ensuring system files are hidden...
Unmounting Distribution Point...
Blessing System...

Is there something else that needs to be on the JSS Distribution Share via Casper Admin? Tried copying the NBI there but it wouldn’t let me. The CasperNBI does get served out from an Apple server correct?

[bentoms]

@skinford Has that log been redacted? As, in that imaging log, there is no:
1. erasing of the HD
2. laying down of an OS &/or any packages
3. No restart

[skinford]

@bentoms Thank you for asking. No redaction. I have been on a support ticket using Webex with a Jamf person for two days and will be on Webex this coming Monday also. I have been doing everything that I can to solve. Built multiple images at their request and still not laying the image down. I just wish I knew what I was doing wrong or what settings I or they may be missing. Thank you again @bentoms

[Nix4Life]

hey Guys; sorry if this was mentioned, but what about permissions on DP?

[daniel_behan]

I had a similar issue and got around it by packaging a 10.11.4.dmg I made from autodmg into the root user's desktop on my autocaspernbi image. When I NetBoot, I use disk utility to block copy the OS and the use Casper Imaging for a thin image.

[bentoms]

@skinford & @daniel.behan JDS's?

[daniel_behan]

@bentoms My primary distribution point is an AWS S3 bucket with CloudFront. My local distribution point is an Xserve that used to run my jss before I migrated it to JAMF for hosting. I'm using a Netboot/SUS appliance to host the NetBoot image.

[bentoms]

@daniel.behan odd. Casper Imaging should be pulling from the local DP then & therefore using AFP/SMB & not have issues.

[rhoward]

I agree with @bentoms, those logs look like it's actually not imaging anything at all. Could you post a screenshot of what your Casper Imaging looks like to make sure something isn't missing? You didn't seem to answer the question I posed about compiling your image in Casper Admin. Is it compiled?

[endor-moon]

Hi @skinford. I would also recommend that you do not capture an operating system with applications already installed. That should be considered a bad practice because you are defeating the modularity of the system by making part of your process monolithic. Much better to lay down a clean OS from an image created by AutoDMG, a wonderful little program on GitHub by Mager Valp.

https://github.com/MagerValp/AutoDMG

Then you add other applications and settings after the base OS is laid down cleanly, with all pending software updates already installed.

Here's a list of things installed in one of my test images:

create_imagemaster-1.0.pkg
Desktop Pattern.dmg
Finder PreferencesYosemite.dmg
Global PreferencesYosemite.dmg
motd.pkg
osx_updated_160322-10.10.5-14F27.hfs.dmg
TerminalDefaultPrefsYos.pkg

[skinford]

Found out what I was doing wrong. I appreciate every single persons input. You all really helped my along the way. Still trying to wrap my head around Casper, but it's happening slowly. In the future I'd like to talk a little more with you @endor-moon. I'm so used to building an image and porting it out with most everything ready to go. Casper images correctly now but I need to work on learning how to make an capture all of my settings now and all of my preferences and moving them to all of my system after imaging. Just another work in progress.

Thank you everyone for all of the time that all of you have given me. May you all be truly blessed!

[bentoms]

@skinford Thanks for the follow up.

FWIW, I posted my imaging workflow here.

[skinford]

Thank you @bentoms, I appreciate that and everyone.

[WhippsT]

@skinford What were you doing wrong? We're running into the same issue here...