We thin image all of our new Macs was they arrive. I have a netboot server that I boot from and I have a couple of different configurations that we can deploy. Works fine. We use it every day.
As we have systems that are moved out of service, I needed a method to quickly and easily re-image and recon before they are retired. This allows us to get an accurate picture of licenses available, etc…
I built a base 10.8.5 image using AutoDMG. If I target boot a Mac, I can use Disk Utility to restore the image to a previously-deployed system. Once restored (about 5 minutes), I can boot the system just fine. I get the setup screen and can use the Mac normally.
So the idea became to "thin image" this restored system using Casper Imaging and a basic, minimal configuration to get updated inventory information for units before they are placed in surplus.
If I netboot it and apply a basic configuration to these systems imaged using my AutoDMG-created image, I can't log in to the system afterward. I installed a known good configuration instead of the baseline one I just created to test. No joy. There is an admin account created. The computer is reporting and checking in to the JSS. I just cannot log in using that admin account (or the root account) that I create during the configuration. It accepts the username and password, then I just get a spinning wheel indefinitely. It never goes away.
Again, if I erase and re-image and use the Apple setup, I can create a user and log in normally.
If I re-image, netboot and install a known-good configuration, I can not login.
Just leaving them in the "Setup screen at startup" mode for disposal is OK, but that won't work for systems that we redeploy from surplus to a new user.
Is anyone else using AutoDMG? Has anyone seen this before with InstaDMG? Is it unrelated to that application?
