Problems Imaging New 13" MBP

[stevewood]

This just makes no sense. I have 14 brand new 13" MBPs that I need to get
imaged, and I can't seem to get the OS to install. My steps so far:

- configure one machine using the installed OS so I have a machine to work
from
- create a disk image of the drop in box DVD that came with the system (SRF
6623-A)
- scan the disk for Restore in Disk Utility
- Run Casper Admin and drag and drop the image into CA
- Open the image in CA and mark as an OS installer disk
- CA scans the image and returns.
- Close CA and save changes
- Boot a different 13" MBP from my NetInstall image
- Machine boots, Casper Imaging starts
- Select hard drive, manually select OS, add a user and hit Go

Casper Imaging begins to install the OS but never finishes. Imaging just
sits there with the candy stripe bar running and never finishes (I've let it
sit for over an hour). If I restart the machine and open Terminal I can see
that some of the files and folders are there, but definitely not all and
definitely not in the right places.

Anyone have any ideas?? The NBI that I am working with was created on an i7
17" MBP less than 2 weeks ago. I honestly don't think it is the MBI since
the machine shouldn't even start if that was the issue.

I really need to get these machines imaged before Friday and this is putting
a major cramp in my plans.

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integer.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475

[#2]

Pop the OS image you just made into a configuration in Casper Admin.

I've never had any luck with manually selecting an OS without a
configuration. In fact, I think I recall calling JAMF about this before and
them recommending that I not do that.

If you make a configuration with just the OS, it should work just fine.

Bob

[#3]

Steve,

Since you're in a time crunch have you tried the old school approach of
setting up a base on a machine and then running an OS snapshot from within
Composer?

Not the end all, fix all but if it can at least get you going for the time
being.. Figured it may be worth a shot instead of troubleshooting the other
approach..

-- Jason Weber
Certified Casper Administrator
Technology Support Cluster Specialist
Independent School District 196
jason.weber at district196.org

[stevewood]

That's my next option if Bob's suggestion doesn't work. :-( I was trying
to avoid that if I could.

And Bob, I did have it in a config, but I've since re-created the disk image
and was trying that without a config. I'm trying your suggestion now.

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integer.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475

[tlarkin]

Look at the imaging logs in the JSS, anything pop up and stand out as
an issue? Also, I just used a drop in DVD with instaDMG and it worked
flawlessly for me (well near flawlessly, had 1 hiccup).

[stevewood]

Yes, that was all done an the same model machine, a 13" MBP that is part of
the lot of 14 I received.

Looks like Bob's suggestion of adding to a config is not working either. So, on to plan C or is it D, use Composer to grab an OS config. Yuck.

In the meantime, I'm calling support also to chase this down.

I'll post any updates later.

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integer.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475

[stevewood]

Last lines in the log on JSS are the normal ones:

Unmounting Distribution Point...Blessing System...Ensuring system files are
hidden...

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integer.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475

[stevewood]

Just a quick update to everyone on this. I have an open case with JAMF on
the issue at hand. I've tried numerous methods for pushing the image to a
machine using the OS Installer method while booted from a NetBoot image,
including re-creating the NBI using an image of one of these laptops. None
of those seemed to work. The only way that worked was to boot from a USB
drive and apply the image from there. Strange.

So, I've used Composer to snapshot the OS from one of the machines and used
that to image from NetBoot. That works. I am now compiling one of my
configs using this snapshot and will image the machines this way.

If I hear something from JAMF that I can share, I will. Thanks everyone for
the ideas and for being the sounding board.

Steve Wood
Director of IT
swood at integer.com

The Integer Group | 1999 Bryan St. | Ste. 1700 | Dallas, TX 75201
T 214.758.6813 | F 214.758.6901 | C 940.312.2475