Recovery HD partition creation question

[tcandela]

I have a Base OS configuration that has 10.10.dmg and some basic .pkgs to install and also a RecoveryHD 10.10 configuration that just contains the recoveryHD.dmg.

in the Base OS configuration I configured the 'partitions' tab as follows;

partition name: recovery hd partition
size: 1GB
maximum partition of drive: 100%
format: journaled HFS+
make the partition a restore partition: UNCHECKED
configuration: RecoveryHD 10.10
re-image the partition if it already exists: UNCHECKED
append to computer name: LEFT BLANK

my question is; since the configuration settings for the BaseOS configuration has the partition tab configured with the recoveryHD configuration, when the Base OS configuration runs, will it 'call' the 'RecoveryHD 10.10' configuration to create the recovery hd on the computer being imaged?? (along with creating the BaseOS partition)

or do i need to add the recoveryHD.dmg into the BaseOS configuration?

does the Recovery partition and the Restore partition mean the same thing?

[bentoms]

@tcandela, was your 10.10 OS.dmg created via AutoDMG?

If so, laying that down via Casper Imaging will lay down the Recovery HD too.

[davidacland · Accepted solution]

Sounds correct to me, it will automatically deploy the Recovery configuration to the second partition if selected. This was my method before using AutoDMG. If you do use AutoDMG (as @bentoms says), the recovery partition will automatically be deployed and so you shouldn't make a separate partition manually in the Casper configuration.

[tcandela]

yes, I am creating 10.10.dmg via AutoDMG and I see that it also lays down the recovery HD.

then after using AutoDMG to creat 10.10.dmg I use disk utility to pull out the OS.dmg and the RecoveryHD separately, and then deploy them both via configuration.

I was told that the way I am trying to add the RecoveryHD via its own configuration is the correct way to go, not sure what the difference is ????

do you have an explanation on the differences between both ways ?

[bentoms]

@tcandela, why give yourself the extra work?

Since 10.7 I have deployed an OS.dmg which has a Recovery HD within, no issues.

Some details: https://macmule.com/2014/12/21/my-casper-imaging-workflow/

[tcandela]

if I let AutoDMG also deploy the recoveryHD with the BaseOS, how many partitions will be created on the disk0?

[bentoms]

@tcandela, Casper Imaging should create 2. OS & Recovery.

Test it out!

[tcandela]

bentoms - i did test it out and it does create thee 'recovery' partition, which is good. It was told to me that the best way to have the recoveryHD added was via its own 'configuration' as i described in my opening discussion. Makes no sense to me why? just wanted to see others opinions and the way they currently do it.

I like recoveryHD setup via AutoDMG and not having to setup separate configurations

[bentoms]

@tcandela, I guess it depends on how you're creating your OS.dmg. If your capturing it using Composer, then in may not also capture the recovery HD.

Personally, I've never deployed it seperately & why the extra work?

[ndelgrande]

We are having issues with the recovery partition being wiped when using Casper Imaging. We are running Casper 9.4 though. Not sure if that has anything to do with it. Now that we are out of peak freeze I can upgrade to 9.6.x and see if that takes care of this problem. Because Casper Imaging 9.4 is not creating the recovery partition which is preventing us from enabling FileVault 2.

[bentoms]

@ndelgrande2, not sure what OS your deploying. But if you're deploying an AutoDMG OS.dmg it should work.

However, I don't think 10.10.x was supported by the JSS until 9.6x.. So might be worth updating a dev JSS to see if the issue persists.

[ndelgrande]

I believe I did create the base image with AutoDMG, but I layed it down on a system and tweaked it a bit by adding our local admin account, etc, then captured that image. Would that remove the restore partition? I don't understand how a fresh system out of the box has it's restore partition wiped when Casper Imaging is just wiping and re-imaging the "Macintosh HD" partition. I didn't think Casper Imaging did any partitioning at all. I have a new Mac sealed in the box right next to me, we are on 9.63, so I am going to test to see for sure.

[RobertHammen]

Yeah, you captured just the OS partition and not Recovery.

Use CreateUserPkg (http://magervalp.github.io/CreateUserPkg/) to add your local admin account. Change any other settings with packages or scripts. A "modular" approach to things like this is really beneficial, especially when 10.10.3, 10.11, et. al. come around. Much less work for you.

--Robert

[ndelgrande]

@RobertHammen Yes, I got it all worked out right after I posted that. Now we are deploying a partition fix to all the Macs missing their Recovery partition for FileVault. We are finding that if a Mavericks Mac is FileVaulted, then upgraded to Yosemite, it is still getting stuck halfway through the boot process. The only way we have been able to get them fixed is to boot into the Recovery partition and unlock/decrypt the drive, then re-push the FileVault policy. Not very feasible for thousands of Macs though.

Appreciate the help Robert.