Trouble Deploying 10.6.8 image from 10.7.1 NetBoot Set

[mcrispin]

To all -

We've been able to reproduce an issue whereby 10.6.8 images deployed using Casper Imaging (8.22) from a 10.7.1 (Build 11B2118) NetBoot set are consistently creating invalid OS installs only when deploying 10.6.8 images, Lion images work fine. We create our own base installs, so this is not coming from the OS install process from a retail disc.

My hunch is that this is somehow connected to the formatting of the HD from the Lion netboot.

The result is machines that will pass POST, but never hand off over to the OS, just staying at the grey Apple logo.

If anyone can either reproduce, or have other findings, I would very much appreciate reading about your experiences.

I've put in a call to my JAMF rep, and here at Duke we are working on understanding the nature of the problem.

Thank you,

Michael Crispin
Duke University

[talkingmoose]

While I won't say this is "typical" behavior I will say it's not
On 9/3/11 12:41 AM, "Michael Crispin" <mike at michaelcrispin.com> wrote:
unexpected. Practically every major version of Mac OS X has some tweaks or
changes to its disk formatting tools and the Mac OS itself is dependent on
them.

IMHO, best practice would be to always format and install an OS while
booted to the same major version of OS. For example, if installing Snow
Leopard then do so while booted to a Snow Leopard system. That applies to
using Casper Imaging to lay down a system while booted or NetBooted and
Casper Admin when to create a compiled image.

Just recently I had another administrator create a 10.4 system for me by
cloning it from another one. He cloned it over a partition that had been
running 10.5. All sorts of hinky things were happening that at first led
me to believe the system was corrupt. It would boot but wouldn't restart
or I could open files but they wouldn't save without hanging the system.

For this purpose I keep NetBoot images for each major version of Mac OS
available and name them accordingly so that I can select the correct one
for imaging.

--

William Smith
Technical Analyst
Merrill Communications LLC
(651) 632-1492

[mcrispin]

Yes - I understand what you are saying, these things to happen and particularly in that 10.4 to 10.5 period you mentioned specifically.

Still, the straight-up "Apple Way" of SIU works between major revisions, so we're not looking at an impossible task.

I've already engaged JAMF on this one - so perhaps we'll see some movement, or there is something on RADAR that we might see in 10.7.2 - always lots of mystery meat in there!

Thank again -

Michael Crispin
Duke University

[mark_sampers]

Michael,

Did you or JAMF come up with a solution. I seem to be having the same issue with deploying 10.6.8 from a newly created 10.7.4 netboot image...

Thanks in advance for your help or any help from others.

Mark Sampers
ISD 196