Wither NetInstall Creator?

[donmontalvo]

Can JAMF confirm whether NetInstall Creator works or not? If so, what versions of JSS and OS X are supported?

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/viewProduct.html?id=13

"Record Last Updated: 1/11/13 at 10:41 AM by nick"

PS, hoping this tool doesn't wither and blow away...DeployStudio offers NetInstall capability (runtime), would like to see that capability maintained at JAMF. :)

Don

[stevewood · Accepted solution]

I don't believe NetInstall Creator has worked since 10.6, maybe even before that. JAMF replaced it with an Automator action that I'm sure is here on the site somewhere. Then again, that may have been deprecated too since most of us just use System Image Utility to create our NBIs.

@dwest What problem are you having with creating your NBI?

[activitymonitor · Accepted solution]

@Orleck

Can you please point me towards a resource or how to page on modifying a deploy studio net boot set so I can use it for casper imaging?

It is really simple. Just add Casper Imaging.app to /Applications, edit /etc/rc.install replacing the path to the DS runtime with Casper Imaging and then add the required frameworks. I just rsync /System/Library/Frameworks to my NBI. It is overkill, but the total size is still under 3gb.

Way more interesting would be automating this using BaseSystem.dmg from the recovery partition as the source. Compressed it could be under 1gb.

[nick · Accepted solution]

Hey everyone,

As you may have noticed, we just posted the Casper NetInstall Creator v4.0.

We've also posted the source to our GitHub account. We look forward to working to continue to improve this tool with your support.

Please also note that if you're imaging using a JDS Instance, you'll want to follow the instructions here.

Thanks,

Nick

[nick · Accepted solution]

@donmontalvo @clifhirtle - Just to clarify a bit, the CNIC is a tool that a small group of JAMFs saw the need for and made a collaborative effort to release.

It's not a part of JAMF's core product line, and is released in an Open Source fashion much like the NetSUS appliance. We'll continue to contribute to it, but we also look forward to community contributions like we've had with the NetSUS appliance.

While it likely won't make it into the Casper Suite Administrator's Guide, we do have a KB article that we posted yesterday with a procedure that outlines how to use the CNIC.

I hope this clarifies things a bit.

[MarkPetersonURM]

I just found out about this yesterday! I hope it sticks around!

[charliwest]

I am having real trouble creating a Netbot image of Mavericks, so I hope this tool is still being updated.

[stevewood · Accepted solution]

I don't believe NetInstall Creator has worked since 10.6, maybe even before that. JAMF replaced it with an Automator action that I'm sure is here on the site somewhere. Then again, that may have been deprecated too since most of us just use System Image Utility to create our NBIs.

@dwest What problem are you having with creating your NBI?

[donmontalvo]

@stevewood wrote:

Most of us just use System Image Utility to create our NBIs.

Or DeployStudio, reluctantly. I never knew there was a JAMF Automator action for Netinstall creation. I guess I missed that nugget.

[charliwest]

@stevewood each time I try and make one I get an System Image Utility error which says error 2

Tried a few things to fix but can't get anywhere with it.

[stevewood]

@dwest have you looked through the discussions in this article:

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=9306#respond

Specifically you might look at my post in that thread dated 1/21/2014. While my method is not the only method, it is the method that I've used for at least 5 years to create NBIs and have had very few problems.

You can also look at this thread for information on slimming down NBI sets and other good tidbits:

https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=2984#respond

[blackholemac]

I always liked the NetInstall Creator, but alas it didn't move on to a new version. I create the NetBoot sets myself using System Image Utility and then if I need to slim em down, I do recommend the thread posted by @stevewood.

some of the other posts contained on that thread tell of what other users did to keep theirs smaller based on what they needed. If space is no concern, System Image Utility seems to work. JAMF released an automator action to help with it, but I want to customize the NetBoot set just a bit before using it so I go through making my own instead.

[Orleck]

@donmontalvo I'm curious how you leverage DeployStudio's net boot sets? We've been using deploy studio a long time, but they finally listened to me and got Casper, but I never used casper imaging directly, though I've only made one NBI with System Image utility with Casper in mind, that now famous 10.9.2 kext issue got me, so I haven't tried again, I've been stalling looking for what others use, I'm not a huge fan of DeployStudio, but it does make pretty strait forward NBI, is it easy, or require some Hacky hacks?

[donmontalvo]

@Orleck It's very easy. :) But, with DeployStudio having that ARD issue (can't connect remotely), I really miss NetInstall Creator.

[Orleck]

@donmontalvo Can you please point me towards a resource or how to page on modifying a deploy studio net boot set so I can use it for casper imaging? I'm very familiar with DeployStudio's net boot creation and use, but as you know, its boots right into the deploy studio environment, where as I'd like to use casper imaging, but by booting the machines into the DeployStudio created NBI, do you perhaps have a walkthrough, or could I bribe you to explain? I'm fairly savvy, so I wouldn't need it to be super detailed, :) you seem to be the guy on here who knows more than just about anyone!

Thanks for the info either way, much appreciated, cheers!

-Orleck

[donmontalvo]

@Orleck wrote:

Can you please point me towards a resource or how to page on modifying a deploy studio net boot set so I can use it for casper imaging?

I'm not sure that's possible, have you posted to the DeployStudio forum to see what they say?

you seem to be the guy on here who knows more than just about anyone!

Haha, you must be confusing me with @gregneagle? :)

I'd call JAMF about the kext issue, they have their fingers on the pulse of all the environments running Casper Suite, so they are in the best position to help.

Also for the kext issue, maybe check out @Lotussheney's post: https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=9836#responseChild54488

Don

[activitymonitor · Accepted solution]

@Orleck

Can you please point me towards a resource or how to page on modifying a deploy studio net boot set so I can use it for casper imaging?

It is really simple. Just add Casper Imaging.app to /Applications, edit /etc/rc.install replacing the path to the DS runtime with Casper Imaging and then add the required frameworks. I just rsync /System/Library/Frameworks to my NBI. It is overkill, but the total size is still under 3gb.

Way more interesting would be automating this using BaseSystem.dmg from the recovery partition as the source. Compressed it could be under 1gb.

[donmontalvo]

Keep an eye on this upcoming tool from @bentoms...

https://twitter.com/macmuleblog/status/475424483038474241

[Orleck]

@donmontalvo Interestingly enough, in troubleshooting ids stuff, it looks like JAMF is reviving NetInstall Creator, because after some things got escalated internally on JAMFs end, their boss came back with a beta vs. to try (in an attempt to help us work around the NetBoot / JDS issues)

So i don't think they're letting it go away, it looks like they're bringing it back, and soon

[Orleck]

@activitymonitor Thanks! I didn't think it would be that easy! Much appreciated, I'm going to have to hack up a DS NBI... :P

[wmateo]

@Orleck you have that Beta Handy? or should I email support?

[bentoms]

@Orleck, I'd love to see it too.

May stop AutoCasperNBI of not needed, however... If they compliment each other...

[Orleck]

@wmateo Indeed I do, they didn't give me any restrictions on it, except that it's in very early beta form, for instance, it didn't take my background image, not sure if it's related, shoot me your email and I'll happily dropbox what they gave me :)

[Orleck]

@wmateo @bentoms I just realized, I don't think there is a PM or direct message option here, Orleck is my twitter handle, or Orleck via the G Mails :)

[Merkley]

@Orleck would I be able to get the beta as well? I've been trying to modify a DeployStudio nbi and haven't been successful at getting Casper Imaging to run on it.

[Orleck]

@Merkley @wmateo @bentoms

how about this, http://tinyurl.com/kmc77lp

:) Let me know if it's different than the tool of old, I'm curious if it's been modified very much or not.

Cheers,

Orleck

[donmontalvo]

<cringes>

[wmateo]

@Orleck I got it - Thank You. it's actiually very good, and quick. It didnt take my background image though. Maybe I will see where I can insert it. Kernel Cache is smaller and loads lot faster. This can be a good alternative for the DeployStudio netboot creator which in my opinion works well, but I cannot add Casper Imaging into it.

[Merkley]

@Orleck I got it as well. Thanks! This boots much faster than my previous .nbi that I created. I was able to get Casper imaging opening. I'm using Casper 9.32. It didn't save my background picture either.

[nick · Accepted solution]

Hey everyone,

As you may have noticed, we just posted the Casper NetInstall Creator v4.0.

We've also posted the source to our GitHub account. We look forward to working to continue to improve this tool with your support.

Please also note that if you're imaging using a JDS Instance, you'll want to follow the instructions here.

Thanks,

Nick

[clifhirtle]

Wow, I never even knew about this product. So cool! How did this not make it into the Casper Administrator Guide? This could save me so much time over the horror that is System Image Utility. Thanks for the update @nick!

[donmontalvo]

@clifhirtle Hopefully it'll be in the next manual...it was part of the <redacted> Beta, but it was leaked here so JAMF released it. :)

[clifhirtle]

Ah ha! Now it all makes sense. Foiled by JAMFdaction! Thanks for clarification Don.

[nick · Accepted solution]

@donmontalvo @clifhirtle - Just to clarify a bit, the CNIC is a tool that a small group of JAMFs saw the need for and made a collaborative effort to release.

It's not a part of JAMF's core product line, and is released in an Open Source fashion much like the NetSUS appliance. We'll continue to contribute to it, but we also look forward to community contributions like we've had with the NetSUS appliance.

While it likely won't make it into the Casper Suite Administrator's Guide, we do have a KB article that we posted yesterday with a procedure that outlines how to use the CNIC.

I hope this clarifies things a bit.

[donmontalvo]

@nick apologies for mis-speaking, I was going off @Orleck's post.

Nice to see JAMF jumping on this, very much appreciated. :)

Don

[wmateo]

@nick @Orleck any of you know how how does netinstall handle the admin account and Cert install? I was prompted for a Cert and tried to install but I am not sure how it handles the admin/root account? I dont recall setting a password when I created NBI using this tool and now its prompting me for one. I am a little hungover, so excuse me if I am missing the obvious lol

[nick · Accepted solution]

@wmateo - If you specify a JSS URL when creating the NetInstall image, CNIC will import the JSS Built-In CA certificate in an attempt to create trust in the NetInstall image. If your JSS is hosted using a tomcat web server certificate that is not issued from the JSS Built-In CA, or is not trusted in the Apple System Roots, you'll need to manually add it to the keychain of the NetInstall image using a command like:

/usr/bin/security add-trusted-cert -r trustRoot -k '/Volumes/Install/Library/Keychains/System.keychain' -i '/Volumes/Install/Library/Security/Trust Settings/Admin.plist' -o '/Volumes/Install/Library/Security/Trust Settings/Admin.plist' /path/to/ca.cer

[activitymonitor]

I am having great luck with CNIC 4.0 + 10.9.4. The resulting NBI boots/shutsdown fast and I have not noticed any issues yet.

Thanks for bringing back this tool!

[clifhirtle]

This tool is awesome. Spent a week trying to hack the standard Apple RestoreHD to include Casper Imaging. CNIC does it in about 15m, customizes prefs, and lets me build right off the existing universal restore drive I already have.

Kudos @nick and the JAMF team for putting this together. Already saved me hours of setup time in getting network-based imaging up and running!

[CasperSally]

Posted elsewhere, but guess I'll post here too..

Any hope of using the new NetInstall Creator and still get a netboot image that offers a script to wipe FV2 enabled drives (see @jarednichols post here https://jamfnation.jamfsoftware.com/discussion.html?id=5763).

We stick that in the dock and the techs rely on it.

[johnnasset]

Very glad CNIC came back. Makes building those netboot images so much faster. One thing that's missing is in the old version, when you quit Casper Imaging, you had a control panel of sorts with access to Terminal, Disk Utility, Safari, etc. Now if I quit Casper Imaging, I don't even get a Finder and have to hard shutdown the machine. That was handy for manually wiping a drive, getting into the JSS for a last minute change to a config, etc.

[clifhirtle]

@CasperSally][/url Good point on locked FileVault volumes. I get a XML parse error and bail out to Terminal when I use this on a vaulted Mac. You can certainly manually wipe the drive from Terminal at the point, but in my test I found the internal drive defaulted to /dev/disk20, which could make it hard to anticipate the correct drive number.

If the drive number does prove to be consistent, you could probably just run the correct Terminal commands on your test image before creating the base image, capture it with JNIC, then just have your techs arrow-up in Terminal to run the correct "nuke + pave" command. Not elegant by any means, but appears a temp workaround here.

Ideally, we'd have a pop-up menu that @johnnasset mentions from earlier versions. Perhaps even customizable menus via various RecoveryHD hacks out there. Given open-sourced status of project, anyone feel like hacking towards JNIC 4.1?

http://hints.macworld.com/article.php?story=20110717190509986
http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?p=19200594#post19200594

[CasperSally]

Finally got a chance to try out the new tool. Works great - thanks, @nick & team. If I could wipe FV drives with it we'd be golden, going to have to keep around separate netboot for that only I'm afraid.

[CasperSally]

Another note for those looking to try the NetInstall Creator... if you try to run a before script to wipe/combine existing partitions - it fails every time.

This is the script we were running
diskutil partitionDisk /dev/disk0 1 JHFS+ "Macintosh HD" 100%

This is the error we get Started erase on disk0
Unmounting disk
Error: -69888: Couldn't unmount disk

Same script works fine with Netboot. If anyone knows a way to accomplish same thing with NetInstall, would love to know how.