Applies to LANDesk Managment Suite 9 SP2 and SP3

***For Provisioning in LDMS 9.5 and LDMS 9.5 SP1 please follow DOC-27038:

Getting started with Provisioning for Windows 7 in LANDesk® Management Suite 9.5 and 9.5 SP1

Issue:

How do you setup provisioning to deploy a Windows 7 image with the LANDesk imaging tool (IMAGEW.EXE v2)?

What mode is required by provisioning for sysprep?

Solution:

Follow the instructions in the LD90SP2SP3Provisioning document attached to this article.

Problem Description:

When using RDP to remote to a core server, you may get windows coming up asking you to save XPS documents or OneNote documents on your own computer when adding bare metal device on your core server management console. The screen looks like below:

Root Cause:

When adding a bare metal device, it will call the process C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\ldlogon\LocalPrtInfo.exe to get local printer information. In the RDP options, you may have enabled sharing the local resources. So even if you navigate to the location to manually run the file LocalPrtInfo.exe, you will get the same pop up window.

Resolution:

Once Printers is unselected in the RDP session, the pop up windows will not be shown again.

Problem Description:

Provisioning HII action fails if "Using UNC to Download drivers files" is left ticked, if it is unticked, it can finish successfully but defaults to the Core Server to download the drivers.

Root Cause:

Changes were made to LDDWNLD.DLL which is used to download the HII drivers in Service Pack 1. After you upgrade the Core Server to 9.5 Service Pack 1, the PXE Representative must be re-deployed.

Resolution:

Redeploy PXE representative and do the provisioning again.

Problem

When using the Capture Profile and Restore Proile actions in Provisioning, the Profile Migration install files are downloaded from Preferred Servers, but the Profile gets saved to the remote server specified, rather than saving it to a local Preferred Server.

Explanation

For general information about Profile Migration in LANDesk:

Best Known Methods for Profile Migration in LANDesk 9.0

These templates are for use with LANDesk Profile Migration within Provisioning.  The instructions assume you know about provisioning enough to know how to include another template, import templates, import scripts to inject, and manage variables.

Solution

Instructions for use:

1 - Import the capture and restore profile scripts into LANDesk.

     Note: All the variables used already exist as Windows Environmental Variables (Identified with double percent symbols i.e. %%windir%%), or LANDesk Provisioning Variables (Identified with single percent symbols, i.e. %ldHostname%).

2 - Create a command.xml file using the OS Deployment Capture Profile wizard (or provide your own)

3 - Make a copy of the command.xml file and make the following changes to the copy:

     Find any system variables (%variable%) and change them to use double percent signs (%%variable%%)

     For example: %ProgramFiles% should be %%ProgramFiles%%

     Note: The command.xml file created through the Capture Profile Wizard in OS deployment will be located at \\CoreServer\ldlogon\UMA\commandxml\NameOfFile.xml

4 - Import the command.xml file using the Install Scripts button in provisioning

5 - Open the Capture template and tell the Inject Command File action to use the newly imported XML file from the previous step

6 - Schedule and run the template, or you can also include these templates into other templates as needed.

***Disclaimer: We do not have a method of making sure that the same Preferred Server will be used both times. If the Restore Profile from Local PS template fails to restore, check the provisioning logs to make sure the server to restore from was mapped correctly.

Problem:

Hyper-V allows for PXE booting with a legacy network adapter, however, you can only add a PXE server to Hyper-V console if your PXE server is running Microsoft's own WDS (Windows Deployment Services). This will not work with LANDesk PXE.

Workaround:

Creating your Provisioning Templates as usual, both for Capture and Deploy. 

Then create provisioning media and make it an ISO file (using the toolbar button in the Provisionin tab in your Console). Add this ISO to your Hyper-V library and boot to the ISO with the VM to capture or deploy.

This document is based on the following discussion: Capturing Hyper-V without PXE with all credits on the information for user bdunnuck

Applied Version:

9.5 SP1

Problem Description:

FixWindows.exe action failed after upgrading to 9.5 SP1. When checking the file FixWindows.exe it's already downloaded to the path x:\cba8. And when running it manually from command line console, it's showing the error %C:\boot\bcd does not exist.

Error details:

Action Type = Execute_file

FAILED

error:[8000 1000H]File x:\cba8\FixWindows.exe not found

X:\cba8>FixWindows.exe

retOS=0 osPartitionID=1 osPartitionDrive=

retSystemOS=0 systemPartitionDrive

%c:\Boot\BCD does not exist

Below is the error screen for your reference:

Reason:

When checking the volume information in the CMD console by using the diskpart command, you will notice there are 2 volumes.   One is a 100MB system drive with partiion ID 1.   The other is a > 200GB with partition ID 2.   Both drives have no drive letter assigned.

Resolution:

Add a partition action to assign drive letter C to partition 2 before fixwindows.exe runs.

In the fixwindows.exe action, input 2 in the command-line parameters.  This will refer to the 2nd partition.

The Goal:

To create a scheduled provisioning task, which will deploy a new operating system successfully to the targeted devices regardless if they are online or offline.

It is assumed, that a working operating system deployment template already exists. If you need additional information regarding provisioning and operating system deployment, please refer to the following article:

LDMS Provisioning Launch Page

http://community.landesk.com/support/docs/DOC-9485

Configuration steps:

Step 1:

Add a "shutdown/reboot" action to the "System migration" phase in your template. DISABLE the "stop processing the tempalte if this action fails" option in the action before saving it, then select the "Boot to Managed WinPE" option in action properties in the tempalte.

This action will fail, if the device is offline (but the template will continue) and reboot the device to WinPE if the device is online.

Step 2:

Schedule your updated template. DO NOT select "Wake up devices" in the scheduled task properties > Targeted devices

Step 3:

Create a dummy task. Eg. Open Tools > Distribution > Manage Scripts > click on the "New Custom Script" icon and save the default script as a new managed script. This will not contain any commands - in the below example the script is called "Does Nothing". Then right click it and select schedule.

Step 4:

Open the properties of the task created in Step 3 and ENABLE "Wake up devices" in the scheduled task properties > Targeted devices

At this point, you should have 2 scheduled tasks.

Task 1 should contain the default custom script (which does not contain any commands but has WoL enabled) and Task 2 should contain the modified provisioning tempalte (which DOES NOT has WoL enabled)

Step 5:

Add all targeted devices to both Task 1 and Task 2

Step 6:

Start Task 2 and wait some minutes, until the offline devices will go to "pending" status

Step 7:

Start Task 1

Result:

Task 2 will most likely fail on all devices, but it will wake up the offline ones (in the example "DOES NOTHING only for WOL")

Task 1 should succeed on the online devices and also on the offline devices (in the example "TEST")

If the device is online:

The Virtual boot action will be executed and reboot the device into WinPE and it will progress your template

If the device if offline:

The Device will be woken up, then PXE boot starts and the device should automatically go to WinPE provisioning. The Virtual Boot action will fail - as it can only be performed if Windows is already running on the device - but the template will continue and process all configured actions.

Description

This document is intended to explain provisioning action handlers so that failures seen in individual actions within a provisioning template can quickly be found and corrected.

Core Logs

Logs on the core will help with why a task is not starting, but do not provide a lot of detail about why a certain action failed. The core logs are found at ManagementSuite\logs\prov_schedule.exe.log and ManagementSuite\logs\provisioning\provisioning.log.

Client Logs

Device logs can be found either at x:\ldprovision or at systemdrive:\windows\temp.

Understanding Action Handler Flow (Client)

Each action that is run in a provisioning template is done by an action handler. A action handler may launch multiple other action handlers as part of its task. These other tasks could be considered to be child actions. The deploy image action in 9.5 and higher is an example of this. The deploy image action hander may automatically download the appropriate tool for imaging using a download action handler. The deploy image action then maps a drive to the network location where the image file is using the MaptoPreferred action handler. Finally it will complete its own job of deploying the image using itself. The launch of each of the addition action handler used by deploy image will be logged in the DeployImageHandler.log along with the result code from the additional handler.

This sample DeployImageHandler.log shows the launch of two additional action handlers (DownloadHandler.exe and maptopreferredhandler) as well as the exit codes for those handlers.

ExecuteCmd DownloadHandler.exe /source="http://mycore/ldlogon/provisioning/windows/imagew.exe" /dest="x:\ldprovision\imagew.exe"

created process, file handle 60 with non-readonly parameter

Process Exit Code: 0

Verifying file was successfully downloaded.

The file (x:\ldprovision\imagew.exe) was successfully downloaded

Getting free drive letter

Free drive letter: f

ExecuteCmd maptopreferredhandler.exe /path="\\mycore\images\win7.tbi" /driveletter=f /pathisfile

created process, file handle 68 with non-readonly parameter

Process Exit Code: 0

 

If a failure occurred in either of the additonal actions (DownloadHandler and maptopreferredhandler) launched by deployimage the errors would be shown in the DeployImageHandler.log with a corresponding exit code. Zero indicates the task succeeded. If a failure occurred the DeployImageHandler.log may not contain enough detail to determine the root cause of the failure. Instead the log from the additional action handler (DownloadHandler.log or maptopreferredhandler.log) should be reviewed. The additional action handler may even launch its own child handlers before returning so those logs may also need to be reviewed.

If the failure seen in the DeployImageHandler.log was an error mapping the drive to the image, the MaptoPreferredHandler.log would provide additional details about the failure. Sometimes the error will be spelled out. Other times only an error code will be shown. The error codes shown will often correspond to the windows error codes listed at http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ms681381(v=vs.85).aspx. This allows a simple lookup to get additional information about the failure. Viewing the primary action handler log and following the failure through to the action handler log where the failure actually occurred will save time and frustration while troubleshooting provisioning templates.

Action Handler Logs

Environment:

LDMS95 SP1

Issue:

I set it to save the file as the serial number because we are renaming systems as part of the Win 7 migration.  I can save it with serial number only, but when I close and reopen the template Computername AND serial number is now checked.

Resolution:

Defect number is 56623.

You could follow its release here

http://community.landesk.com/support/docs/DOC-27264

As a temporary workaround

If you edit the template and click "action list", the "Computer Name" option will come back.

However, If you unchecked the "Computer Name" option and saved it will update the xml file with the following

<ComputerNameOption>False</ComputerNameOption>

<MacAddressOption>False</MacAddressOption>

<SerialNumberOption>True</SerialNumberOption>

That means that if you do not edit the action afterwards, the value in the xml will remains with only "serialnumber" option as you wish.

While waiting for Patch release, you will have to unchecked the "Computer Name" option each time you edit the template.

Description

Sometimes it is necessary to manually inject drivers into the Boot.wim file to allow client computers to properly recognize the Network card, USB3 or other devices.

This is most easily done with the Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool, commonly known as DISM. 

DISM is also the utility LANDesk Hardware Independent Imaging employs to install drivers during the HII step of Provisioning Templates and OSD Scripts.

Resolution

Here are the steps to setup for and inject the drivers into the boot.wim file with DISM.

Preparation:

1. Create the following folders on the root of the C drive:
   

   C:\Mount
   C:\Mount\Drivers
   C:\Mount\BootWIM
   

2. Copy the drivers you wish to inject into the C:\Mount\Drivers folder
3. Copy \Program Files(x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\vboot\boot.wim to the C:\Mount folder.

Execution:

1. Open a CMD prompt as Administrator
2. Navigate to "C:\Mount"
3. Use the following DISM commands to mount the Boot.wim:
   

   DISM /Mount-Wim /WimFile:C:\Mount\boot.wim /Index:1 /MountDir:C:\Mount\BootWIM

4. Use the following DISM command to add the driver:
   

   DISM /Image:C:\Mount\BootWIM /Add-Driver /Driver:C:\Mount\Drivers /recurse

5. Use the following DISM command to unmount the Boot.wim:
   

   DISM /Unmount-Wim /MountDir:C:\Mount\BootWIM /Commit

Cleanup and Deploy:

1. Copy the newly updated Boot.wim file from the mount folder to the \Program Files(x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\vboot\ folder.
2. If desired, you can delete the C:\Mount folder and its contents.
3. Redeploy your PXE Rep.
4. PXE Boot your client and verify the drivers are being correctly recognized now.

Applies to LANDesk Managment Suite 9 SP2 and SP3

***For Provisioning in LDMS 9.5 and LDMS 9.5 SP1 please follow DOC-27038:

Getting started with Provisioning for Windows 7 in LANDesk® Management Suite 9.5 and 9.5 SP1

Issue:

How do you setup provisioning to deploy a Windows 7 image with the LANDesk imaging tool (IMAGEW.EXE v2)?

What mode is required by provisioning for sysprep?

Solution:

Follow the instructions in the LD90SP2SP3Provisioning document attached to this article.

The Goal:

To create a scheduled provisioning task, which will deploy a new operating system successfully to the targeted devices regardless if they are online or offline.

It is assumed, that a working operating system deployment template already exists. If you need additional information regarding provisioning and operating system deployment, please refer to the following article:

LDMS Provisioning Launch Page

http://community.landesk.com/support/docs/DOC-9485

Configuration steps:

Step 1:

Add a "shutdown/reboot" action to the "System migration" phase in your template. DISABLE the "stop processing the tempalte if this action fails" option in the action before saving it, then select the "Boot to Managed WinPE" option in action properties in the tempalte.

This action will fail, if the device is offline (but the template will continue) and reboot the device to WinPE if the device is online.

Step 2:

Schedule your updated template. DO NOT select "Wake up devices" in the scheduled task properties > Targeted devices

Step 3:

Create a dummy task. Eg. Open Tools > Distribution > Manage Scripts > click on the "New Custom Script" icon and save the default script as a new managed script. This will not contain any commands - in the below example the script is called "Does Nothing". Then right click it and select schedule.

Step 4:

Open the properties of the task created in Step 3 and ENABLE "Wake up devices" in the scheduled task properties > Targeted devices

At this point, you should have 2 scheduled tasks.

Task 1 should contain the default custom script (which does not contain any commands but has WoL enabled) and Task 2 should contain the modified provisioning tempalte (which DOES NOT has WoL enabled)

Step 5:

Add all targeted devices to both Task 1 and Task 2

Step 6:

Start Task 2 and wait some minutes, until the offline devices will go to "pending" status

Step 7:

Start Task 1

Result:

Task 2 will most likely fail on all devices, but it will wake up the offline ones (in the example "DOES NOTHING only for WOL")

Task 1 should succeed on the online devices and also on the offline devices (in the example "TEST")

If the device is online:

The Virtual boot action will be executed and reboot the device into WinPE and it will progress your template

If the device if offline:

The Device will be woken up, then PXE boot starts and the device should automatically go to WinPE provisioning. The Virtual Boot action will fail - as it can only be performed if Windows is already running on the device - but the template will continue and process all configured actions.

Environment:

LANDesk Management Suite 9.5 (with HP ElitePad Integration Update and/or the BASE 0228A patch) or LANDesk Management Suite 9.5 SP1

Description:

After upgrading to 9.5 SP1 (or 9.5 with HP ElitePad Integration Update and/or the BASE 0228A patch), some software within a WIM image is not working properly anymore.

Example:

The mail icon in the Control Panel created by Microsoft Office is missing.

Cause:

The version of WinPE used by OSD/provisioning is version 4.0 instead of version 3.1 and Microsoft changed the way it formats partitions. The 8.3 file format is not active which causes some files from the WIM file not to be copied or to be corrupted when copied over to the hard drive.

Solution:

Format the drive using the following switches : format C: /fs:<FS> /q /s:enable /y

The /s:enable turns the 8.3 format back on and should resolve issues when files are copied over from the WIM to the partition.

Reference:

This document was generated from the following discussion: LDMS 9.5 SP1 PXE Rep Issue

Applies to LANDesk Management Suite 9.0 SP3 and newer

Issue:

Cannot right-click a provisioning template to schedule it.

Schedule option is greyed out.

Cannot schedule OSD scripts.

Cannot create OSD scripts.

Cannot select Windows PE for the Boot environment when creating a new provisioning template.

Cause:

Installed a new 9.0 SP3 Core Server using the existing 9.0 SP3 Core Server's DB.

Note:  The issue can also be caused by moving the existing LANDesk database to a new database server.  Also take note that the same symptom can occur for LANDesk(R) Management Suite 9.5 and 9.5 SP1.  The solution below is the same.

Solution:

1. Run the following SQL statement against the LANDesk database:

update keyvalue set intvalue=0 where applicationname='WAIKLicenseAgreement'

2. Reopen the LANDesk Console and accept the license agreement.

hi All,

The background image into the WinPE image is not working. The injection works correctly but the background image does not appear when the image is loaded onto the workstation.

Thanks,

Den

Made inactive until partner can test the script on the customer's site, current solution past lab tests.

Most likely resolution :

As discussed I have now resolved this issue and found out why this was not working.

The reason why this was not working was due to the changes Microsoft made to their winpe image wallpaper settings. In winpe 3 the default wallpaper was located here :

x:\windows\systme32\winpe.bmp

Which is what the LDMS console is designed to replace, But in winpe 4 the default wallpaper is loacted here:

x:\windows\systme32\winpe.jpeg

I have created a one time batch file which your customer should run as administrator on their core server. Once this has run , redeploy your PXE reps and this should resolve the issue.

Before running the script make backups of the following image files as a cautionary step:

C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\vboot\boot.wim

C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\vboot\boot_x64.wim

C:\Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\landesk\vboot\bootMedia.wim

Problem:

Selecting the WINPE Menu option in the F8 menu fails with a MTFTP timeout error.

Selecting the Managed WINPE option in the F8 menu fails with a MTFTP timeout error.

Selecting the WINPE Provisioning option in the F8 menu works.

Cause:

New BIOSes have broken the tftp multicast option that WINPE Menu and Managed WINPE options use.

Solution:

Obtain the latest BIOS update from your hardware vendor.  

As an example, Lenovo has released Bios Version 2.59 for various models that fixes this issue. 

(See http://download.lenovo.com/ibmdl/pub/pc/pccbbs/mobiles/g1uj27uc.txt)

If your vendor does not yet have the latest Intel remote boot update within their bios, contact them and request that they update the BIOS to include this.

This was a defect introduced in newer versions of BIOS and should be remedied by the hardware vendor.

An alternative is to back-rev the  BIOS to an earlier version prior to when this defect was introduced, however this should be done with caution.

The issues lies with the MTFTP (Multicast TFTP) portion of the remote boot agent.   As a workaround, the usage of MTFTP within the LANDesk PXE Representative can be disabled:

In order to do this:

1. Set the following registry key to 0 on all PXE reps:

32-bit OS on PXE rep:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Intel\PXE\Mtftpd\MCAST_ENABLE

64-bit OS on PXE rep:

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Intel\PXE\Mtftpd\MCAST_ENABLE

2. Restart the LANDesk PXE and LANDesk PXE MTFTP services on the PXE representative.

Applies to LANDesk Management Suite 9.5 SP1 and newer

Description

Hardware Independent Imaging allows drivers to be injected during the imaging process specific to the destination hardware. During hardware migration planning driver decisions must be made. In order to assist with that migration planning a preview option has been added to HII, enabling IT to review driver assignments prior to upgrading to a new OS.

Requirements

• The client where the preview is being run must have an agent installed
• The client must be able to download the drivers.db3 file from the core server

Running HIIClient

1. Copy HIIClient.exe to the client from the core. The file can be found in the %LDMS_HOME%\landesk\files directory.
2. Run HIIClient with the appropriate preview options (See below).
3. Review the logs for driver assignment and detection found in the directory where HIIClient was run.
   1. HIIClient.log
   2. HIIPreview.log

HIIClient options

hiiclient [/?] [/uncpath] [/taskid <taskid>] [/preview | /previewall] [/os <os> /arch <architecture>]

/? - Shows standard help and syntax information

/uncpath - Specifies if HII should use unc based paths to drivers

/taskid - Specifies the <taskid> to use to ask for SWD snippet when processing packaged drivers

/preview - Specifies if HII should run in preview only mode.

/previewall - Specifies if HII should run in preview only mode with debug information.

/os - Only valid with both /preview and /arch.

          Specifies which OS the preview should be run for.

          Valid options are: winxp, win7, win8, server2003, server2008r2, server2012

          If not specified the currently detected OS will be used.

/arch - Only valid with both /preview and /os.  Specifies which architecture the preview should be run for.

          Valid options are: x86, x64.

          If not specified the currently detected Architecture will be used for the preview.

Description:

Customer is trying the run Vulscan in a provisioning template using Executer file action

Customer is using the following parameters he saw in a custom script:

/repair "group=LDMS950-FR_v418" /maintEnable=false /AgentBehavior=LDMS950-FR_v1003

Issue:

The action fails with the follwoing error "PATH NOT FOUND"

Resolution:

Removed quotation marks in the command line around group to make it

/repair group=LDMS950-FR_v418 /maintEnable=false /AgentBehavior=LDMS950-FR_v1003

Description:

After upgrading to 9.5 SP1 you noticed that when you edit a template that contains "distribute software" actions, the Packages information is lost.

You need to reselect packages.

Issue:

It seems to be linked to packages

Workaround:

1- Make an export of the packages.

2- Delete tasks that were linked to these packages

3- Delete the packages

4- Imported the packages back (from step 1).

Question:

How to properly use CSVIMPORT.EXE to import bare metal devices.

In order to properly import devices into the Bare Metal Servers section of the Network view, the proper formatting, syntax, and network information must be supplied. 

Answer:

Automating the naming of computers during an OS Deployment task reduces the work load of the IT department, saving time and money. OSD has the ability to work with sysprep to name computers based off Device Name in the database. It uses the Mac Address of a computer to match a device tothe computer name associated with that Mac Address in the Database. Newly purchased computers do not exist in the LANDesk database as these computers have never been scanned. Such computers can be manually added to the database before deploying the image allowing the computers to be automatically named as part

of an OS Deployment task.

To accomplish this, LANDesk provides a utility called csvImport.exe to manually add devices to the database. This utility is located in the C:\Program

Files\LANDesk\ManagementSuite directory.

Adding devices to LANDesk using csvImport is a four step process:

1.  Create a template

2.  Create a .csv file

3.  Run csvImport to generate mini-scans

4.  Process the mini-scans

Step 1 - Creating a Template File

A template file is required by the csvImport utility. This file contains information about what content will be added to the inventory for a device created with the

csvImport utility.

(NOTE:  The template file is a plain text file. This file should be created in a plain text editor such as notepad.) Each line in the template file represents an entry that will be inserted into a miniscan file when csvImport.exe is run. This mini-scan processed by moving it to the ldscan directory, at which point the device is added to the database.

Syntax

The template file must be created following strict syntactical guidelines.

(NOTE: Failure to follow the correct syntax could result in one or more of the following:

1. An invalid template file.
2. Entering invalid data into the database for the added devices.
3. Entering no data or missing data in the database for the added devices.

The syntax for each desired line is as follows:

[<Heading> - <Heading> - <Head...>] - <Value name> = <Value Data>

(NOTE:  The following characters are not used: <,>,[,]. These symbols are used to help clarify the syntax only.)

The following line is an example of correct syntax for a line in the template file:

Network - TCPIP - Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0

In this line, "Network" is the first heading while "TCPIP" is a sub heading. "Subnet Mask" is the Value Name and "255.255.255.0" is the Value Data.

Heading

Headings are not required as indicated by the square brackets []. There can be multiple headings. Default heading values can be seen in the Inventory of a fully scanned client on the left panel underneath the computer name.

If a heading has a plus sign next to it, then more headings exist underneath the first heading. Expand any heading by clicking on the + sign and the default values for that heading will be displayed. Headings are not limited to the default values. Custom values may be used and will be entered into the database.

Value Name

This is a required field. Most default Value names can be seen in the right pane by highlighting any heading. All headings are visible in the left pane. If a Value Name is given without a heading, it will be entered under the computer name on the very top

of left panel of the Inventory screen. Value Names are not limited to the default values. Custom values may be used and will be entered into the database.

Value Data

Value Data can be any date, string, or integer. It is not required to specify in the template file whether the Value Data will be a date, string, or ineger because this is automatically detected. Value Data can be specified with a variable that gets its value from the .csv file (see Variables as Value Data), or it can be statically entered (see Static Entries as Value Data).

Variables as Value Data

Variables are used to get data from the .csv file. The template file is created so each line contains data to enter into the database. The variable %<number>% describes the column in the .csv file from which the value of the variable will be assigned. %1% is or the first column, %2% is for the second column, %3 is for the third column, and so on.

Static Entries as Value Data

If a line does not have a variable (such asthe second line of the example below), the Value Data is considered static. No Column should be made in the .csv file for this line because the data will be the same for all devices. Only lines with a variable should have a column in the .csv file.

Minimal Information Needed for OS Deployment

OS Deployment will use database information to rename a computer. The minimum inventory a device needs is “Device Name” and “Network – NIC Address.” This means the template file must have at least the following two lines:

Device Name = %1%

Network - NIC Address = %2%

Sample Template File

The following is the text from a sample template file.

Device Name = %1%

Network - NIC Address = %2%

Network - TCPIP - Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0

BIOS - Serial Number = %3%

BIOS - Asset Tag = %4%

Lines 1, 2, 3 and 5 use variables to get their data value from the .csv file. Line 3 gets its value from the assigned value in the template file.

Step 2 - Creating a .csv File

The .csv file is an information file referenced by the csvImport. It should contain all the information for the computers that are being added to the database. This information can often come for the computervendor or it can be manually gathered from the computers. Remember that by using csvImport, the naming of computers can be automated through the imaging process. The man hours used to gather the data needed for the .csv file is significantly less than the man hours needed to manually rename every computer during or after the imaging process.

Syntax

In order for csvImport to understand the .csv file, it reads the template file. The

template file determines how the .csv file should be created. Every variable in the

template file refers to a column in the .csv file. While the columns are determined

by the number of variables in the template file, the number of rows is determined by

the number of computers; one row is needed for each computer.

The following is the proper syntax

value1,value2,value3,...

value1,value2,value3,...

...

Alternately a space can exist after each comma.

(NOTE: The ellipsis “...” is not part of the syntax. This is used only to represent the

idea that data for more columns and more rows can be added.)

The following two lines are an example of correct syntax for a line in the .csv file:

ComputerName1, 000ABBCCDD01, SN-0001, ASSETTAG-01

ComputerName2, 000ABBCCDD02, SN-0002, ASSETTAG-02

Though the above two lines have four columns, any number of columns is possible. The minimum should include columns for the Device Name and NIC Address. The number of columns and the type of data the column contains is directly related to the Template file.

The Relationship between the Template File and the .csv File

Below is a copy of the template file from the previous step:

Device Name = %1%

Network - NIC Address = %2%

Network - TCPIP - Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0

BIOS - Serial Number = %3%

BIOS - Asset Tag = %4%

This sample template file has four variables %1%, %2%, %3%, %4%. This indicates that the .csv file will have four columns. Each column should contain the data for which the variable represents. For example, in the template file shown above, %1% standsfor the NIC Address. Column one of the .csv file should contain only NIC Addresses; one NIC Address for each row, or each computer. Similarly, %2% represents the Serial Number for the BIOS. Column two of the .csv file should contain only BIOS Serial Numbers; one Serial Number for each row, or each row for each computer.

Sample .csv File

The following is a sample .csv file. This sample file has been created based on the sample template file using only four machines.

ComputerName1, 000ABBCCDD01, SN-0001, ASSETTAG-01

ComputerName2, 000ABBCCDD02, SN-0002, ASSETTAG-02

ComputerName3, 000ABBCCDD03, SN-0003, ASSETTAG-03

ComputerName4, 000ABBCCDD04, SN-0004, ASSETTAG-04

(NOTE:  This can be created in any text editoror in any spreadsheet application. If created in a spreadsheet application, makesure the file is saved as a comma delimited .csv file. Also note that the commas are automatically inserted when creating a file using a spreadsheet application and should not be

manually added in the spreadsheet.)

Step 3 - Running csvImport

The csvImport utility is used to create mini-scan files from a template file and a .csv file. It does not automatically enter these scans or create machines in the database.  Instead, it creates mini-scan files that must be placed in the ldscan directory so that the LANDesk Inventory service can process them. It is the LANDesk Inventory service that processes the mini-scans and adds the device to the database.

Syntax

The syntax for csvImport is as follows:

csvImport <template file> <.csv file> <output directory>

[template file = any template file]   [.csv file = any .csv file]   [output directory  = folder where mini-scans are created]

The csvImport utility requires all three options (the template file, the .csv file, and the output directory) to be specified. Ifthese files are not in the directory from

which csvImport is launched, then full paths may need to be specified.

Example:

csvImport c:\path\to\templatefile.txt c:\path\to\computers.csv c:\folder

Running csvImport will result in the generation of mini-scan files, one for each device in the .csv file.

Step 4 - Processing Mini-Scans

Mini-scan files are text files with a .IMS extension that contain information about a device. This is information is in plain text but is formatted so that the LANDesk

Inventory service can read and process it. The LANDesk Inventory service uses the information from the mini-scan to add devices to the database.

Mini-scans are created by csvImport as explained in Step 3.

How to Process Mini-Scans

To process the mini-scans, copy all the mini-scan files (files with a .ims extension) to the \Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\Managementsuite\ldscan directory on the core. These scans will be processed and deleted from the directory by the LANDesk Inventory service. The devices created from the mini-scans will be viewable in the LANDesk Console in the Network View under All Devices.

Note: The core server will not process a mini-scan if it does not have [Network - NIC Address = ] in it.  The scans will be placed in the ErrorScan directory and no errors messages will be generated.

Sample Mini-Scan

The following information is the output of a sample mini-scan named csvImp2.ims.

Notice that the mini-scan is in the same format as the template without variables.

Device Name = COMPUTERNAME2

Network - NIC Address = 000ABBCCDD02

Network - TCPIP - Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0

BIOS - Serial Number = SN-0002

BIOS - Asset Tag = ASSETTAG-02

Creating a Mini-Scan in a Text Editor

Understand that csvImport is a utility that automates the creation of mini-scans. The csvImport utility is not required to create mini-scans.  Manual creation of mini-scans can be done in a text editor if created withthe correct syntax. The syntax for a miniscan is the same as for a template file without the variables; all data must be static.)

Test the following:

1.  Create a text file with the following syntax. Put in any computer name and any NIC Address not already in the database

Device Name = ANYNAME

Network - NIC Address = 000123456789

2.  Save the file as test.ims and copy the file to the ldscan directory for processing by the LANDesk Inventory service.

3.  In the LANDesk Console, refresh All Devices under the Network View. The new device will exist.

Sample Use of csvImport

This section will demonstrate the use of csvImport, using example files and example computers.

1.  Create a template file by opening a text editor and copying the information below. Save the file to c:\temp\template.txt.

Device Name = %1%

Network - NIC Address = %2%

Network - TCPIP - Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0

BIOS - Serial Number = %3%

BIOS - Asset Tag = %4%

2.  Create a .csv file by opening a text editor and copying the information below. Notice that each column corresponds to a variable from the template file.

Save the file to c:\temp\data.csv.

ComputerName1, 000ABBCCDD01, SN-0001, ASSETTAG-01

ComputerName2, 000ABBCCDD02, SN-0002, ASSETTAG-02

ComputerName3, 000ABBCCDD03, SN-0003, ASSETTAG-03

ComputerName4, 000ABBCCDD04, SN-0004, ASSETTAG-04

3.  Open a command prompt and change to the C:\Program Files\LANDesk\ManagementSuite directory. Then run the following command:

csvImport c:\temp\template.txtc:\temp\data.csv c:\temp

4.  Once the above command is run, four .ims files (one for each computer), will be created in the c:\temp directly.
Copy those files to the \Program Files (x86)\LANDesk\ManagementSuite\ldscan directory.

5.  Open the console and go to the All Devices under the Network View to verify that the devices are added to the database.

Summary

This article has explained the four step process by which computers can be added to the database using csvImport.

1. Creating a template
2. Creating a .csv file
3. Running csvImport to generate mini-scans
4. Processing the mini-scans

Adding devices to the database using csvImport is necessary only before OS Deployment using Sysprep and is used in conjunction with OS Deployment and Sysprep to automate the naming of computers that are not already in the database.

Appendix A – Wake on LAN

For sending a wake on LAN packet, the following is the minimal information needed:

Device Name = %1%

Network - NIC Address = %2%

Network - TCPIP - Subnet Mask = 255.255.255.0

Network – TCPIP - Address = %3%

Network – TCPIP – Subnet Broadcast Address = %4%