[Trub]

I have 2 RIS images on the server. 1st is the RIsetup image and the second is the riprep image that has the app's and configed the way I need it. I had this working before I thought I would do some house cleaning and deleted all the images that I didn't need. I didn't know that I needed the risetup image files for the riprep image. So I re-uploaded the XP CD from the risetup.exe and then created my image and uploaded it via the riprep.exe, but I do not get the option to select which image I want in the RIS Configutation Wizard.

Thanks

Trub

[TheDisneyMagic]

Trub, on Jan 25 2005, 05:52 PM, said:

I have 2 RIS images on the server. 1st is the RIsetup image and the second is the riprep image that has the app's and configed the way I need it. I had this working before I thought I would do some house cleaning and deleted all the images that I didn't need. I didn't know that I needed the risetup image files for the riprep image. So I re-uploaded the XP CD from the risetup.exe and then created my image and uploaded it via the riprep.exe, but I do not get the option to select which image I want in the RIS Configutation Wizard.

Thanks

Trub
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The first thing that I would try is that in Active Directory (Group Policy), the user that you are logging onto the domain with for RIS is granted the rights to choose the required setup.

User Configuration -- Windows Settings -- Remote Installation Services.

Hope this helps.

[InTheWayBoy]

I may be wrong, but I don't think you need to keep the original image if you do a riprep image...but again, I may be wrong.

One thing I ran into was using a riprep image on different hardware. In particular, I was trying to load a riprep image that was made on a dual CPU machine (HyperThreading is considered dual CPU) onto a single CPU machine. It just doesn't work...different HALs. Could this be an issue you're running into?

[RogueSpear]

I think that you need to have a base image on your RIS server prior to creating the RIPrep image. RIPrep was essentially the inspiration behind Microsoft creating the grovler service. The idea is to never have a duplicate file on the partition.

So if you have your base image, and let's just say the i386 directory is 500MB (to make things easy). Your RIPrep images will differ only in the application installs and configurations. So for every image you are "saving" 500MB of hard drive space per image. And let's say two of your images contain essentially the same MS Office install, then you'll save that amount of space as well.

In the end I believe you need this base to get things started.

[InTheWayBoy]

I see...well then I'm wrong

[RobMac]

When you create an image using RIPrep you are basically taking a snapshot of a fully installed and configured machine, much like sysprep. When doing it that way you MUST retain a "flat" image (meaning a cd based image) on the RIS server, so the client machine can access those original files.

Besides that, using RIPrep requires the HAL and a few other things be IDENTICAL on all machines to be imaged.

Using RISetup is more like creating a distribution folder on a server. It creates an image from the installation CDROM, and can be used across various hardware configs, because it is basically an unattented install from the CD as if it were in your drive.

When you install RIS you are also installing SiS, single instance storage. This function allows the server to scan files (groveler) to find exact duplicates.

Say you have 2 images, both almost the same but for a few different OEM drivers. SiS will find duplicate files, check to make sure they are the exact same file, then store only 1 copy on the server. Reducing the space needed to host your images.

This comes in handy for environments where you might have 5 or more images that are similar, but with a few minor differences.

Now, I may be wrong on this part, but as far as I can find, setting up more than 1 image on your RIS server is as simple as using the RIS snap-in, and selecting NEW IMAGE tab. Supposedly the CIW files will be modified to give the choice of the images, as long as the user attempting the RIS has the correct access to the SIF files for the images(read i believe is sufficient).

I'm currently in the process of setting up multiple RIS images on 1 RIS server, and will post accordingly if I find it works by default, or if I'm correct in thinking that I will have to manually edit the .osc files to add the selections for the multiple OS images.

RIS is about the worst microsoft product for documentation. Everything you get from microsoft is vague and not very much help past the actual install of RIS on your server.

[cluberti]

Even when using riprep, if you delete the flat image you'll break riprep (due to the SIS service) - a riprep'ed image still copies it's files down using the flat files (well, almost always).

You will most likely have to go into the properties of your server's object in AD and add your new flat image file again, and hope that your riprep images start working again.