Topic last updated—March 2008
Unknown computer support is an operating system deployment feature in Configuration Manager 2007 R2 that allows unmanaged systems to be discovered and receive an operating system deployment.
 Note |
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| The information in this topic applies only to Configuration Manager 2007 R2 and Configuration Manager 2007 R3. |
To prevent computers from accidentally being reimaged, the administrator can create an exclusion list. The exclusion list provides a list of MAC addresses to which PXE server should never send task sequences to install an operating system. PXE requests from computers whose MAC addresses appear on the exclusion list will be ignored by the PXE server. For more information about how to create an exclusion list, see How to Create an Exclusion List for Unknown Computer Support.
 Important |
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| Making an advertisement for operating system deployment mandatory might result in computers being unintentionally reinstalled and result in loss of data. If the Configuration Manager 2007 environment uses mandatory advertisements for operating system deployment to unknown computers then you should ensure computers on your network are not set to PXE boot by default unless they should be reinstalled. |
Operating system deployment to an unknown computer can be initiated using either PXE boot or boot media. Use the following procedures to enable unknown computer support either for a PXE service point or for bootable media.
| Important |
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| If you enable unknown computer support, any unknown computers that use PXE-initiated operating system deployments will attempt to run mandatory task sequences. Mandatory task sequences that include operations such as Apply Operating System Image or Format and Partition disk will destroy all data on those unknown systems. |
To deploy operating systems using unknown computer support
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Ensure unknown computer support is enabled. For more information about enabling unknown computer support, see How to Enable Unknown Computer Support for Operating System Deployment.
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Prepare the PXE service point or boot media for the target computer.
- To begin operating system deployment using a preboot execution
environment (PXE), add a PXE boot image to the PXE service point.
For more information about how to create boot images for PXE
operating system deployment, see How to Add Boot Images
to the PXE Service Point.
- To begin operating system deployment via boot media, create
bootable media for operating system deployment. For more
information about creating bootable media, see How to Create Task
Sequence Bootable Media.
- To begin operating system deployment using a preboot execution
environment (PXE), add a PXE boot image to the PXE service point.
For more information about how to create boot images for PXE
operating system deployment, see How to Add Boot Images
to the PXE Service Point.
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Prepare operating system images for the target computers. For more information about creating operating system images and operating system image packages, see How to Add Images.
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Create a task sequence to install an operating system using either PXE boot or boot media. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment, right click Task Sequences, select New, and then click Task Sequence. Complete the New Task Sequence Wizard.
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Advertise the task sequence to boot media and PXE . In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment / Task Sequences, in the results pane right-click the task sequence, and then select Advertise. On the General page of the New Advertisement Wizard, ensure that the Make the task sequence available to boot media and PXE check box is selected, and then complete the New Advertisement Wizard as appropriate for your environment.
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To install an operating system on an unknown computer using boot media, create a boot media. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment, right-click Task Sequences, and then click Create Task Sequence Media to start the Task Sequence Media Wizard. Select Bootable Media in the Task Sequence Media Wizard and then complete the wizard. The Enable unknown computer support option is selected by default and should remain enabled.