Use the following procedure to capture a Configuration Manager 2007 server operating system image configured with Sysprep and PXE.

Note
You should temporarily remove the hard disk from the reference computer boot device list in the BIOS so that it will always perform a PXE boot.

To capture a server operating system image configured with Sysprep and PXE

  1. Prepare the reference computer. For more information about preparing the reference computer, see Administrator Checklist: Configure the Reference Computer for Operating System Deployment.

  2. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment / Computer Associations. To import the reference server into the Configuration Manager 2007 database, right-click the Computer Association node and select Import Computer Information.

  3. On the Select Source page, select Import Single Computer and click Next.

  4. On the Single Computer page, you must specify the Computer Name and the MAC address of the computer you want to import.

  5. On the Data Preview page, confirm the computer you are about to import and click Next.

  6. On the Choose Target Collection page, select Add new computers to the All Systems collection.

  7. To specify the location of the operating system you want to capture, right-click the reference server you just imported in the All Systems collection and select Properties. To add the path of the operating system, select the Variables tab and add the OSDTargetSystemRoot task sequence variable—for example, OSDTargetSystemRoot=C:\windows.
    For more information about task sequence variables, see About Task Sequence Variables.

  8. To save the captured image, create a share on the same Configuration Manager 2007 server you are using to initiate the operating system image capture.

  9. To create the task sequence that will be used to capture the operating system image, in the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment / Task Sequences. Right-click Task Sequences and select New, Task Sequence. Select Create a new custom task sequence and click Next.

  10. Specify a Name and optional Comment to be associated with the task sequence. To select the boot image, click Browse and select the boot image. To complete the New Task Sequence Wizard, click Next.

  11. To edit the new custom task sequence, right-click the task sequence and select Edit.

  12. To add the capture task sequence step, edit the task sequence and add the Capture Operating System Image task sequence step. Specify the optional description, and configure the location specified in step 8, which is where the captured image will be saved, by clicking Browse and specifying the location in Universal Naming Convention (UNC) format. For more information about editing an existing task sequence, see How to Edit an Existing Task Sequence.

    Important
    The network access account associated with this task sequence step must have read and write access to the share specified in step 8 and any files that are located on the Configuration Manager 2007 server required to complete the task sequence.

  13. To advertise the task sequence to the reference computer, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Software Distribution / Advertisements. Right-click Advertisements and click Advertise Task Sequence.

  14. On the General page, enter a Name and optional Comment that will be associated with this advertisement. To include members of any subcollections and to make this advertisement available to PXE, select the Make this task sequence available to boot media and PXE check box.

  15. On the Schedule page, to add the mandatory advertisement, click New and select Assign immediately after this event. Select the Ignore maintenance windows when running program and Allow system restart outside of maintenance windows check boxes.

  16. On the Distribution Points page, specify how Configuration Manager 2007 clients will obtain assigned content and interact with the distribution point. Click Next. On the Interaction page, specify how Configuration Manager 2007 clients will be notified of the advertisement. Click Next and complete the wizard.

  17. Turn on the target computer, and ensure the computer starts using PXE. To ensure the advertisement is being run, monitor the boot progress and verify that the assigned task sequence is being run.

    Note
    If the target computer boots using the hard disk, you might need to reconfigure the BIOS so that it boots using PXE.

  18. The operating system image capture will complete, and the WIM file captured from the reference computer will be saved to the location specified in step 4 of this procedure.

See Also