To deploy an operating system to a new computer without stand-alone media that is not currently managed by Configuration Manager 2007, the new computer must be added to the Configuration Manager 2007 database prior to initiating the operating system deployment process. Although Configuration Manager 2007 can automatically discover computers on your network that have a Windows operating system installed, if the computer has no operating system installed you will need to import the new computer information by using the Import Computer Information Wizard. This wizard supports importing information about a single computer, or importing information about one or more computers from an external .csv file.

Important
If the computer to be imported already exists in the Configuration Manager 2007 database, the new computer information will overwrite the existing computer information.

Use the following procedures to import multiple computers by using a file or import a single computer.

Configuration Manager 2007 R2 includes unknown computer support for Operating System Deployment. If unknown computer support is enabled, new computers without an operating system installed can be discovered via the PXE boot process.

To import new computer information from a file

  1. In the Configuration Manager console on the site server that will manage the imported machine, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment / Computer Associations.

  2. To start the Import Computer Information Wizard, on the Action menu, click Import Computer Information, or right-click the Computer Associations node, and then click Import Computer Information. Alternatively, you can start the wizard in the Actions pane by clicking Import Computer Information.

  3. To specify the source file that contains the computer information to be imported, select Import computer information using a file, and then click Next.

    Note
    The import file you specify must be created before running this wizard. The specified file must be created in the comma separated values (CSV) format. Use the following format when entering the computer information with each property value in a separate column: NEWCOMP1,55555555-5555-5555-5555-555555555555,05:06:07:08:09:0A. Raw byte format is not supported. No conversion of raw byte format data will be performed. If the computer information is not entered using this format, the computer import will fail.
  4. On the Choose Mapping page, specify the file you have created that containing the new computer information to be imported. You can enter the path and file name on the Import File line, or click Browse to locate the import file. If the file contains column headings, check the This file has column headings check box, which will cause the first line of the file to be ignored. To change the Source Column property information associated with a value, select the column number and use the Assign as list to reassign the value.

    Note
    Each Configuration Manager 2007 property can be used only once. The Name field must be assigned to one column. You must also specify a Computer Name, SMBIOS GUID, or MAC Address. Although both values may be used, each property must be assigned to only one column. You can optionally specify the source computer, but it should also be assigned to one column. Multiple MAC addresses should be separated by a colon.The Ignore and Variable options can be assigned to multiple columns. Ignore is the default option. If you assign a column as a Variable, you must also enter the variable that should be used.
  5. On the Data Preview page, preview the data and the associated values.

    Important
    The specified file to be imported must contain valid data in order to proceed to the next page of the wizard.
  6. On the Choose Target Collection page, specify which collections the imported computers should be assigned to. By default, the computers are assigned to the All Systems collection. To add the imported computers to a specific collection, click Browse. The imported computers will be statically added to the specified collection. If you do not want to add the computers to any additional collections, select Do not add computers to a collection.

    Important
    For a computer to receive an operating system deployment, it must be a member of a collection.
  7. On the Summary page, confirm if the computer import was successful. If the import was not successful, this page will display a list of errors that occurred during the import process. Only computers that failed to import into Configuration Manager 2007 are listed on the summary page.

To import computer information for a single computer

  1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment / Computer Associations

  2. To start the Import Computer Information Wizard, on the Action menu, click Import Computer Information, or right-click the Computer Associations node, and then click Import Computer Information. Alternatively, you can start the wizard in the Actions pane by clicking Import Computer Information.

  3. To import the computer information from a single computer, select Import single computer, and then click Next.

  4. On the Single Computer page you must specify the Computer Name and either the SMBIOS GUID or MAC Address of the computer you are importing. Optionally, click Search to open the Search Computer dialog box. You can create a computer association by entering or specifying the name of a reference computer from which the user state and settings will be migrated to the new computer.

  5. On the Data Preview page, review the data that will be mapped to each Configuration Manager 2007 property, and then click Next.

  6. On the Choose Target Collection page, specify which collections the imported computer should be assigned to. By default, the computers are assigned to the All Systems collection. To add the imported computers to a specific collection, click Browse. The imported computer will be statically added to the specified collection. If you do not want to add the computer to any additional collections, select Do not add computer to a collection.

    Important
    For a computer to receive an operating system deployment, it must be a member of a collection.
  7. On the Summary page, confirm that the import was successful. If the import was not successful, this page will display a list of errors that occurred during the import.

See Also