Offline Deployment issue with Answer File

[Allenflo]

Hi

I'm having an issue with Offline Deployment when I use an Answer File. When using the Answer File with my offline deployment media (DVD or USB), the Platform Pack is not being applied to the image. The machine runs through setup completely, but when I look at the hardware after installation, there are exclamation points for almost all devices.

I have created the same deployment media without the answer file and it works fine. The answer file is simply one that I exported from one of the Smart Deploy Wizards and I have not made any modifications to it. I have no issues if I use the answer file over the network as well. It only appears to be an issue when I use the answer file on the offline deployment media.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

Allen

[magsombol]

In my answer file I have the following line for the platform pack:

-<deploy_wizard mode="Unattended">

...

-<advance_options>

-<general>

-<platform_pack>[imageFolder]\filename.ppk</platform_pack>

-<system_properties>

....</system_properties>

....</general>

....</advance_options>

[Erik]

Hi Allen,

If your Platform Pack is called Default.ppk and resides in the same folder as the image it should be used automatically, no need to change the XML file to point to the pack. If that all looks good it could be a problem with the WMI query that is being run from the Platform Pack. Each Platform Pack queries the Manufacturer and Model fields of WMI, in some instances the OEM doesn't all ways set these values correctly. If you want to post the Deploy.log from C:\Windows\Debug on a deployed machine we can see if the Pack was used.

Thanks,

Erik

[Allenflo]

Hi Allen,

If your Platform Pack is called Default.ppk and resides in the same folder as the image it should be used automatically, no need to change the XML file to point to the pack. If that all looks good it could be a problem with the WMI query that is being run from the Platform Pack. Each Platform Pack queries the Manufacturer and Model fields of WMI, in some instances the OEM doesn't all ways set these values correctly. If you want to post the Deploy.log from C:\Windows\Debug on a deployed machine we can see if the Pack was used.

Thanks,

Erik

Thanks for the replies. Upon further investigation, I have determined that Smartdeploy appears to be copying over the default Platform pack rather than the specific one that I had chosen for ths particular machine. For example, I have chosed the LatitudeE6230 platform pack and it is referenced in the answer file but only the default.ppk file is located on the offline media.

Does Smart Deploy always use the default platform pack for offline media? And if that is the case, do I need to rename my multi machine platform pack to default in order to get it to work for offline media?

I will be testing this while waiting for rsponses.

Thanks!

allen

[Erik]

Hi Allen,

When creating offline deployment media the Platform Pack is copied to a z folder created on the media. It is also renamed Default.ppk automatically. If you change your answer file to reflect this you should be good to go.

In regards to renaming your combined pack, no you do not have to as the Media Wizard will do that automatically when creating offline deployment media.

Thanks,

Erik