Wednesday, December 1, 2010

How to customize copy of user's profile using USMT 4.0

UEL option in USMT is to exclude user’s profile according to last logon date. We can exclude it by number of days, a specific date or any currently logged on user.
UE option allows us to exclude user profiles from being migrated based on their name. It supports both domain and local users.
E.g.:
  • To exclude Sally user profile: SCANSTATE.EXE /ue:*\Sally
  • To exclude test domain user named Sally: SCANSTATE.EXE /ue:Test\Sally*
  • To exclude any profile not logged in more than 100 days: SCANSTATE.EXE /uel:100
  • To exclude any profile those have not been logged on since 2010/06/01:                               SCANSTATE.EXE /uel:2010/06/01

How to migrate .pst and .ost through USMT 4.0?

By default, USMT 4.0 migrates PST files that are linked to a user’s outlook profile and does not copy those PST which are not attached with profile. USMT does not support .ost migration. E.g. PST’s stored on local drive but not actually attached to outlook will not migrate by default.
In order to migrate PST files, here is the working script which will gather all PST files from all fixed drives:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8" ?>
<migration urlid="http://www.microsoft.com/migration/1.0/migxmlext/pst">
  <component type="Documents" context="UserAndSystem">
    <displayName>All PST migrated from all fixed drives, regardless of location</displayName>
    <role role="Data">
      <rules>
        <include>
          <objectSet>
            <script>MigXmlHelper.GenerateDrivePatterns ("* [*.pst]", "Fixed")</script>
          </objectSet>
        </include>
      </rules>
    </role>
  </component>
</migration>

Paste this script into notepad and save as PST.xml. Now, the main idea behind this script is that it should be saved in System 32 folder before running Task sequence. Create a script that will copy the PST.XML file in %System 32% folder of the system and add /i:pst.xml switch to scan state and load state.

This worked fine for me and we have upgraded our whole environment from XP to Windows 7.

Saturday, November 27, 2010

System restart cannot be completed while another software installation is in progress. Please allow the software installation to complete before attempting a system restart

User gets an error prompt "A system restart cannot be completed while another software installation is in progress. Please allow the software installation to complete before attempting a system restart."
 
Cause:
Under very specific conditions, the persistent job counter is not decremented when a job is finished. The coordinating system prevents these client computers from being restarted because it believes that a job is still running based on the JobCounter value.

Solution:
1.     Stop the SMS Agent Host (CcmExec.exe) service on a System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 client computer.
2.     Location the following registry subkey and change its value to 0:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Sms\Mobile Client\Reboot Management\JobCounter
3.     Start the SMS Agent Host (ccmExec.exe) service on the client computer.

Configure Wake on lan in Configuration manager

Client Side Configuration

  • Click on Start menu, Right Click My computer, Click Manager OR Start menu>Run>Type devmgmt.msc
  • Click on Device manager, Expand Network Adapters>Right click on Generic Marvell Yukon chipset based Ethernet controller, Click on property
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  • Click on advanced tab, select Wake From Shutdown, on the right hand side, Set value to on
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  • Click Wake Up capabilities, on the right hand side set value to Magic packet
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  • Click on Power management Tab, check Allow the Computer to turn off this device to save, Allow this device to bring the computer out of standby and only allow management stations to bring the computer out of standby
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Server side Configuration

  • Configure System center configuration manager 2007
  • Log on to SCCM server, open ConfigMgr Console, Expand Site management, right click Main site, click on Property
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  • Click on Wake on LAN Tab, Check Enable Wake on LAN, Check Use Power on commands if the computers support technology, Check Unicast. you can select Subnet directed broadcast if your switch support subnet directed broadcast.
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  • Click Port Tab, Select Wake on LAN
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  • To use Wake on LAN functionality, always check Enable Wake on LAN in the schedule of deployment of any software.
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How to create and update the update list

1.        After the synchronization got completed, Go toà Software updatesàUpdate repositoryàSearch foldersàIn-Needed updates
2.        You can see the date released of new patches and the status as NO under downloaded column.
Select the appropriate patches and right clickàDownload software updates
3.        Click on Browse and select IN: Needed updates as shownàClick nextà select option to download software updates from Internetà Select languageàclick next will show summary and final progress page.
4.        After downloading the updates, we need to update the update list.
·         Go toà Software updatesàUpdate repositoryàSearch foldersàIn-Needed updates
5.        Select the updates, which are required to update in the update listàRight clickàupdate list
·         This will open the update list wizardàClick on Browseàselect IN: Needed
6.        Next, will be security and summary page and then click on finish.

How to download software updates in SCCM 2007

Microsoft releases new patches on second Tuesday of every month so the first step is to synchronize the patches from Microsoft website.
Steps to synchronize:
1.        On SCCM console, go to Software updatesàUpdate repositoryàRight clickàSynchronizeàYes
2.        This will initiate synchronization of newly released patches from Microsoft based on the list of product selection done by administrator. It will take some time to populate the new updates and can be viewed after refreshing the console.

Friday, November 19, 2010

Creating a New program in SCCM 2007

Creating a New Program:

Prerequisites:
Make sure that a package has been successfully created.
Steps to Create a Program:
  1. Expand the package that you just created. Right click Program->New->Program.
  2. The New Program Wizard will start. Enter the required information and click on Browse to select the installation file.
  3. When you click browse, you will be taken to the package location that you specified in the New Package Wizard. Select the executable file from this location that will initiate the installation.
  4. Once the file is selected, you can select other command line options if needed. You can specify the program to run in Hidden mode or you can select from other options available under Run. Select Program restarts computer if a restart is required by the installation. Click Next.
  5. On Requirements page, specify the estimated disk space, maximum allowed sun time and OS compatibilities.
  6. You can select to run this program Whether or not a user is logged on and Run with administrative rights on the Environment page. Make sure that Run with UNC name is selected under Drive Mode. 
  7. On Advanced page, you should not need to make any changes to the default settings most of the times. This is where you will also specify what other program needs to be run first.
  8. On Windows Installer page, you can browse to an MSI file to import the product code. This is not necessary if you do not have an MSI installation file.
  9. On MOM maintenance page, select Generate Operations Manager alert if this program fails.
  10. You will see the summery on the next page, click Next to proceed.
  11. Close the wizard.
You should see your program listed under the package you created.

Steps to create a package in SCCM 2007

Creating a Package in System Center configuration manager:

Prerequisites:
  1. You should have an installation media or a network installation point of the software that you wish to advertise.
  2. You should have necessary permissions in SCCM to perform following actions.
Steps to Create a Package:
  1. On SCCM console, go to Software Distribution node, right click on Packages and select New -> Package.

  1. The New Package Wizard will start. Fill in the required information.
  2. On Data Source tab, check This package contains source files and click Set to select a source directory.On Set Sourcre Directory window, select the appropriate path. Following is an example to select a network share as a source:
  1. On Data Access tab Select Access the distribution folder through common ConfigMgr package share.
  2. Set the sending priority of this package between other packages when advertising multiple packages to a same collection. The priority will be ignored if a collection is expecting to receive only one package at a time.
  3. If you do not have a custom MIF file, select the default Use package properties for status MIF matching.
  4. The next screen will show you the security rights for this package. Click next
  5. You will get the Summary on the next page. Click Next.
  6. SCCM will process the new package creating and you will see the Wizard Completed page.