Hi 1. when running an OSD does multicast work only when downloading content locally, or does multicast work when running directly from the DP as well? 2. In a TS when you run apply device drivers step when you pick "install only the best matched compatible drivers", where does configmgr pull these drivers from? 3. After an OSD should I not have two computers with the same name, and one of them should be marked as obsolete, is this correct?

1. multicast only works when you are downloading content locally. So if you want to use multicast you cant set the advert to access content from the distribution point. 2. Drivers are pulled from your driver packages. So you need to import the required drivers into sccm, during the auto apply step drivers a matched against what has been imported into sccm (or specified categories if you have configured them), then the drivers that match your hardware are pulled down form a driver package containing those drivers. So make sure you have created and distributed a driver package that contains the required drivers. 3. I take it you are importing the machine first then assigning to a collection to build? Sorry, i did see that behaviour in my env, but i cant remember what i did to fix it. Ill have a dig through my notes and see if i can find what I did.

Thank you for your reply. 1.So which is faster, running stuff from the DP or downloading content locally with multicast enabled? I am speaking in a lab environment? 2.So if I have no drivers packages defined yet, it is useless to included "Apply device drivers" in my TS? 3. No the machine was already in ConfigMGR, I thought after an OSD I should have 2 machines with the same name, and one of them should be obsolete?

1. you would want to use multicast if you are simultaneously deploying to a large number of clients. If your building one or two at a time in a lab environment then it will be easier and faster to just access content directly from the distirubtion point. 2. yep. 3. i believe this will depend on how you ahve configured your site to manage conflicting records. Theres two options, automatically create new client records for duplicate hardware ids, or manually resolve conflicting records. This is set in the advanced tab of your site properties under site management. If the default is selected to automatically create a new client record, then you will see the scenario you described (old client becomes obsolete, new client exists). So you can set it manually resolve conflicting records which will give you the option to merge the two records or kill the old one. Though this then needs to be done manually. Or if you google managing conflicting records or something similar, you should find some example scripts people have written to merge the records automatically for you.

3. Here is information how you can handle obsolete objects: http://ccmexec.com/2011/03/merging-obsolete-records-in-configuration-manager-2007/