Hi, when i have a TS which is configured with an advertisment to download all content locally into the cache before executing. All goes well and the system is rebooting into WinPE. However, in WinPE the TS is searching for the cache location with the path C:\Windows\system32\CCM\Cache but is failing because in WinPE the boot partition is marked with the letter C and the OSdisk with the letter D. Because of this the TS is not able to copy alle Cache files to the _SMSTaskSequence folder before wiping the disk. Is this OOTB behaviour? I now use diskpart to temporarily change drive letters but have my doubts if this is really neccessary. Any advice would be appreciated. Regards

Did you maybe go to "Operating System Images" and add the .wim file from the official Windows CD to that? That isn't supported, the "Operating System Images" is only to be used for captured images. If you want to use the stock image from the Windows 7 DVD, you have to add it to "Operating System Install Packages" instead.

Off course i use a wim file :-), but that's not my problem. I said that i had problems with the drive assignments, not with the Windows 7 source. I use the same task sequence for bare metal deployments succesfully. I also want the same task sequence to run with all packages + wim file cached locally.

But that's the problem. If you set your OSD up the wrong way, you will have to use hacks to reassign drive letters. Do them the correct way, and you don't.

You should provide smsts.log.Torsten Meringer | http://www.mssccmfaq.de

athmanb's question is valid because using the WIM file directly from the Win7 media will cause weird issues in the long run, (I don't think it's the source of your issue). What task exactly is failing? Please provide some further context for the failure. And, as Torsten requested, please provide the smsts.log for review.Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys | Twitter @JasonSandys

No i use a captured WIM file, not the one from the media. Let me explain otherwise: I have a task sequence with a few packages to install after image applying. The TS starts with the following steps: disable bitlocker restart to WinPE apply image to disk (package id XX100011.2), condition (If condition is true: TS variable "_SMSTSClientCache exists") rest of steps ...... ...... Important: I run this from run advertised programs on a Windows 7 client with 1 hidden boot partition (for bitlocker etc.) and 1 OS partition for the remaining disk space. Now, after restarting into WinPE the task sequence will search for the local cache if they were downloaded locally (using the adv option: Download all content locally before starting task sequence and an assignment in the future to let the client pre-cache all packages+image). Before rebooting the exact path to the image package is C:\Windows\System32\CCM\Cache\XX100011.2.System\image.wim. After rebooting the TS will search for the image + package to copy them to C:\_SMSTaskSequence\Packages using this exact same path. And that's the problem. WinPE is detecting two partitions, namely a boot partition (300 MB) and a OS partition (remaining space) and will assign drive letters in that order (in WinPE). So the boot partition is assigned with letter C and the OS partition as D (in WinPE not Windows 7). In this way the actual image package can be found in D:\Windows\System32\CCM\Cache\XX100011.2.System\image.wim but unfortunatly the TS is not that "smart" to know that. Log snippet: sUniqueID.length() > 1, HRESULT=80004005 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\framework\tscore\resolvesource.cpp,255) InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) Creating a connection to C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\XX100011.2.System with default account InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) Connection request for "C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\XX100011.2.System" InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) Path is not a UNC Path. Trying it as a local path. InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) GetFileAttributesW(sPathFile) != ((DWORD)-1), HRESULT=80070003 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\framework\tscore\tsconnection.cpp,45) InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) VerifyConnection( m_sPath ), HRESULT=80070003 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\framework\tscore\tsconnection.cpp,223) InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) Failed to connect to "C:\WINDOWS\system32\CCM\Cache\XX100011.2.System" (3). InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4) reconnect(), HRESULT=80070003 (e:\nts_sms_fre\sms\framework\tscore\tsconnection.cpp,129) InstallSoftware 6-7-2011 4:43:59 1956 (0x07A4)

OK. So this is generally a known issue and is the reason why creating the bitlocker system partition at the end of the disk instead of the front is recommended. That doesn't help you now I know but your solution (as long as it works properly), is a very good work-around.Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys | Twitter @JasonSandys

Jason, your recommendation to switch the partitions sounds good. Probably not possible to do this with the build in "Format and Partition Disk" task? I use 300 MB fixed size for the boot partition and 100% of remaining space on disk so the boot partition always be at the beginning. So do i have to use diskpart scripts for creating the partitions instead of the build in task?

The best option (IMO) is to use the BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool for Windows 7: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd875534%28WS.10%29.aspx. This is what MDT does. I would recommend at least reviewing what MDT does also because they have extensively tested different scenarios. I think the script in MDT is called ZTIBde.wsf.Jason | http://myitforum.com/cs2/blogs/jsandys | Twitter @JasonSandys

ok i will look into that.... But now this, i've added a task before "restart to winpe" with a referenced package to log some debuginfo with a vbs script. All of the sudden after rebooting the TS is searching in the right place ?! :-) The logfile now shows that the TS is searching in D:\Windows\System32\CCM\Cache instead. Can anyone explain this? As we speak the TS is wiping partition D while maintaining the client cache files. I did not swap partitions. I didn't change anything else. Can it be due to the fact that the TS uses a package before restarting to WinPE and therefore execute something that take care of this?

Hi, the story continues...my conclusion earlier is not correct. In winpe the task sequence does enumerate fine when deploying a pre-cached image to a virtual machine (no bitlocker). In winpe the task sequence will enumerate the OS disk as letter D and the boot partition as C while it also use drive D instead of C to locate the client cache. So instead of looking on C it will take the files from D:\windows\system32\ccm\cache. So that goes well. I also ran a script after the disk was wiped. It outputted the TS variable _SMSTSClientCache. It came up with the following string: 88892E520000D01200000000:\_SMSTSTaskSequence\_SMSClientCache. So it seems that the task sequence take care of enumerating the cache file location well. However when i test the exact same task sequence on fysical hardware, for instance a Dell laptop with Bitlocker, the task sequence comes with the error that it cannot locate the client cache files on C:\Windows\system32\ccm\cache. So enumeration of the cache file location files fails it this case, just like it did before. Does anyone know which dependencies there are when it comes to drive/partition enumerating that the task sequence takes care off? I'm going to test whether or not Bitlocker in suspended mode is blocking proper enumeration. I also will test some different bios configurations. Any help would be appreciated.

tested without bitlocker, unfortunatly the issue remains