Hi,

I am trying to use VMware Workstation 11 to create a master image for distribution by MDT 2013/WDS. I've added the VMware drivers to the deployment share and configured it to inject drivers by the detected platform, "VMware Virtual Platform." Each time I try to capture an image, it takes forever... Forever, I mean days, until the process times out and fails. I added the VMware Tools to the VM, and set the NIC to bridged mode (1Gbps). This time, the capture wizard takes an additionally long time to complete. When it reboots into Windows PE, I get an error message.

File: \Windows\System32\drivers\pvscsi.sys

Status: 0xc0000359

Info: The operating system couldn't be loaded because a critical system driver is missing or contains errors.

Pvscsi.sys is a VMware driver. Surely, I cannot be the first person who has tried to use Workstation 11 as a tool to create master images for MDT 2013. How can I fix this driver issue? I'll try disabling the driver in MDT, but that kind of defeats the point of having them there in the first place. I am trying to create an image of Windows 7 Professional x64.

Thanks in advance.

I don't know if you have a separate deployment share for creating reference images already, if not I'd make one. Then configure that deployment share to inject all drivers (default) instead of using the driver management method. By using a separate deployment share you not only keep anyone from using the wrong task sequence but you can configure that deployment share to be much more automated and geared towards creating reference images.

Or you could use Hyper-V which comes with Windows 8 or Server 2012 R2, but I'm sure you'd like to stick with VMware.

I'm not sure what VMware defaults to, but you could speed things up by giving the VM at least 4GB of ram and 2 virtual processors.

I disable pvscsi when I load VMWARE drivers, it's never created an issue for me.  As for your speed, that's always been dictated by my network speed. Where are you capturing to, your host machine?  Network storage?

I really don't have the hardware to run Hyper-V. My desktop is a Windows 7 computer and my server runs on desktop hardware. I'm not even considering touching Windows 8. I already have two deployment shares on my MDT server, a third does not sound like a great idea. How automated can you really get when capturing a deployment? I just run the litetouch.vbs file from within the OS I want to capture and the task does the rest (usually). Lately, though, I haven't been able to capture anything due to the horrendous speed. I tried using a different network port on a different switch, and that has seemed to provide better results. Disabling pvscsi.sys allowed the task to boot into Windows PE. I am capturing to a physical server on its own gigabit connection.

Thanks

I have three deployment shares on a desktop machine running Server 2012 R2, Hyper-V and SQL. I don't have performance issues, besides a deployment share doesn't do anything when not in use since it's just a shared folder so space is the only real concern. Well not using Windows 8 is your choice, we have 152 systems and climbing on Windows 8.1. Once we reimage or replace another 20 machines, we'll break the 50% mark on Windows 8.1.

As to the automation, I can run a single task sequence that builds and captures a reference image. I just boot to the litetouch iso, choose my ts, enter the name of the wim file that I want the image saved as and away it goes, it'll even shutdown when it's done. I can keep the customsettings file in that deployment share all geared towards automated image creation.

But whatever workflow works best for you.

It sounds as if you sysprep the computer, shut it down and, reboot it to WinPE, then run a capture. I have to configure the default user profile extensively with our images, so a deploy-install-capture approach won't work for me. I'd be interested to hear more about your approach to capturing images.

Changing the port used fixed the speed issues for me. 

 

Oh I configure things too, I just have a suspend task. Much of the configuration is automated because I made some scripts and added them to the task sequence. But I still suspend it so I can shutdown the VM and make a snapshot. Then I later rollback, run windows update, shutdown make another snapshot and continue the sequence so it captures it again with all the updates.

Here's an example of my TS that builds a reference image. Also I'm the only one with access to the "Admin" share so no one else can mess with the sequences or accidentally deploy them.

Why are you injecting VM drivers into a master image that you'll use on physical machines? Are you deploying to physical machines? Have you tried removing the drivers? Why are you installing VMWare Tools? What are you backing up to? In the four years I've been working with MDT and VMs I've never once add an issue. I use VMWare 10 Server 2012 r2 ( has worked with 2008 r2 ) And I can deploy and capture Win 7, 8.1, and 10 with no issues Please configure your customsettings.ini to capture logs Remove the drivers Remove process of installing VMWare Tools Use the option to fully recreate your ISO Replace ISO in WDS Test it and see what it does While in the capture stage, press F8, see the performance and networking tabs. While the image is being captured my VM CPU is @ 100% My physical machine is a core i7 with 32 gigs and 2 - 256 GB SSDs My Win 7 VMs get 3 processors and 4096 of ram