Ultimate Deployment Appliance

[VMTN_Admin]

http://www.vmware.com/vmtn/appliances/directory/232

Deploy your favorite OS by pressing F12, bring your own ISO's, we'll do the rest

[_the_dude_]

Version 1.2 (260 Mb download and fedora core 5) was mentioned in the Forum, but I've never changed the UDA frontpage (yet)

http://www.uploading.com/files/ZMQLMBTP/uda12.zip.html

Downloading the file takes some careful reading (it takes a few steps to get to the actual download) Skip through the adds, and download the file...

Just in case you don't trust the download service: here's the MD5 hash of my original file:

8cb6bedd68a3c9c1a4c9fead9ceaa55c

It was generated with the MD5 hash tool for windows on:

http://www.pc-tools.net/win32/md5sums/

Keep in mind that it still contains the HIDCLASS.SYS error and the firefox problem.

[_the_dude_]

Now for the network card problem: You may be able to find usefull logging in:

/var/log/messages (logging of tftp and dhcp) There should be something in there about the system trying to acquire a DHCP network address and other DHCP requests. Also you should see logging there when the pxelinux.0 (or something else) is being downloaded over tftp.

Good thing to know that the DEFAULT_BOOTFILE option workaround works!

Adding the drivers to the windows XP images should be done by something like:

\* Download drivers for your network card from the internet

\* Put the .INF file in the WINXP_INF directory (make sure it's a textfile and not a binary!, if there's more than one and you don't know which to use, just put in all you can find...)

\* Put the .SYS file in the WINXP_SYS directory (if there's more than one and you don't know which to use, just put in all you can find...)

\* /etc/init.d/binl stop

\* regenerate the binl database

(run either /var/public/cgi-bin/infparser.py or /var/public/bin/infparser.py depending on the UDA version you are using.)

\* /etc/init.d/binl start

Good luck!

[WiNeOS]

Hi johnpoz

You need to build your own etherboot configuration. I recommend you to download Thinstation-2.1.1-prebuilt-NetBoot:

http://struktur.kemi.dtu.dk/thinstation/download/

and recompile it with your config. It's an iso with a lot of roms, not only one like rom-o-matic. Inside you will find detailed instructions to accomplish it.

Finally you will need to add the WinXP driver to WINXP_SYS, WINXP_INF like the_dude said in the previous post.

Greetz

[johnpoz]

I'll take a look - thanks!

[_the_dude_]

People,

Version 1.3 is available on

http://www.uploading.com/files/NQ9CMAL2/uda13.zip.html

MD5 Sum is

f12547daa079b3ff6d9d44638487eb8a

It is basically version 1.2 (Minimal Fedora 5) with some bug-fixes:

\* hidclass.usb error is solved (thanks johnpoz and others)

\* Firefox now shows the iso files correctly (and i've learned some javascript in the process)

\* Check for template names that cause trouble

Happy deploying!

[WiNeOS]

Thx for your work thedude_.

I found another issue, no a bug, is something to consider.

If you want to use BartPE, be sure that the iso filename don't have inner spaces: "/rdpath=BARTPE\Barpe 3.1.iso" don't work.

greetz

Message was edited by:

WiNeOS

[_the_dude_]

I'll make a check for that in the next version, thanks for the feedback!

[maverickbna]

Could you up the Apache timeout value to something higher in the next version? I had to up the timeout so it wouldn't time out while configuring a Windows XP installation.

Thanks! It works great so far... Haven't tried deploying anything yet - but it does successfully boot.

[_the_dude_]

Good idea, it's been added to my todo list. Maybe I should make an easy to use web-interface for the configuration file, but in the meantime I can make the timeout longer/higher. You could also edit the configuration file 'offline'and paste the contents into the webinterface...

Thanks for the feedback!

[Si_]

HI all,

Just cames across this and it has great promise.. however, no matter what I try I can't get any ISO files to mount. All have been created from the original CDs uwing Magic ISO and WinISO. I get the following in the web interface:

Running command |/bin/mount -t iso9660 -o loop /var/public/smbmount/Windows-XP/MSDN-XP.ISO /var/public/tftproot/WINXP| ERROR

mount: wrong fs type, bad option, bad superblock on /dev/loop0,

missing codepage or other error

In some cases useful info is found in syslog - try

dmesg | tail or so

Any Ideas?

[_the_dude_]

Si,

1. Make sure you have Full permission on:

\* the windows share

\* the windows directory

\* the iso file in the windows directory

I don't know why, but I have similar problems when trying to mount a file that does not have the full permissions.

2. Try lcisocreator to create your iso files (small, easy and proven technology )

http://www.lucersoft.com/freeware.php

[SamTzu]

I can't get in the download site. It saiz there are too many ppl from Finland already logged in.

Can some1 post a torrent to this VAPP plz.

So many .torrent files on this (VMWare) site are no longer working. -sigh-

Sam

[destro]

I have a problem. Yesterday I made a BartPE cd, that puts an image back on my pc en then reboots so that the pc is up and running again in 15 minutes.

When I test the CD it works, when i use the iso with the Ultimate Deployment Appliance he uses the RAM disk. When it's fully loaded, I see the first loading screen (White bar & Loading BartPE), but when I normally get the graphical windows xp loading screen, I get a blue screen. Is there something that I am missing here or an option that I must set.

I am using a template for windows 2003 and bart pe.

Can somebody help me?

[_the_dude_]

Sam,

The torrent on the VMWare site doesn't work because it's not possible for me to upload a new version of the appliance, so I disabled the old version.

I'm currently looking for a web domain where I can host the appliance and other stuff, but that may take some more time. If you drop me a private message with a place where I can upload the UDA to then I will.

The uploading.com site is indeed a bit picky about where you come from. I have the same problems with that site during work-hours and the evening. Maybe you could try a time when no-one else is likely to be downloading from that site (like in the middle of the night or very early in the morning..)

Sorry for the inconvenience...

[_the_dude_]

destro,

My first guess would be that the network drivers in your bartpe distribution are not good for your hardware. Check this by booting the CD and see if you can make a network connection (mount a network share) from there.

A. If you can't, then you know the windows network drivers have to be added to the bartpe distribution

B. If you can, then there may be something with the UDA. You should check the logfiles (/var/log/messages)

Also, I've read somewhere that bartpe based on winxp can't be booted from the network. Generate a bartpe iso file from the same w2k3 distribution as you have imported for the template creation. (or did you do that already?)

[Si_]

Si,

1. Make sure you have Full permission on:

• the windows share

• the windows directory

• the iso file in the windows directory

I don't know why, but I have similar problems when

trying to mount a file that does not have the full

permissions.

2. Try lcisocreator to create your iso files (small,

easy and proven technology )

http://www.lucersoft.com/freeware.php

I'm still getting strange problems..

I've created a 2nd VM client, share the files form this and all works. Share the files on my host machines and I get the mount error... However I've checked the mount path and I can read/write the directory..

Very strange.. and frustraiting!

[destro]

dude,

thank you very much for the tip.

I've created the BartPE CD again, this time with the Windows 2003 CD and now it works like a charm.

Conclusion: great appliance, easy to use. Keep up the good work.

[_the_dude_]

Si,

The windows share permission etc. are a bit complicated. Check the following:

\* Easy sharing is off (Check http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307874/en-us )

\* Make sure your windows firewall isn't blocking file share requests

\* Rightclick the directory you are sharing on windows and choose 'Sharing', choose the 'security' tab and make sure 'everyone' has 'Full Control'

\* Rightclick the directory , choose properties and choose the security tab. Make sure 'Everyone' has 'Full Control'

\* Rightclick the ISO file in the directory, choose properties, choose the security tab and make sure everyone has full control.

[lonelyjp]

Hi,

I'm facing same network card issue on my Fujitsu FMV-670MC9/W laptop. I downloaded the drivers and put the INF and SYS files to WINXP_INF and WINXP_SYS folders, stopped binl, ran infparser.py, and restarted binl. Same issue.

Tail of binlserver.log:

subsys = 0x107010cf

Source path:
10.0.0.104\REMINST\WINXP

OS is now WINXP

Checking PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1229&SUBSYS_107010CF

Checking PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_1229

Driver not found

Successfully loaded 1017 devices

Binlserver started ... pid 1206

Can anybody help please?!

BTW, this is a great tool. Was able to successfully use this on my other laptop (FMV-670MC3).

[Instally]

You had an Intel Pro 100 card (VEN_8086&DEV_1229).

The driver which match is e100b325.inf and e100b325.sys.

You can controll this, if you look in the e100b325.inf file and find the vendor string - VEN_8086&DEV_1229.

"Driver not found" means that the binl server dont have a driver in his cache which match to your networkcard - so controll this first.