Takeing an image from a WDS install and using it in SCCM?

[mrbios]

Ok, Previously i've been using WDS without any SCCM at all, i had it setup to use unattended.xml files etc.

Now I've finished the Software updates section of the SCCM setup and part the way through operating system deployment setup but i've hit a point that's got me stuck....

... I already have an image which was taken using WDS, i was hoping i'd simply be able to copy across the .wim but it's split into two files a small install.wim which is 6mb and a Res.RWM file which is 22GB

How would i go about porting this across into my new SCCM installation?

Also I think i've worked out how to use the same unattended.xml file for OS settings but pre OS setup (like hard drive etc.) i already have a WDSClientUnattend.xml for, can i reuse this instead of going thorugh and manually configuring a task sequence?

 

[NiCkNaMe]

Just a quick one - but why re-use your existing image?

One of the attractions of SCCM is automation and repeatability. You ideally want to create a build and capture task sequence and specify all of your customisations in that sequence, e.g... core software, profile customisations, reg hacks, integrated updates, etc, etc

That way when you need to update a core piece of software you simply ammend the build and capture task sequence, re-run it and you have a new up to date core image.

 

[mrbios]

That's what i'll ideally do in the long run, but it's too time consuming for what i have on my plate at the moment, i could do with a quick way of getting my current image across and running under SCCM so i can remove the server i have WDS running on at the moment and then look at creating a proper completely automated system afterwards

 

[NiCkNaMe]

I take it you have lots of customisations in your WDS image(s) ?

Personally I'd continue deploying with WDS until you find the time to configure SCCM properly...

From memory the .rwm is actually a wim. The small .wim file you find that accompanies it just contains metadata for the image(s) - that way when the system enumerates to display available images it only searches through these 'index' (so to speak) files.

I think the easiest approach would be to just deploy the WDS image to a reference machine then run a capture task sequence in SCCM and target it at that machine. Perhaps get rid of the unnatend that accompanies the WDS process to stop it being domain joined, etc and follow usual SCCM practices for capturing an image.

 

[mrbios]

I take it you have lots of customisations in your WDS image(s) ?

Personally I'd continue deploying with WDS until you find the time to configure SCCM properly...

From memory the .rwm is actually a wim. The small .wim file you find that accompanies it just contains metadata for the image(s) - that way when the system enumerates to display available images it only searches through these 'index' (so to speak) files.

I think the easiest approach would be to just deploy the WDS image to a reference machine then run a capture task sequence in SCCM and target it at that machine. Perhaps get rid of the unnatend that accompanies the WDS process to stop it being domain joined, etc and follow usual SCCM practices for capturing an image.

Cheers, i may well do that then.

Out of interest seeing as we have some knowledgable SCCM users here......

I started SCCM on the basis that i wanted to move all our services in to one useful management package, as well as the fact our old WSUS was a complete mess and was crying out for a reinstall. I never fully investigated the potential gains of the image deployment section of SCCM though i knew it could do everything we were currently doing and add more functionality but i never gained a full understanding of that functionality. To be honest that was a bit of a mistake as i thought i was effectively going to setup the same thing using existing images etc. and just add stuff on top .... learnt from that mistake.

So.... while i'm still in the process of configuring it could someone give me a basic walkthrough of the extra functionality it gives, and outline it's automation features? I can find things online to give me a rough idea but everythings nothings that concise on the image deployment functionality part.