Image Deployment with PowerQuest Tools and the CS Application Server

**Note** This is now out-of-date. We are using Ghost instead. All PowerQuest images have been removed from Asimov! (Lawrence 2006/11/22)

This describes the method by which CSCF can put an operating system on a machine by either booting from CD or booting off the network. In either case, the images are stored on asmiov.cscf and deployed using PowerQuest's Image Deploy Center

Related tools

• Barts Bootdisk: Located Here
• WindowsNetBoot Updated Network Boot Disk
  • soon to replace Barts Bootdisk - very easy to modify
• Windows Product Key Update Tool - can be used to update the Windows Product Key in special cases such as Laptop imaging where a vendor OEM vendor version of Windows was used to create the image. This permits restoring the corect key to each Laptop . Note this is only useful when creating an image for a batch of machines from the same vendor

Boot the startup image

Boot from Network

• configure your port for Vlan 420 (make sure it is trunked from the switch)
• configure your PC to PXE boot from the network card
  • may need to go into the BIOS
  • some systems, just press F12 for a Boot Menu
• it should acquire an IP address via DHCP
• at the boot: prompt, choose "DOS" (case-sensitive)
• Pick Boot Without emm386 and press the ENTER key

Boot CSCF Research boot disk

• ISO Image \\asimov.cscf.uwaterloo.ca\rawiso\exports\bootdisk.iso
• Pick Boot Without emm386 and press the ENTER key

Usage Notes for Boot Disk (via Network or CD)

• You can use the cursor keys and mouse to move between options on a menu
• Space Bar with toggle a check box
• Buttons with a RED letter can be assessed with ALT letter

Load CD Drivers:

• Press Enter

Load Network Drivers

• Press Enter

Detect Network Card

• Press Enter

TCP/IP Parameters

For DHCP Configuration click here

For STATIC IP Configuration click here

DHCP Configuration

• For Internal Private Area Network on Application server choose DHCP default

Static IP Configuration

• For External Network Uncheck DHCP and fill in Static IP and Gateway. next Edit Lmhosts section

Edit LMHOSTS file

• Change 192.168.1.1 server to 129.97.15.251 server
• Note the the Lan Manager client can't use DNS or IP names so the name server is just a place holder

• ALT-X saves and exist

Login Screen

• For READ ONLY enter the CSCF software password
• For READ/WRITE enter your Administrative userid and password for the Application

Map Extra Drive Letter If Needed (eg: for Nexus)

Changing a User After Logging in

Start Deploy Center

Starting PowerQuest

• Recommended command line:
  • X:\BOOTDISK\PQDI.550> pqimgctr /IDE=ON /OVI=1

Power Quest Command Line - Useful Options

• /OVI=1 - threaded moded - does overlapped read/write I/O - can make a big improvement if you see slow transfers
  WARNING do NOT use this option on the P5LD2-VM motherboards!
• /IDE=ON - direct IDE disk IO - can make a big improvement
• /IHF - ignore hibernation file - use if you have a problem with the hibernation file
• /IFC - ignore file system checks - use if you have file system error like a dying disk and still want to attempt backup/restore
• /RAV - verify disk writes - use this if you get corrupted partitions

MBR - Master Boot Record Options

Note It seems that PowerQuest always backs up the MBR in the target image! - tested for cases where all partitions are backed up - so far

• /MBI= - Images the master boot record of the specified disk number starting at 1.
  Note It seems the MBR IS backed up by default - ie /MBI=1 is default
• /MBR= - Restores an imaged master boot record to the specified disk number starting at 1
• Note use this to restote the MBR - ie /MBR=1 the MBR is NOT restored by default

Power Quest main Start Up Screen

• Pick Restore Image

Power Quest Browse for an Image File

• Image are kept in the Following locations
• S:\SYSPRIMG - CSCF RESEARCH
• O:\IMAGES - CORE
• N:\ - Nexus (Teaching)

Power Quest Open Image File

• SYSPRIMG\XP_CSCF contains latest images file MMYYYDD Month Day Year of release
• XPSP2-03.PQI is Core Windows Install
• For GradPC dual-boot machines, use the latest UNIFIED?.PQI file under O:\IMAGES\?????
  • As of 2006/04/17: UNIFIED8.PQI is the unified Windows/Linux image which should be used for Grad PCs

Power Quest Select Image File

• Pick Next

Destination Partition

• Pick the Empty Partition otherwise the target will be deleted
• You can manually delete any partitions as well
  • Note: if you cannot delete all the partitions (eg: Cannot Lock a Locked Drive), try re-booting and trying again

Power Quest Resize Partition Option

• You can change the size of the parition to be restored

Power Quest Resize Partition Accept

• Once - or if - you make any changes PICK Accept

Power Quest Restoring an Image

• Wait untill the image is done and boot you computer!

Post-install steps

Fix Grub / Linux if necessary

If you have installed the "Unified" image, you will need to fix the Linux installation, including the grub loader. The system will not boot properly. You will need the "Rescue Disk"

• See: UbuntuInstallNotes for further details

Windows Post-install steps

See WindowsPostInstallSteps for adding the Windows User

Deployment Sheet

• Fill out and include the Grad PC Deployment Sheet (this really needs updating!)
• or the new Twiki-based GradPcDeploymentSheet

Restore your boot settings

• If you configured your PC to PXE boot from the network card, you should reset that now
  • may need to go into the BIOS
  • boot order should be: CD, then hard disk