ConfigMgr - Standalone removable media not working

I've used a new SanDisk Extreme USB thumb drive to deploy my huge Configmgr Task Sequence as a standalone Media. When booting from it i see the Windows 8 PE Logo, a dialog with "Initializing hardware devices" and afterwards i get the following error: "Unable to read task sequence configuration disk". In the SMSTS.log file i regogniced the following entry: "Booted from fixed disk".

I've read a lot of posts pointing to missing Network Drivers, usage of USB 3.0 slots, etc.  which did not help me.

In my case the problem is because my USB removable Sticks is discovered as a fixed Hard Disk and indeed in Windows Explorer it shows up as a normal hard disk.

Unfortunately fixed disks are not supported to be used as standalone Media in ConfigMgr. All vendors are fored to create removable sticks as fixed Disks as they will not get any Windows 8 certification from Microsoft without. I'm really disappointed about the communication which is (not) taking place between the Windows and ConfigMgr Team at Microsoft.

The only solution right now is to buy other USB Sticks which are discovered as removable, thumb drives. The only problem is, i have no idea which sticks can be used and which not...

 

 

PXE Advertisement Flag remains for a MAC Address after removing a system

I had the same problem which Steve Rachui is posting here and still opened a call months ago.

The problem is that PXE Advertisement Flag remains for MAC Addresses after removing a system. If there is created a new Client record in SCCM with the same MAC Addresses (e.g. when you reinstall that system with a new name) there's still is a PXE Advertisement Flag available, which blocks the Client from PXE Boot. You can then manually remove the Flag via "Clear PXE Advertisement" but 1. you have to know that problem and remember it when troubleshooting and 2. It's a bug, becuase when i remove a system it should be removed without leaving some entries in SQL Tables (in this case v_RA_System_MACAddress)

Now Microsoft wrote to me that the problem is a bug which will be solved in the next version of the product. Quote:

"Following some investigation we have identified the parts of the product that need to change to ensure that the old profiles will no longer be used once deleted from the console and requested that this is changed in the next version of the product."