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."

PXE Service Point Role missing for Secondary Site Server

The PXE Service Point Option is not available in the "New Roles" Wizard within ConfigMgr if you want to install it on a Secondary Site Server.

Solution: Install the Windows Deployment Services (WDS) Server Role on the Secondary Site Server and also make sure you're connected to the Primary Site where the Secondary Site Server belongs to

SCCM Asset Intelligence - List manufacturer friendly names

This Query will list all possible manufacturer listings of an application and the friendly names (grouped)

SELECT Distinct CommonPublisher,Publisher 
FROM v_LU_SoftwareList 
INNER JOIN V_LU_Softwarehash ON V_LU_Softwarehash.SoftwareID = v_LU_SoftwareList.SoftwareID
ORDER BY CommonPublisher

List installed ConfigMgr Hotfixes automatically

I tried to store the current ConfigMgr patch state during ConfigMgr Backup automatically to make sure i can restore the exaclty configuration after a Server Crash.
Unfortunately the command wmic qfe list does only list installed Windows Updates.
If you want to to the same you can use the following command

For a 64 Bit Windows Server
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Updates\System Center Configuration Manager 2007\SP2" /s > ConfigMgrPatchState.txt

For a 32 Bit Windows Server
reg query "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Updates\System Center Configuration Manager 2007\SP2" /s > ConfigMgrPatchState.txt

You can automatically execute the command after the Backup by using the AfterBackup.bat
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc181721.aspx

GPP - Power Plan not applying

Deployed Power Management options defined in the Group Policy Preferences (GPPs) are not applying on your Clients. Maybe other settings which are defined in the same Policy are working.

Check if you've configured the option apply once and do not reapply in the GPPs.

According to this article here is this behaviour a by design issue.
The Power Management options have to be applied two times. The first time the Power Plan gets created on your Client and at the second time the Plan is enabled. So if you've configured the above listed option the policy is only applied once and so the Power Management is not configured.

One option to get he Power Plan applied is to disable the "apply once and do not reapply" option. But in this case Power Plan changes from the Users are overwritten each time the policy is applied.

Another option is to create the following RegistryKey within the same Policy:
Path: HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce
Name: EnablePowerPlan
Type: Reg_SZ
Value: cmd /c powercfg -s 381b4222-f694-41f0-9685-ff5bb260df2e

Make sure the Option "apply once and do not reapply" is also enabled for this Key. With this Workaround the PowerOptions are applied and enabled as soon as the User logs on to the client. If the policy is applied after the logon process, then the PowerOptions are enabled at the next logon

Task Sequence Error Code 80070002 in ConfigMgr 2012

The OSD Task Sequence in ConfigMgr 2012 fails with error code 80070002.
Also you see the following errors in smsts.log:

Authentication failure - 401
Resending the request by setting the credentials on getting an unauthorized response
HTTP result: 401
...
Tried all the available http based locations. SMB based locations will be attempted now
!saSMBContentSources.empty(), HRESULT=80070002
...
Exit Code 2147942402

One possible solution is to configure a Network Service Account.
ConfigMgr Console -> Administration -> Site Operations -> Sites -> Your Site -> Configure Site Components -> Software Distribution -> Network Access Account