57.2 Enabling a Windows Workstation for Auto-Imaging Operations

The following procedure explains how to register the workstation as an object in your eDirectory tree, install a ZENworks Imaging Windows Agent on the workstation, and install a permanent ZENworks partition on the hard disk.

Complete this procedure if you are not using Preboot Services (PXE). If you have enabled PXE on the workstation and have installed Desktop Management Preboot Services on your ZENworks Imaging server, this procedure is not a prerequisite to performing unattended imaging operations. For more information, see Section 55.1, Using Preboot Services (PXE).

When you put a new base image on a Windows workstation, the workstation receives the same identification data as the workstation from which the image was taken, including such settings as the IP address and computer (NETBIOS) name. To work around this, you can install the ZENworks Imaging Windows Agent on the target workstation before reimaging it. This saves the workstation’s current identity settings to an area on the hard disk that’s safe from reimaging. When the workstation reboots after being reimaged, the agent restores the original settings.

IMPORTANT:The ZENworks Imaging Windows Agent does not save or restore any Windows 2000/XP Domain information. If you change a workstation’s domain and then restore an image, the workstation receives whatever domain is embedded in the new image.

This procedure needs to be performed only once prior to performing auto-imaging (unattended) operations. It is not a prerequisite to performing manual imaging operations.

  1. If you haven’t already done so, register the workstation as an object in your eDirectory tree that contains the ZENworks Imaging server.

    When you boot a Windows workstation from an imaging device or method and allow the boot process to proceed in auto-imaging mode, the ZENworks Imaging Engine runs on the workstation and contacts a ZENworks Imaging server. In order for the workstation to be imaged, you must first either define an eDirectory policy for the ZENworks Imaging server (for more information, see Section 58.1, Defining an Imaging Policy for Unregistered Workstations (Server Policy)), or you must register the workstation as an object and configure Imaging on the Workstation object.

    For more information on registering the workstation as an object, see Section III, Automatic Workstation Import and Removal.

    You don’t need to complete all of the tasks mentioned in the instructions. Just create a Server policy package that contains a minimal Workstation Import policy (use the defaults for naming, groups, and limits), and then associate the Server package with the container where you want the Workstation object to be created. Then, configure the workstation to communicate with the import service on the ZENworks Imaging server, and reboot the workstation. Before proceeding with the next step, check your eDirectory tree to make sure that the Workstation object was created.

  2. Set a flag in the Workstation object that triggers the imaging operation you want.

    For more information, see Section 59.5, Performing an Automatic Imaging Creation or Restoration.

  3. Install the ZENworks Imaging Windows Agent on the workstation:

    1. Browse to the sys:\public\zenworks\imaging directory in your ZENworks Desktop Management installation (on the ZENworks Imaging server).

    2. Complete the steps that correspond to the type of workstation:

      Workstation Type

      Steps

      Windows 98

      1. Copy ziswin.exe, zislib16.dll, and zislib32.dll to the novell\zenis directory.

      2. Run ziswin.exe from the novell\zenis directory.

      3. Run regedit.exe and browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > RunServices.

      4. Add the string value ZENwork Imaging Service and set it to the filename and path of the ziswin.exe file. For example, c:\novell\zenis\ziswin.exe

      5. Save the changes and close regedit.

      Windows 2000

      1. Copy ziswin.exe and ziswinr.dll (in the nls\english subdirectory or the appropriate language subdirectory) to your winnt\system32 directory.

      2. From a command prompt, change to your winnt\system32 directory, type ziswin -install, then press Enter.

      Windows XP

      1. Copy ziswin.exe and ziswinr.dll (in the nls\english subdirectory or the appropriate language subdirectory) to your windows\system32 directory.

      2. From a command prompt, change to your windows\system32 directory, type ziswin -install, then press Enter.

    3. Reboot the workstation.

  4. Take an image of the workstation as instructed in Section 60.1, Manually Taking an Image of a Workstation.

    IMPORTANT:Do this even if you have taken an image of the workstation previously. This ensures that the new image captures the changes you made in the preceding steps.

  5. After the image is created, reboot the workstation with the imaging boot method, type install.s at the boot prompt, then press Enter.

    This starts the process of creating the ZENworks partition in the first partition slot. It also destroys all existing partitions, even if slot 1 is empty and available. By default, the ZENworks partition size is 150 MB.

    If the ZENworks partition already exists, it is upgraded, and your existing Windows partitions are left intact.

  6. (Optional) After the ZENworks partition is created and the bash prompt is displayed, type img dump, then press Enter.

    This displays a list of the partition slots on the workstation. Unless you are upgrading your ZENworks partition, each partition slot should be empty and none should be active. The ZENworks partition is hidden from the list, so the number of partition slots in the list should be one less than before.

    or

    Type img to display a menu, select Dump, then select No Geometry.

  7. At the bash prompt, restore the image you took in Step 4.

    Use the img restorep command or select Restore an Image, then select Proxy Image from the menu as instructed in Step 6 of Section 60.2, Manually Putting an Image on a Workstation.

  8. (Optional) After the image is restored and the bash prompt is displayed, use the img dump command to redisplay the list of the partition slots on the workstation.

    or

    Type img to display a menu, select Dump, then select No Geometry.

    You should now see information about the Windows partitions that are restored and activated. There should still be one less partition slot than before because the ZENworks partition is still hidden (and will continue to be).

  9. At the bash prompt, type grub.s, then press Enter.

  10. When the bash prompt is displayed, reboot the workstation.

    The workstation should boot to Windows. If the bash prompt is displayed, enter the grub.s command again and reboot a second time.

From this point on, whenever the workstation is rebooted, the ZENworks Imaging Engine takes control and checks the ZENworks Imaging server to see if an imaging operation should be performed. If you have not configured the Workstation object in eDirectory to trigger an unattended imaging operation, the ZENworks Imaging Engine simply exits and automatically reboots the workstation to Windows.