J.2 Troubleshooting Preboot Services and Imaging Services

This section provides solutions to problems you might encounter when using Preboot Services and Imaging in ZENworks 11.

An error message is displayed when Windows 7, Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2008 R2 reboot after you restore an image with size greater than 2 TB

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: Do the following:

  1. After the image is restored, insert the appropriate Windows installation CD.

  2. Choose the option to repair Windows, and follow the instructions.

The ZENworks Server continues to write to the image file even if the Imaging operation to take an image of the device fails

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: The ZENworks Server continues to write to the image file even if the ZENworks Imaging operation to take an image fails on the managed device with the following error message: 
bad cluster chain, run chkdsk.exe

Consequently, the image file size grows.

Action: On the managed device, run chkdsk.exe before taking an image again.

The Imaging tools downloaded from the ZENworks Download page are not installed to the specified drive

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Possible Cause: The Imaging tools that are downloaded from the ZENworks Download page (https://zenworks_server_IP_address:port/zenworks-setup) are installed by default on the drive that has the maximum disk space.
Action: To download and install the Imaging tools to a specific drive on the device, enter the following command at the command prompt:

msiexec -i novell-zenworks-zmgexplorer-11.0.xxxx.msi TARGETDIR="complete_path_of_the_target_directory"

For example, if you want to download and install the Imaging tools to c:\program files, use the following command:

msiexec -i novell-zenworks-zmgexplorer-11.0.xxxx.msi TARGETDIR="C:\Program Files"

Unable to browse for the image files on the Satellite while taking an image or applying a Preboot bundle to a managed device

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: While taking an image or applying a Preboot bundle to a managed device, if you are not able to browse for the image files on the Satellite, check for the following message in the device’s Message Log (ZENworks Control Center > the Devices tab > Servers or Workstations > click the desired device > Summary): 
Could not start ZenHttpServer - Port 80 is already in use.
Possible Cause: The HTTP server is blocked because the port is in use.
Action: Do the following:

  1. Change the port number used by Satellite:

    1. In ZENworks Control Center, click the Configuration tab.

    2. In the Server Hierarchy panel, select the check box next to the Satellite whose port number needs to be changed.

    3. Click Action > Configure Satellite Server.

      The Configure Satellite Server dialog box is displayed.

    4. In the Port for Content and/or Collection HTTP Requests field, specify a new port number.

    5. Click OK.

  2. Ensure that the managed device is running on the port specified in Step 1.d:

    1. Open a Web browser on the managed device to the following address: http://localhost:port_number.

      A message containing the Novell ZENworks Content Server version is displayed.

    2. (Conditional) If the ZENworks Content Server version is not displayed, restart the ZENworks Adaptive Agent or the managed device.

The ZENworks Images stored in the images directory on the Primary Server are not replicated on the Secondary Server or Satellite

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: The ZENworks images stored in %ZENWORKS_HOME%\work\content-repo\images on the Windows Primary Server and in /var/opt/novell/zenworks/content-repo/images on the Linux Primary Server are not replicated on the Secondary Server or Satellite.
Action: None.

How do I generate a developer log for ZENworks Imaging?

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: Before performing any imaging operation, set the following environment variable in the ZENworks Imaging Maintenance mode: 
export DEVELOPER_LOG=a

The imglog file is created in the root directory ( / ).

NOTE:The log file is available only until the device is rebooted. To retain the log file, you must upload it to an FTP server.

How do I exclude a particular partition from ZENworks Imaging?

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: Before performing any imaging operation, set the following environment variable in the ZENworks Imaging Maintenance mode: 
export Exclude_DEVICE=partition_name

How do I prevent ZENworks Third-Party Imaging from restarting in the Auto mode?

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: A device is automatically rebooted after the ZENworks Third-Party imaging operation is performed in the Automatic mode. If you want to refer to the worktodolog.txt or worktododebug.txt files, you must prevent the device from rebooting by pressing Ctrl+R at the end the imaging operations.

Image Explorer help opens only in Firefox on Linux devices

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: When you launch Image Explorer in Linux, then click Help > Contents, the Mozilla Firefox browser is opened by default.
Action: If you want to use any other HTML viewer, modify the ZMGEXP_HELP_BROWSER environment variable to point to the utility of your choice.

The ZENworks icon properties page of a managed device that is in private network displays that the server IP address is not available

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: When you refresh the ZENworks icon of a managed device that is in a private network, the properties page displays that the server IP address is not available. Consequently, the managed device might not be promoted to Imaging Satellite, or if the managed device is an Imaging Satellite with ProxyDHCP enabled, the device fails to contact the Primary Server and the Imaging operations cannot be performed through the device.
Action: On the managed device, edit the operating_system_drive\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file to add the IP address and the DNS name of the Primary Server to which the device is registered.

The third-party Imaging distro and tools are not immediately replicated on the Satellite

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: The third-party imaging distro and tools are replicated on the Satellite only during the next ZMD refresh after configuring the Imaging Satellite role.
Action: If you want the third-party imaging distro and tools get immediately replicated on the Satellite, you must manually refresh the ZENworks icon icon.

Unable to take an image of the managed device

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: In ZENworks Control Center, the following error message might be displayed when you try to browse for and select an image file in the Server and Path Information dialog box during taking an image: 
Can't browse the file system on the specified server:
com.novell.zenworks.datamodel.exceptions.
InternalDataModelException: java.rmi.UnknownHostException: server_name.
Possible Cause: The device running ZENworks Control Center is unable to resolve the server name that you select in the Server Object, IP, or DNS option in the Server and Path Information dialog box to its IP address.
Action: Do the following:

  1. If you have a DNS server in your network, ensure that it contains a DNS entry for the server you select in the Server Object, IP, or DNS option in the Server and Path Information dialog box.

    If you do not have a DNS server in your network, edit the operating_system_drive\windows\system32\drivers\etc\hosts file on the device running ZENworks Control Center to add the IP address and the DNS name of the server select in the Server Object, IP, or DNS option in the Server and Path Information dialog box.

  2. In the Server and Path Information dialog box, try to browse for the image file.

The device might not pick up the assigned imaging task when booted to the Imaging Automatic mode

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: When a device is booted to the Imaging Automatic mode, it fails to pick up the assigned imaging work. However, the message log in ZENworks Control Center displays that the work was completed successfully and the assigned work is cleared.
Action: Do the following:

  1. Boot the device in the Imaging Maintenance mode.

  2. At the bash prompt, run the following commands:

    zisedit taskstate=0

    zisedit taskid=0

  3. In ZENworks Control Center, assign the task again to the device and boot the device to Imaging Automatic mode.

How to enable debug logs?

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: To enable the logs, see TID 3418069 in the Novell Support Knowledgebase.

The Novell Proxy DHCP service is automatically stopped on the Imaging Satellite

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If you manually start the Novell Proxy DHCP service on the Windows or Linux Imaging Satellite, the service is automatically stopped during the next device refresh schedule.
Possible Cause: The PXE services are not enabled when the Windows or Linux device is promoted to Satellite with the Imaging role.
Action: Enable the PXE services for the Windows or Linux Imaging Satellite:

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click the Configuration tab.

  2. In the Server Hierarchy panel, select the Windows Imaging Satellite, then click Action > Configure Satellite Server.

  3. Click the Configure link next to the Imaging check box.

  4. In the Configure Imaging Role dialog box, select Enable PXE Services.

  5. Click OK.

A new workstation ID is created after restoring image on a non-registered device

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: From the ZDM 7.x server, if you have taken an image of a device that has the ZDM 7.x agent and the ZENworks Adaptive Agent with Asset Management installed, and if restore the image to a non-registered device that has non-registered device, a new workstation ID is created for the non-registered device.
Action: Do any of the following:

  • Option 1: After restoring the image on a non-registered device, perform the following tasks on the device:

    1. In ZENworks Control Center, click the Devices tab > the Workstation folder.

    2. Delete the workstation object.

    3. Boot the device, and run the following command:

      zac fsg –d

    4. Reboot the device.

  • Option 2: Perform the following tasks:

    1. Before taking the image of the device that has the ZDM 7.x agent and the ZENworks Adaptive Agent with Asset Management installed, do the following on the device:

      1. Run the zac fsg –d command.

      2. In the Windows Services window, stop the Novell ZENworks Agent Service and change the service’s Startup Type to Manual.

      3. Reboot the device.

    2. Take the image of the device that has the ZDM 7.x agent and the ZENworks Adaptive Agent with Asset Management installed.

    3. After restoring the image on a non-registered device, do the following on the device whose image you have taken:

      1. In the Windows Services window, change the Startup Type of Novell ZENworks Agent Service to Automatic, and start the service.

      2. Reboot the device.

novell-pbserv crashes during multicast imaging to 120 or more devices

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Possible Cause: The OpenSSL library, which is used by the ZENworks Imaging server to communicate over SSL with Tomcat on ZENworks Control Center, crashes.
Action: Do the following on the ZENworks Imaging server:

  1. Edit the %zenworks_home%\conf\preboot\novell-zenimgweb.conf file to uncomment the following entry, which is beneath the line “#Allow HTTP if HTTPS is not available”:

    CLEARTEXT=FALSE

  2. Restart the Novell ZENworks Preboot Service.

You might encounter an error message prompting you to restart Windows installation when the device boots up after the restoration of the ZENworks or WIM image on a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 device

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: After restoring a ZENworks or WIM image of a Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2 managed device that was taken by running SysPrep, the device boots up and you are prompted to configure the language, product key, and license agreement. After you configure them, the Windows service starts but the following error message is displayed: 
Windows could not complete the installation. To install windows on this computer, restart the installation.
Action: Ignore the error message.

If you restore an image of Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2 on a bare machine that has a ZENworks partition, the machine fails to boot the second time after the image restoration

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If you restore an image of Windows Vista, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2 on a bare machine that has a ZENworks partition, the machine successfully boots for the first time after the image has been restored but it fails to boot the second time.
Action: Do the following:

  1. Boot the device in the ZENworks Imaging maintenance mode.

  2. Run sidChange -i.

  3. Manually reboot the device.

Mounting an NFS partition from the Imaging kernel fails on a device that is booted in the ZENworks Imaging Maintenance mode

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If you try to mount an NFS partition from the Imaging kernel on a device that is booted in the ZENworks Imaging Maintenance mode, the operation fails with errors if you use the following mount partition command:

mount -t nfs IP_address_of_NFS_server:path_of_NFS_share /mnt/destination_directory

The following error messages are displayed:

mount.nfs: rpc.statd is not running but is required for remote locking.
mount.nfs: Eihter use '-o nolock' to keep locks local, or start statd.
mount.nfs: an incorrect mount option was specified
Action: Execute the mount partition command with the -o nolock option

mount -t nfs -o nolock IP_address_of_NFS_server:path_of_NFS_share /mnt/destination_directory

Image Explorer fails to run if ZENworks 11 is installed to a drive other than drive C:

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: The Imaging utilities are installed to drive C: even if ZENworks 11 is installed to a drive other than drive C:. Consequently, the Image Explorer fails to run and displays the following error: 
Java not installed...
Action: Manually copy the contents of the bin and lib directories from c:\programfiles\novell\zenworks to the ZENworks_Installation_drive\programfiles\novell\zenworks directory.

The SLES or SLED device with SATA drive fails to boot after the restoration of an image

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: See TID 7000134 in Novell Support Knowledgebase.

Unable to take an image of a device if the Imaging Satellite is outside the L4 switch and the Primary Server is behind the L4 switch

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If the Primary Server is behind the L4 switch, and the Imaging Satellite and the managed device are outside the L4 switch, you cannot take an image of the managed device from the Imaging Satellite.
Possible Cause: The managed device does not receive the imaging task because the ZENworks Preboot Service (novell-pbserv) on the Imaging Satellite fails to communicate with the Primary Server.
Action: Do the following on the Imaging Satellite:

  1. Open the zenimgweb.conf file that is located on the Imaging Satellite by using a text editor.

    The file is located in the%ZENworks_Home%\conf\preboot\ directory on a Windows Imaging Satellite, and in the /etc/opt/novell/zenworks/preboot/ directory on a Linux Imaging Satellite.

  2. Append the following entry:

    FORCEHTTP=forced

  3. Save and close the zenimgweb.conf file.

  4. Restart the Novell ZENworks Preboot Service (novell-pbserv).

  5. Take the image of the managed device.

Dell DTK Configuration bundle fails on a device that does not have operating system installed

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: During the PXE boot of the device that does not have operating system installed, the Dell DTK Configuration bundle assigned to the device fails with the following message: 
No work Assigned.
Action: Do the following on the device:

  1. Create a logical disk:

    1. Boot the device into the Dell DTK maintenance mode.

    2. Execute the following command:

      raidcfg -ctrl -c=0 -ac=cvd -ad=0:0:1 -sz=100MB -r=0 //raid 0 configuration with 100 MB size

  2. PXE boot the device.

Unable to create a Dell partition on a Dell device by using the Dell DTK Configuration bundle

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If you use a Dell DTK Configuration bundle to create a dell partition on a Dell device, the partition creation fails with the following error message: 
Can't Load Kernel File
Possible Cause: The Dell DTK Configuration bundle does not contain the latest version of the upimg.bin file.
Action: Perform the following steps:

  1. Manually copy upimg.bin from the latest Dell DTK distro that is integrated with ZENworks to the path relative to the TFTP server home directory.

  2. Reassign the Dell DTK Configuration bundle to the Dell device.

  3. PXE boot the Dell device.

Unable to use chkconfig with the novell-proxydhcp init script on SLES 11 or SLED 11

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: When you run chkconfig with the novell-proxydhcp init script on SLES 11 or SLED 11, the operation fails with the following message:

insserv: Script jexec is broken: incomplete LSB comment.

insserv: missing `Required-Stop:' entry: please add even if empty.

Possible Cause: The error is caused by the version of the jexec script installed on the device. It is a known issue on SLES 11 and SLED 11 devices.
Action: See TID 7010013 in the Novell Support Knowledgebase.

Managed devices are not reconciled to appropriate folders if you restore the image of a different operating system on the devices

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If you restore the image of a server-class device on a workstation-class device or viceversa, the device is not automatically reconciled to the appropriate folder in ZENworks Control Center. For example, when you restore the image of a server-class device on a workstation-class device, the device object continues to be displayed in the Servers folder and not in the Workstation folder.
Action: You must manually move the device object to the appropriate folder.

  1. In ZENworks Control Center, click Devices.

  2. Click the Servers or Workstations folder that contains the device object you want to move.

  3. Select the check box next to the device object you want to move.

  4. Click Edit > Move.

    The Move Device dialog box is displayed.

  5. Choose the destination folder.

  6. Click OK.

SUSE Linux installation or Red Hat Linux installation by using Preboot bundles fails

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: If you choose to create the AutoYaST or Kickstart bundle in which the AutoYaST XML script or the Kickstart configuration file that contains system variables is accessed by using a protocol, the system variables are not resolved and the bundle is not applied to the managed devices. Consequently, the SUSE Linux installation or Red Hat Linux installation by using the AutoYaST or Kickstart bundle fails.
Action: If the AutoYaST XML script or the Kickstart configuration file contains ZENworks system variables, you must choose to import the AutoYaST XML script or the Kickstart configuration file while creating the AutoYaST or the Kickstart bundle so that the variables can be automatically resolved when the bundle is applied to the managed devices.

Unable to change the preconfigured master Primary Server whose tftp directory changes you want to replicate on all other servers at a specific schedule

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: You have configured a master Primary Server whose tftp directory changes you want to replicate on all other servers at a specific schedule. Subsequently, if you want to select a different server as the master Primary Server, the following error message is displayed in the TFTP Replication Settings panel when you click Apply after selecting the new server: 
Unable to apply the TFTP Replication settings. Remove the circular dependency for the Master Primary Server. For more information, see the Help.
Action: In the TFTP Replication Settings panel, do the following

  1. Before changing the master Primary Server for the tftp directory replication, change the TFTP replication schedule for the existing Primary Server to No Schedule.

  2. Change the master Primary Server, then configure a new TFTP replication schedule.

ImageX and Ghost32 are not replicated to the master Primary Server after you upgrade your system to ZENworks (11.2.2) and re-upload the third-party services

Source: ZENowrks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Possible Cause: A folder having the root permission before upgrade does not get updated by the ZENworks loader module.
Action: Perform a clean-up of the ImageX and Ghost folders in the /srv/tftp directory and re-upload these third-party tools.

When you upgrade a SLES operating system to SLES 11 SP2, an error occurs while loading the shared library files

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: When you upgrade a SLES operating system to SLES 11 SP2, the shared library file (libhd) version is upgraded from libhd.so.12.34 to libhd.so.15.xx, where xx is the minor version of the installed library. The following error message appears:

libhd.so.12: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

Possible Cause: This issue might occur because of one of the following:

  • The symbolic link to libhd.so.12.34 breaks when it is upgraded to libhd.so.15.xx

  • The hwinfo RPM is updated.

Action: Re-create thelibhd.so.12 symbolic link from the server to the libhd.so.15.xxlibrary file in the /usr/lib64 directory.

Unable to upload the tntfs.ko driver file after modifying or replacing the NTFSDriver.conf file

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Action: Do the following:

  1. Login to ZENworks Control Center.

  2. Click Configuration > Preboot Services > Tuxera High Performance Driver Integration Settings.

  3. Re-download the tntfs.ko file by using the link provided.

  4. Re-upload the tntfs.ko file.

Imaging performance is slower in ZENworks 11.2.4 when compared to ZENworks 11 SP2

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging
Explanation: Imaging GUI refresh and screen updates, by default, takes more time with the latest kernel.
Action: You need to modify the kernel boot parameters. For more information, see Modifying Kernel Boot Parameters for ZENworks Imaging.

You can choose from any of the following kernel boot parameters, based on your requirement and environment:

  • nomodeset: Disables the kernel mode setting.

    Using this parameter increases the performance of imaging because the rendering is faster.

  • textonly: Boots up to the text-mode shell prompt, disabling the graphical user interface.

    Using this parameter along with the nomodeset parameter, increases the performance of imaging.

  • vga=normal: Boots up the kernel to a VGA text-mode console.

    Using this option you can achieve better performance than the nomodeset and textonly combination.

    The disadvantage of using this option is that the ZENworks splash screen shown during kernel boot will be lost, and when using virtual machines, the Imaging GUI screen will be smaller.

Screen flickers or gets distorted in a Distro environment

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: The screen flickers or gets distorted in a Distro environment.
Action: Set the nomodeset kernel parameter.

For example, append="mode=5 splash=silent showopts vga=0x0314 nomodeset".

For more information, see Modifying Kernel Boot Parameters for ZENworks Imaging.

Unable to take an Image of a Windows 8 BIOS device in a WinPE environment

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: You cannot take an image of a Windows 8 BIOS device in a WinPE environment.
Action: To take an image of a Windows 8 BIOS device by using WADK32 or WAIK32, run the #reagentc /disable command as an administrator in the Windows operating system.

Unable to differentiate between WAIK and WADK uploads

Source: ZENworks 11; Preboot Services and Imaging.
Explanation: Before you perform any Third-Party Imaging operation, check to see if the WAIK or WADK uploads are present on the server. You cannot differentiate between WAIK and WADK uploads because when WADK is uploaded on a server with WAIK installed, the WADK overwrites the WAIK using the same .zip file name.
Action: To differentiate between WADK and WAIK uploads, check for the Product.Name and Product.Version attributes in the WdsConfig.inf file.

File path for Linux: /srv/tftp/boot/WdsConfig.inf

File path for Windows: %ZENWORKS_HOME%\share\tftp\boot\WdsConfig.inf

Product.Name for WAIK32: Windows 7

Product.Version for WAIK32: 6,1,0,0

Product.Name for WADK32: Windows 8

Product.Version for WADK32: 6,2,0,0