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K2000 best practices

Prerequisites:

  1. NIC need to be able to PXE (fixed or via USB dongle)
    1. BIOS configuration
    2. Dongle needs to support PXE (Startech 7500 USB to Ethernet Dongle is supported)
  1. Not possible via WLAN/Bluetooth
  2. DHCP server needs to be configured correctly
    1. KACE internal DHCP server is suitable
    2. Options 66 (FQDN of the K2000 or RSA), 67(k2000.0)+ 244(IP of the K2000 or RSA) need to be set
    3. Client needs to be in the same subnet like the K2000 or RSA

 Deployment:

  1. Client boots to the  KBE-Boot Environment
    1. Via PXE
    2. KBE from boot media (flash media/USB thumb key)

http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/deploying-images-from-usb-devices-with-the-kace-2000

  1. KBE mounts the K2000
    1. KBE needs only two drivers: network + storage for the questioned system
    2. KBE queries kgetdhcp 66 and kgetdhcp 244 to get the correct IP
    3. KBE mounts the drivers \\k2000\drivers\ as drive Y:
    4. If this fails possibly a driver is missing https://support.software.dell.com/kb/111717
  1. KBE runs the interactive GUI or if started as automated task directly the SI/Image
  2. KBE runs the Pre-Install Tasks
    1. Create partition(s)
    2. Format the partition(s)
    3. Install MBR for questioned OS
    4. Get/Set Computername if needed

http://www.kace.com/support/resources/kb/article/get-set-computername

  1. KBE runs the Installation (SI/Imaging) including Mid-Install Tasks
  2. Reboot, the client boots from HDD
  3. OS runs the Post-Install Tasks
    1. Install Agent
    2. Automatic inject the drivers so no yellow question mark is in device manager anymore

                 i.      For Dell systems: enable the driver feed and download the drivers for that system

                ii.      For systems which are not in that feed: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/driver-feed-builder

  1. Modify the firewall to allow the agent
  2. Scripts for all stuff you may need
  3. Installing software should be done by the K1 if possible

Typical issues:

Before testing on a client please try always in a virtual environment to be shure that the installation itself works fine

  1. Client don’t boot the KBE
    1. Review this table for Dell systems: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/bios-pxe-boot-issues
  1. Review the BIOS config of the client (boot from NIC with PXE)
  2. Review the settings of the DHCP server (the settings must not have a space in it (esp. at the end!)
  3. Client boots the KBE but is not able to mount the K2000
    1. Check if the KBE got a correct IP

                i.      Type ipconfig /all

               ii.      If no IP: clean out all drivers for the KBE and download the KBE driver pack and install it   https://support.software.dell.com/kb/111717

              iii.      Recache the drivers and rebuild the KBE

              iv.      If this don’t fix: inject on the same way the needed network + storage drivers

               v.      Recache and rebuild

  1. Post Install Tasks not working correctly
    1. Use the runonceex converter http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/k2000-postinstall-task-converter
    2. If a batch is started, use call call batch.bat
    3. If a vbs is started, use cscript cscript vbscript.vbs
    4. If you use a post install task use start /wait
    5. Attachments must be smaller than 2GB due to a limitation of the box
    6. If you use 3.6 or newer: remove all call, cscript, start /wait and the runonceex-converter, as this was only needed prior to 3.6 since with the 3.6 a new task scheduler is in use which does not need it anymore. You can use the K2 advisor to check your installations. It will show you possible problems: http://www.itninja.com/blog/view/k2-advisor 

Comments

  • Nico - There is an error in the link to www.kace.com/support/resources/kb/solutiondetail?sol=SOL111717
    For some reason when you select on the link it adds a "9" (SOL1117179) to the URL and it fails. - LarryD 9 years ago
    • Larry, thanks for the info, fixed it. Also added some informations for 3.6 since there some stuff is working differently (I love the 3.6!) - Nico_K 9 years ago
  • Excellent, everything in one place!! Thanks Nico. - Hrkljus 7 years ago
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