Snap Deploy 2.0 Problems - I think I know the answer

[TravisTMan]

All,

This is what has happened to me. I have 50 notebooks all the same hardware. May 20, 2007 I created and image with all current Windows and Software updates. I can deploy this image over and over and I have no problems.

School is getting ready to start so I updated the image with the following updates: FireFox 2.0.0.6, Quicktime 7.2, Java 6 update 2, Adobe Reader 8.1 and all Windows Updates I have a list of them there are baout 9 or so). After installing these updates I create a new image and try to deploy it.

No matter what I do after deploying the new image it comes up to the screen saying the Acronis Snap Deploy is changing SIDs and setting network optiosn and so on - only it never finishes and never reboots. After a while I a red X appears on the box and I can close it and log in to the machine. The machine has not finished the "patching" process at this point so I reboot it and the same thing happens over and over.

I checked the Event Logs and see that the Patcher Service failed to start. Thsi is the service that does all of the post image processing like changing SIDs and what not. So - with all of this - here are my results and testing strategy.

1. I can deploy and old image 10 times no problems.
2. TESTING IN PROCESS - I am creating a new image from the old to test that there is nothing wrong with the image creation process. No updates are being installed on this image.
3. I am creating a new image from the old. I am installing only program updates - no Windows Udpates.

My guess is one of the following will happen:
1. If Test 2 above fails then I know I have a problem in the imaging/deploy process - harware most likely. If Test 2 above passes - then I need to look at Test 3.
2. If Test 3 Fails then as I suspect, there is a Windows Udpate that came out in the last 3 months that conflicts with the Snap Deploy Patcher Service. I have a list of the Windows Update it could be and will post them here if/when that time comes


I hope this gives you all some insight - but I think it is a Windows Update/Snap Deploy conflict. I will psot back with my result shere in about 1-2 hours. Please feel free to share your thoughts.

[TravisTMan]

OK - round one results are in....

1. When deploying the known good image and creating a new image from that and reploying it, it works ok, but I do get some windows when logging in saying the registry was successfully repaired.

2. When using the known good image as the base and installing FFox 2.0.0.6, Quicktime 7.2, Java 6 update 2 and making a new image and deploying it - it fails.


As a result:
Windows Security updates are not the source of the problem. it may be registry damage caused by Acronis or by installing some of these other programs. I will run a registry cleaner on the known good image and try just creating/deplying the known godo image. A chkdisk /f and chkdks /r finds no errors on the source or target machines.

Travis

[TravisTMan]

registry cleaner didn't change anything. I am going to try a new/different switch.

Travis

[TravisTMan]

After much much troubleshooting - days and ays and trying to work with the Russin Tech Support Team whom seems to only work during Russion daytime hours I have decided to abandon the product and have purchased Ghost Suite. It did what is was supposed to do right out the box. I am processing the paperwork right now to get my refund on the maintenance that I just recently purchased.

What a disappointment.

TR

[DMSIT]

Has anyone else expierenced this problem? I was so pumped as the initial install was flawless. After deploying the image and the Client PC restarted I am getting the same error as TravisTMan. Personally I do not want to switch to Ghost so if anyone has a fix other then editing the registry as Acronis support suggested I would greatly appreciate it. There has to be a reason behind this.

[TravisTMan]

I have been working with them on this for over a week and every time I speak to them I get "we are working on a solution in QA". The last time I spoke to them they told me to use a 3rd party utility to manually change the SIDs for each machien I clone - YEAH RIGHT!!!

They know the problem is in the ChangeSID routine, but it doesn't sound liek they have a handle on it at all.

T