Primary lookup keys are not being gathered while in automation

Products

• Ghost Solution Suite

Issue/Introduction

When booting into WinPE automation it is found that the automation agent is not gathering primary lookup key data. (MAC address, UUID, SN, Asset Tag)  This causes managed machines to not perform the work that has been scheduled for it.  It will also cause new machines to not appear in the console at all.  The automation agent will look like it is connected but it won't be found in the console.

You won't see an error message during the boot process.  The client machine will not do the work that has been scheduled for it or it won't appear in the console (if it is a new machine).

Environment

Currently this is seen on all versions of GSS 3.x

Cause

There are currently two possible causes for this.

One:

The boot option was built from a remote console.  When building a thumb drive or a DVD .iso file from a remote GSS console you're also calling Boot Disk Creator remotely.  When gathering inventory the automation agent makes WMI calls.  To make these WMI calls there needs to be specific .cab files added to the boot.wim file when creating your boot option.  When creating this boot option from a remote console Boot Disk Creator is unable to locate the needed .cab files to add them to the boot.wim file.

Two:

Currently, the BDC will cache certain files to assist with building the boot option quicker.  These files are stored under a folder called cache in both the x86 and x64 folders.

32-bit

C:\Program Files (x86)\altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\Bootwiz\Platforms\WINPE10\X86\Cache\

64-bit

C:\Program Files (x86)\altiris\eXpress\Deployment Server\Bootwiz\Platforms\WINPE10\X86\Cache\

This cache folder can become corrupt.  When building a boot image we'll go to the cache location, take what is there, and build the boot.wim.  The needed WMI cab file will not get included.

Resolution

Currently there isn't a solution for cause one when creating the boot option on a remote system.  Development is aware of the issue and is working on a resolution.

To work around this issue for now, make your bootable thumb drive or DVD .iso file on the GSS server directly. Doing this will ensure the necessary files are present in the boot.wim file.

For cause two, the solution is to delete the cache folder located in the path mentioned above.  Then rebuild your boot option.  This will ensure the needed WMI cab file is present.