If you try to build a preboot environment, or rebuild one if you've performed an upgrade, Bootwiz never starts. Even if you run the Delta Update manually, and update the configuation on the site server (package server in this case), BootWiz doesn't start (this is actually what used to work in DS 7.1).
Some of the symptoms may include:
There are multiple possible issues, including:
First, this is actually a misunderstanding. BootWiz WILL actually start, but it may take a significant period of time. On the SMP you should see near immediate results, but on Site Servers, especially remote ones, the delay could be significant!
Explanation
BootWiz is now located in a package in DS 7.5, unlike the default installation in DS 7.1. What this means, is that the package must be downloaded before it can be executed. On site servers this is particularly noticeable though because of bandwidth constraints, site constraints (e.g. constrained package servers) etc. The delay can be very significant. Additionally, the trigger for the download (or update, e.g. if new drivers were added) is when the task runs, not like a package server which is updated when the package gets a new version. This introduces a potential "new" delay that can be noticeable.
As a general rule, the delay should be seen only the first time BootWiz runs, or when the package has been updated with new drivers. New drivers though should pose a very short delay as we only update the files that are missing.
Obviously, this issue will be seen every time a new package server is added.
Another version of this problem comes essentially from being in a hurry. When a Site Server is installed, only the agent is installed. We may immediately go out and attempt to make it an NBS server, before some of the other agent plugins (e.g. Task is the most important of these) are installed. If we do this, potentially, the policy to install NBS may get there before a number of other requisite policies and fail to install correctly. At least one known issue is logged that Task has to be installed first, as well as another plugin. It may be best to wait for a day before making a new site server an NBS server.
We've seen some instances where the BDC itself is broken, either because it's missing files or something else is wrong.
BDC on a Site Server is executed under the agent. Assuming all default locations, on an NS, this will be from the following:
In that folder, there should be a BootWiz.EXE and a BootWiz.TXT file. The latter is a log file, and often BootWiz is actually running but failing. If the folder is not there, obviously it will not run. This may mean it's the other version of the problem. If it is present though, look for the Bootwiz.txt file, open it, and read it. Each "run" of Bootwiz is clearly diliminated. Looking at the last or nearly the last "run" (start from the end) may tell you something. Look for "invalid OS Type" or something of that effect. If you find it, you're looking at a broken build.
Additionally, in the 'long-guid-here' folder, there should be 3 XML files: Snapshot, Snapdata, and Log. The two "snap" files are updated, at least, every time you update the BDC, OR every time you click "update Distribution points" in the console on the BDC package.
If the files or folders listed above are simply missing, browse to the package "source" location to see where the problem "begins". Assuming all defalt locations, on the SMP, look for:
Launch Bootwiz.exe from here, cancel the create new config option, and then in the Menu, select Tools | Install Preboot Operating Systems. The screen that pops up will have 4 preboot OS's and "should" have 3 of them selected including two from WinPE. If 1,3, and 4 are not selected - do not have a check mark by them - then you're broken.
Finally, check the following location for 2 "shortcut" looking folders (actually, they're symbolic links and will have the exact same data as in the above location):
Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\NSCap\Bin\Deployment
Check for the BDC "shortcut" / Link folder. If missing, this is another clear indication of corruption.
If the data on the SMP looks fine, but the data under the Agent is not, you may need to simply "wait" for things to catch up. Check for all the appropriate sub-agents (e.g. DS Package Handler on package servers) and ensure that package replication is working, the package servers are updating, and that the agents are checking in. Remember, it can take time. And remember to actually trigger a build of the environment after making any changes you may need. If the agent packages were not installed and now are, for instance, you'll have to now re-build the automation environment, which will create the task that will request the download of the BootWiz package. Without asking for that to be built, you may wait forever...
If you think there's corruption, we have some suggestions that may resolve things. Missing files or links or missing "anything" really can indicate corruption, and the following whould be followed. Remember though to separate what is under the AGENT with what is under altiris\Deployment and/or altiris\Notification Server. The latter two are server-side issues which we'll help fix with the steps below. The fomer folder / the agent folder / even on the SMP, is a completely different set of processes.
Any remaining errors you are runnning into after this should be reported to Support.
Additional "possible" tips that really should be avoided:
In an Emergency, the following steps MAY be useful, but should be generally avoided (that is, try this only after all else has failed):
You may be able to simply run a repair on the MSI for DS 7.5 from the Symantec Installation Manager\Installs folder. This is done by runing the symantec_deploymentsolution_7_5_x64.MSI file, and you should run this from a "Run" or command line with skipaim=1 directly following the name of the MSI.
Remember to run the configuration file again (step 2 above) if you do this.
IF the Symbolic links are still missing after the reconfigure, you can essentially force in the links by doing the following from command-line: