Comments on: Sysprep, Standard PC, ACPI, Ghost Images

By: James

James — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:16:53 +0000

I think on my latest image I am using ACPI Uniprocessor PC which seems to be working well. It seems to automatically upgrade to the multiprocessor ACPI when rolling it out to the Core 2 Duos, etc. I haven’t tried putting it on any GX150s, although I think it went onto a GX50 fine?
We are mostly using GX270′s though.

By: Gene Cumm

Gene Cumm — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 03:32:16 +0000

You could do it manually (by any of various methods: changing it in Device Manager, loading the appropriate files manually, etc) or, the documentation of SYSPREP seems to hint on changing it from the sysprep.inf. I have not tried either. Changing it with SYSPREP depends on where SYSPREP implements the HAL change, while still actively booted, in the boot loader (doubtful) or in the Preboot environment that SYSPREP runs most of its magic. If in the preboot, you’re already SOL as you’re attempting an APIC HAL on a PIC machine.

For the creation of my master images, I’m using a Dell OptiPlex GX150, equipped with the best hardware I can as it is the most powerful PIC-based machine we have. If I were to change to a more current APIC-based machine while still wanting PIC compatibility, I’d merely SYSPREP but not do anything with the HAL.

By: Ghost

Ghost — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 21:18:58 +0000

Gene,

How do you propose going from ACPI APIC to ACPI PIC?

By: Brandon

Brandon — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:39:15 +0000

Hey Ruby-Rose,

To disprove your point, in less than two weeks here is the second interested reader commenting while in the “Very Small Minority”.

By: Ruby-Rose Ross is absoultly awesome and James Nimmo only wishes he could be like her.

Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:58:33 +0000

Cracks me up how this blogging of yours has now been completely dominated by such a subject that only a very small minority will ever be interested in……

P.s. Did I say it nicely??…. although I’m sure your very well aware… I just felt like emphasizing it.

: )

By: Gene Cumm

Gene Cumm — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 00:24:38 +0000

I haven’t tried using “Standard PC”, the non-ACPI HAL as a base but using “Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC”, the PIC-based ACPI HAL, I’ve successfully deployed this to any Dell machine my organization has (ranging from an OptiPlex GX1 with a P2-266 and 440BX to an OptiPlex 755 with a Core2 on the G35 with laptops made in similar time) with the proper HAL (always ACPI but either PIC or APIC based with some using multiprocessor) by using -bmsd and adding the AHCI drivers to the list.

MS doesn’t support changing HALs except as a diagnostic step and only supports the proper HAL on any machine. Using Ghost, Sysprep and MySysprep in this way is not supported but works perfectly. I think they only support using RIS or the Install CD to start a system for a new HAL. Supposedly, ACPI APIC HALs will switch automatically in XP and 2003 but I haven’t tested this (between the ACPI APIC-UP and ACPI APIC-MP HALs). The list in the KB article you site is what they support not what is possible. ACPI APIC to ACPI PIC is possible if done beforehand (MySysprep can’t as the boot environment is in the APIC HAL which can’t boot on a PIC machine).