ConfigMgr 2007: In an Configuration Manager 2007 OSD Task Sequence, device drivers do not install during Mini-Setup in Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 although the proper drivers are injected

When deploying a Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 image to a PC via an Configuration Manager 2007 OSD Task Sequence, proper drivers are injected onto the PC but they do not install during Windows Mini-Setup.

Checking the registry key

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DevicePath

on the affected PC confirms that the Configuration Manager 2007 OSD Task Sequence has properly updated the paths in the key with the location of the device drivers where Configuration Manager 2007 has copied the device drivers to on the local hard drive (usually C:\Drivers\1;C:\Drivers\2;C:\Drivers\3;etc.).

Checking the local files system (C:\Drivers\1;C:\Drivers\2;C:\Drivers\3;etc.) on the affected PC also confirms that the proper device drivers have been copied over.

Right clicking on the device in Device Manager and choosing the option to "Update Driver" or "Install Driver" causes the driver to be found and be automatically installed. No manual intervention is needed to install the driver (i.e., manually pointing to where the installation files of the driver are located under C:\Drivers; copying the device drivers locally; etc).

Examining the smsts.log. setupapi.log, and setupact.log reveals no errors. The smsts.log will show that the drivers were inject properly. There will not be an indication in the setupapi.log and setupact.log that the drivers were even attempted to be installed.

This problem may occur if the reference Windows XP/Windows Server 2003 OS image was built on a certain model type and all drivers for that model PC were installed as part of the OS image before the reference OS image was captured. When the image is dropped down on the same model PC or a PC with similar or the same hardware, the drivers that were installed as part of the reference OS image may not reinstall automatically during Windows Mini-Setup.

There are two resolutions to this problem:

Method 1

Rebuild the reference OS image, but do not install any device drivers on the reference image EXCEPT for the NIC driver. It is ok to leave the devices on the PC in an uninstalled state (yellow bang (!) in Device Manager) while the reference image is being built and when the reference image is captured. Because an Configuration Manager 2007 OSD Task Sequence will inject any necessary drivers when the image is deployed, it should not be necessary to include the device drivers as part of the reference image

Method 2

If it is not desired to rebuild the reference image, some lines can be added into the Sysprep.inf which will cause the drivers for all of the devices on the PC to be forced to be reinstalled during Windows Mini-Setup:

1) On the Configuration Manager 2007 site server, open Notepad and paste in only the following lines:

[Unattended]
UpdateInstalledDrivers = Yes

2) Save the file with the name

Sysprep.inf

Make sure that when saving the file in Notepad that "All Files (*.*)" is selected next to "Save as type:" so that the file extension .TXT is not added to the file name.

3) In the Configuration Manager 2007 Admin Console under the Software Distribution node, create a package with the Sysprep.inf file created in Step 2 as part of the source files. It is not necessary to create a program as part of the Software Distribution package.

4) Right click on the Task Sequence that deploys the image and choose "Edit".

5) Select the task "Apply Operating System" task.

6) Select the option "Use an unattended or sysprep answer file for a custom installation", and then point to the package created in Step 3. For the "Filename:" field, enter in

Sysprep.inf

7) Click the "OK" button to save the Task Sequence.

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