Super n00b Questions on 6.8 - 6.9 Upgrade

EarlGrey · 11-27-2008, 01:25 AM

Our Altiris administrator left last week, and in his handover to me neglected to tell us anything about licensing.
We now have an issue with PXE booting the new HP laptops (6730b) which is apparently fixed with version 6.9 SP1 according to the KB.

My question is this: Can I simply download the upgrade, install as per instructions and bob's your uncle? Or do I have to purchase the upgrade and/or get a proper Altiris-person to install it for us?

Nick · 11-27-2008, 01:43 AM

EarlGrey,

You can do an upgrade but it will require upgrading your pxe iso files as well.

It shouldn't be too much of a problem but if you don't feel comfortable with it and think you may want some help, send me a private message and I will hook you up with some talented people that can help you out.

Cheers,

EarlGrey · 11-27-2008, 01:49 AM

Many thanks for the reply. When you say upgrade the PXE ISOs, is that just a case of recompiling the boot options as I did on Monday when I had to add a new network drive map to the boot image? Or would it involve updating every image (and because we buy HP kit only, we have about ten current images) for it to work on 6.9?

Nick · 11-27-2008, 02:03 AM

Not the image but the preboot OS files (WinPE, Linux, DOS). Each release of Deployment Server has a new set of them that must be used with the correct version.

Your pxe menu's "should" stay the same but from some posts on the forums here have been claims that they were not maintained in the most recent release so you may be best served by backing up your pxe files prior to upgrading.

EarlGrey · 11-27-2008, 02:19 AM

Ah yes, I think I know what you're referring to. Should be able to manage that I think.
If it all goes wrong we have some spare consulting hours with our resellers that we can use. I'd just rather have a go at the "easier" stuff first so as not to waste their time.

When downloading, which of the options do I want to actually download?

(Just tried to post a screenshot, but it won't let me as I haven't made 15 posts yet!)

Nick · 11-27-2008, 02:35 AM

THIS video on the video repository page should help you out. I will most likely have to redo the video to reflect the move of the files over to the Symantec servers.

Alternatively, you can get the files from the Altirigos file repository.

EarlGrey · 11-27-2008, 02:41 AM

Brilliant - Deploymentsolution_win_6_9_client.zip
Deployment Server 6.9 Installer File

Downloading now!

EarlGrey · 12-03-2008, 12:36 AM

OK, I'm installing the upgrade now, but it's asking for a location of the Pre-Boot Operating System. We have used DOS in the past, but I can't find the files it's looking for.
Is there a default location for these files?

I would post a screenshot, but I can't - not enough posts yet!

Nick · 12-03-2008, 12:55 AM

You should be able to post a screenshot now.

EarlGrey · 12-03-2008, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

You should be able to post a screenshot now.

Many thanks!

Nick · 12-03-2008, 10:45 PM

The DOS files can come from a Win98 install CD, the rest of the preboots (WinPE, Linux) would come from download area that you can found the installer at.

EarlGrey · 12-03-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

The DOS files can come from a Win98 install CD, the rest of the preboots (WinPE, Linux) would come from download area that you can found the installer at.

Ah, so I have to reinstall DOS as a PBE?

I also have massive licensing issues now, none of my jobs work and it can't see my image share.

I'm reverting to the back up of the server, and have recommende that my boss get someone who knows what they're doing in to perform the upgrade! Thanks for all your help!

Nick · 12-03-2008, 10:52 PM

Correct on the PBE. Each release of DS requires the PBE be recreated.

Best of luck to you.

EarlGrey · 12-03-2008, 10:56 PM

Actually, with the licensing, where is my current file kept? I can't find reference to it in the documentation I have.

What's happened now is that I have a 30 day evaluation licence, which is only picking up 10 of my 500-ish computers (others are greyed out).
The instructions I have didn't address this area fully, but implied that the new version would pick up the correct licence files it needed automatically.

I have also tried the steps in the KB from Altiris to remove the evaluation licences, but all the Windows Certificates Console can see are 7 licences that expired in 2007.

Basically, the instructions provided by Symantec are an absolute joke. If I do get this sorted I might write up some decent ones!

Nick · 12-03-2008, 10:59 PM

License files are provided to you for download by Altiris/Symantec via their License Management Portal.

The DS licenses file comes in the form of a .lic file.

EarlGrey · 12-04-2008, 12:00 AM

Ah. That would be the licence portal that we've lost the login details to.

Nick · 12-04-2008, 02:13 AM

Give your sales rep a call. They should be able to get you sorted.

Brandon · 12-04-2008, 02:50 AM

For the upgrade you can just backup your old experss.exe file from the DS share as express.lic, then during the upgrade point to that file to restore the licensing when it asks. There are KB articles on this in the AKB. Getting your lmp stuff sorted out is important regardless though.

EarlGrey · 12-04-2008, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick

Give your sales rep a call. They should be able to get you sorted.

Hahaha!

We literally have *no* support for this app. We have no sales rep, no number we can call, no-one who even recalls how it was a set up.

You've got to laugh really.

Have advised my boss to buy a support contract, get a contractor in to do the upgrade, and he's using Ghost to get the 6730s imaged instead!

Thanks for all your help, will let you know how it goes!

Brandon · 12-16-2008, 02:09 PM

I contacted Altiris support because there doesn't appear to be driver support (Linux) for the 6730s Yukon card. I tried making them myself with the steps from https://kb.altiris.com/article.asp?article=36079&p=1 but I have no luck getting the driver itself compiled. If I end up getting .ko driver files for this card I will let you know.

If you use WinPE as your pre-boot environment it should be pretty easy to add drivers. If you are using DOS or Linux it is more problematic.

EarlGrey · 12-29-2008, 03:38 AM

So even if we do the upgrade, the network card driver issue still won't be fixed?

Brandon · 12-29-2008, 10:57 AM

I have been told for Linux that answer is no. I haven't confirmed this myself. You could just use WinPE though. That is what I am doing.

EarlGrey · 01-07-2009, 11:25 AM

Yay! We have a contractor coming in who is going to do the upgrade for us. I might get him to configure WinPE as well if he has time. What would that require?

Brandon · 01-07-2009, 11:36 AM

WinPE itself, 5 minutes. You just get the file after logging into the downloads section of altiris.com. Then from the boot disk creator you install pre-boot environment (screenshot from your post #10) and point to that file for WinPE.

I think it takes longer for WinPE to load each boot then it does to install it for use.

EarlGrey · 01-07-2009, 11:37 AM

Brilliant. Now to find the credentials for logging in to Altiris.com
If we have any.
Thanks for your help, much appreciated.