2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 16:34:48 Z

Hello I have two systems that are producing the same result when I attempt to follow the article to create a .clg file from the install.wim on the Windows x64 DVD.

Here is a link to the instructions.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc749317.aspx

The problem happens at this step

On the File menu, click Select Windows Image.
In the Select a Windows Image dialog box, navigate to the location where you saved the Install.wim file, and then click Open

The install hangs on both systems, it will take up CPU cycles then eventually just halts. I cannot find an event or log file that is generated after the problem happens.

See the screenshot for a visual.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/23615892@N07/3381944689/sizes/o/

Eventually I choose to Stop the "Generating Catalog File" as it does nothing after two hours. The stopping hangs afterwards as well.

I am considering re-building one of the servers with 2008 x64 SP2(RC) and see if the new version
behaves any different.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

Michael Barbere

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 03:37:47 Z

Hi,

I suggest copying the install.wim file from the Windows Server 2008 disk to the local hard drive first and then generating a catalog file from this install.wim

If the issue persists, you can rebuild a Windows Server 2008 64bit system without SP2 to test the result as SP2 is still in beta.

Also please test if you can generate a catalog file from a install.wim in a Windows Vista 64bit disk.

Hope it helps.

Tim Quan - MSFT

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:19:14 Z

Hello Tim:

I forgot to add that I have tried this on two different systems with the exact same result. Both were x64 systems with the install.wim copied to the same partition as the utility Windows System Image Manager resides.

I have also tried to run this on a Vista x64 system with the same result using the 2008 x64 install.wim.

Behavior ImageCat.EXE takes up CPU cycles for about 10 minutes than drops to 00 during the Serializing Data process.

Happens on HP BL25P Blade, HP Proliant DL585 g5 with x64 2008 running.

Happens on HP dc5000 with Vista x64 loaded.

I am running out of ideas, that is why I thought trying the SP2 build might help.

Has anyone else tried what I have and been succesful?

I have not tried a Vistax64 .wim as I am not at all interested in doing Desktop builds.

Best Regards,

Michael Barbere

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 20:52:39 Z

Additional information:

I was using older builds (April 2008 Volume License Disk) before, so I attempted with the latest build 12/08 .iso from Microsoft.

This bluescreened my Vista x64 machine and hung up my Server 2008 x64 machine the same as before.

I am about to put in a ticket with Microsoft if I cannot get this cleared up.

Any more info would be great,

Michael Barbere

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Tue, 31 Mar 2009 04:21:09 Z

Hi Michael,

Thank you for the reply.

Please make sure you use the latest version of WAIK:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=94bb6e34-d890-4932-81a5-5b50c657de08

Then let’s perform a Clean Boot.

Clean boot

=================

Let’s disable all startup items and third party services when booting. This method will help us determine if this issue is caused by a loading program or service. Please perform the following steps:

1. Click the Start Button type "msconfig" (without quotation marks) in the Start Search box, and then press Enter.

Note: If prompted, please click Continue on the User Account Control (UAC) window.

2. Click the "Services" tab, check the "Hide All Microsoft Services" box and click "Disable All" (if it is not gray).

3. Click the "Startup" tab, click "Disable All" and click "OK".

Then, restart the computer. When the "System Configuration Utility" window appears, please check the "Don't show this message or launch the System Configuration Utility when Windows starts" box and click OK.

Please test this issue in the Clean Boot environment, if the issue disappears in the Clean Boot environment, we can use a 50/50 approach to quickly narrow down which entry is causing the issue.

If the issue persists, I suggest downloading the latest Windows Server 2008 iso from the following site:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=13C7300E-935C-415A-A79C-538E933D5424&displaylang=en

I suggest also trying a Windows Vista 64bit install.wim. Please understand that we only use this Windows Vista 64bit install.wim to test the result. If we can a generate catalog file from it, we can infer that WAIK works properly and the cause can be related to the Windows Server 2008 instll.wim you used.

In addition, have you rebuilt a new system to check the result?

Tim Quan - MSFT

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:13:03 Z

I too have what appears to be the exact same issue. All I wanted to do was create a sysprep.xml file. Not sure why this once very simple task has now become so complex...

Any help would be appreciated.

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:58:58 Z

I also have the same exact problem. This happens when I run the catalog from system image manager and also when I click edit unattend.xml in MDT. Not sure why this is happening. Would love to find a solution...

Thanks,
Marc

2008-x64-Windows System Image Manager-Generating Catalog File--hang

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:47:50 Z

I removed the underscores and it still does the same thing. It hangs up and does not work!! Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Marc