How To See A Command Window When Imaging Under WinPE
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Thread: How To See A Command Window When Imaging Under WinPE

  1. #1
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    How To See A Command Window When Imaging Under WinPE

    I'm not sure if this question belongs here, but since the target OS is Win7, here we go.

    We use WinPE to image devices via CM2012 OSD, and the steps ("task sequence") run in a hidden command prompt window: is there a way (keyboard shortcut?) to open this hidden window to determine the status? It's not unusual for there to be a 'pause' or two in the imaging process, but when it seems to stop, I want to figure out where it hangs, rather than just restart the process.

    Appreciate any assistance.

    Thanks,
    Dr. D.

  2. #2
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    What happens if you press Control+Alt+Delete and select Task Manager? Can you see the hidden window under Applications? If yes, then you might be able to switch to it. However, even if you could, it will depend on how that backup process works. If it just calls an .exe to make the backup, then you probably won't see anything useful. If there are a series of calls or steps, a better solution might be to add commands to create a log file that you could check to see how far the process has gone.

    Of course, another alternative would be to use a different backup imaging method that runs from a bootable CD and has on-screen status or progress messages and also creates a log file.

  3. #3
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    Thanks for the reply. I have no say over the process (that's a whole different roach infestation....), just trying to work within it. I just tried ctrl+alt+del but it's not active, apparently, during this process. There is a reasonable 'progress bar' that appears when everything is proceeding normally: it's just when 'hung' I don't have any indication as to where.

  4. #4
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    Is this for re-imaging new computers with an OS that has preset parameters, like for a corporate new PC setup? If so, I'm not sure that you would be able to do anything useful with the info even if you could see where in the process it hung up. Perhaps some additional information would help. If you could see at what point the problem occurred, how would that be helpful? (Driver install failed for example?)

  5. #5
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    Yes - it's our 'enterprise' OS image. And yes - the reason for the question is to determine where the process hangs so we can figure out what's the cause and fix it. It's incumbent on us to troubleshoot first before escalating the problem(s).

    I would be almost ecstatic if it were just a driver issue: that's pretty easy to resolve, at least as far as my experience goes. Usually it's a combination of network hiccups, server access (and loading), task sequence updates not tested properly, or even just minor 'point versions' of h/w & s/w - all can cause our process to fail, and if I had a dime for every time I've done the "......just retry the image and see if that fixes the issue(s)...." dance, I'd own this forum.

    Wait - why would I want to do that???

    I appreciate your follow-up, though: thanks much.

  6. #6
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    Some additional thoughts on your issue:

    If the process hangs at the same point every time, then you have a chance at locating the problem area. However, if it iworks one time and not another, using the same comouter and the same image and parameters, then you changes of locating the problem have just decreased significantly.

    Also, even if you could pinpoint the step that it hangs on, you are not really that much closer to solving the issue, as there are likely a large number of issues that can be affecting that step. A better option, at least for initial testing, assuming that you aren't already doing this, is to run through a new image setup on a new computer at least once manually, to see if there is something that is being left out of the image setup or something that the new computer is not liking or having issues with.

    If a manual install and setup works OK, and you have everything used in that incorporated into your automated image setup process, you might look into some of the settings available. It appears that there may be a test mode that you can select that could be helpful. Check out the links below:

    http://www.rickygao.com/step-by-step...sd-deployment/

    https://www.google.com/?gws_rd=ssl#q...s+step+through

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