NetInstall Troubles

lehmanp · #1 February 12th, 2007, 02:27 PM

Hello,
First of all, I am new to Mac's. We have a lab with 18 MacBooks that we would like to image from a server. The server is a G4 tower with a RAID in it. I did not config the server. It is running OS X 10.4.7.(?) the latest build anyways. I have made a .dmg file. Used the Image Utility (the stamp icon) to create the .nbi folder on the sever. I can boot the clients to the Network Installer screen. However, the installer (using the log viewer) says "couldn't mount the source image." Now, the path for the .nbi file is NOT in the Macintosh HD volume, but the RAID volume. Could this be the problem?? or is there something else going on?
Thanks in advance!

molarszbt18 · #2 February 12th, 2007, 10:08 PM

I would use carbon copy cloner I have noever gotten net boot to really work well

cemyers · #3 February 13th, 2007, 03:26 PM

The .nbi file DOES reside on the server. The source image could be the
problem. If you have a separate .dmg file, did you make it with the
Apple Disk Utility? If so, you must then scan the image for software
restore... in Disk Utility is is under Images > Scan image for restore...
I had this error happen once and that fixed it.

Multicast ASR works better for me, netinstall seems flakey sometimes.
Make a minimal image, then save it as a NetBoot image onto the server. Then, use your .dmg master image file as the image source. Run the
multicast program, either Proton Pack or Mac HelpMate, both available
free on the web.

lehmanp · #4 February 19th, 2007, 10:32 AM

I'll answer my own post...
The port on the switch that the server was plugged into was set to 100 full-duplex. On a whim, I set it to Auto. All problems solved. Imaging works fine now. Take about 30 minutes to image a Macbook. I'm guessing that the Netowrk Insaller on the client was timing out, because it communication was so slow.

Hope this helps someone else.