- Boot images
- An operating system deployment boot image is a Windows® Pre-Installation Environment (WinPE)
2.1 image that is used to deploy the operating system. The Boot Images
node displays a list of the operating system deployment boot images
that exist and actions that you can run. Select a boot image to see
specific actions that you can run for that boot image.
- Built-in actions
- The Task Sequence Editor comes with built-in, or preconfigured,
actions for performing such standard tasks as:
- Operating system image deployment
- Operating system configuration
- Automatic driver injection into an operating system installation
- Configuration of network parameters
- Configuration of Windows settings
- Computer associations
- A computer association organizes the migration of user state and
settings from a reference computer to a destination computer. The
reference computer is an existing computer that is managed by Configuration
Manager 2007, which contains the state and settings to be migrated.
The Computer Association node displays a list of existing computer
associations and the actions that you can run. Select a computer association
to view specific actions that you can run for that computer association.
- Condition
- A parameter within a task sequence step or task sequence group
that determines whether the Configuration Manager Client should process
the action. Conditions can be based on a number of variables, including
collection or machine variables, task sequence variables, Windows Management Instrumentation
(WMI) queries, and more.
For more information about conditions,
see TechNet: Task Sequence Options Tab
- Custom actions
- IBM® provides custom tools
for configuring IBM hardware.
These utilities are often run behind the scenes in a stand-alone GUI
or are integrated into another tool set.
You also have the ability
to create a custom action, with custom user interfaces, to use your
own tools and actions. You can use drop-down lists, checkboxes and
buttons to format the appropriate commands for your tools or actions.
Custom
actions can also combine a number of related actions into a single
menu item. For example, you could create a custom action to perform
pre-configuration and post-configuration tasks.
- Device drivers
- A device driver consists of an INF file that describes how to
install the driver, the driver file, and one or more additional files
required for device support. A driver package is a Configuration Manager
2007 package that contains the content for one or more device drivers.
Driver package content is added to a driver package shared disk. The
driver package can then be copied to a distribution point so that
computers can install them.
When you perform operating system deployments,
the Auto Apply Drivers and Apply Driver Package task sequence actions
can be used to apply the specified device driver or device driver
package onto each computer that will receive the corresponding image.
- Driver catalogs
- The driver catalog helps manage the cost and complexity of operating
system deployment by providing a centralized location to manage Windows device drivers.
When
you create generic operating system images, you can import the related
device drivers into the driver catalog.
- Group
- A group is a logical arrangement of multiple steps within a task
sequence. A task sequence group consists of a name and an optional
check for the conditions assigned to a task. Grouping task sequence
steps is not required. However, using groups improves the readability
of the task sequence and provides better error handling and conditional
execution.
- Operating system images
- The Operating System Images node displays a list of the operating
system deployment image packages that exist and the actions that you
can run. Select an operating system image package from the Operating
System Images results pane to view specific actions that you can run
for that operating system image package. A Windows Imaging (WIM) file, which is the
file format for a captured image, is a compressed collection of files
and folders.
- Operating system installation packages
- The Operating System Install Packages node
displays a list of existing operating system installation packages
in the Details pane.
You can add a new
operating system install package, or copy an existing one with the
appropriate wizard.
- Step
- A step is the basic component of a task sequence or task sequence
group. Each step can contain an action and an optional check for the
conditions assigned to a task.
- Task sequence action
- The general term for a single step within a task sequence. There
are two types of task sequence actions: built-in actions and custom
actions.
- Task Sequence Editor
- Use the Task Sequence Editor to modify new or existing task sequences.
You can add, remove, or modify the task steps and groups within a
task sequence.
You can update or change the run-time actions associated
with an existing task sequence. You can change the order of the task
sequence steps. You can specify how the task sequence handles errors
for failed task sequence steps. You can also add conditional processing
to the task sequence for certain options.
- Task sequences
- A task sequence is a series of one or more task steps that can
be advertised to Configuration Manager 2007 clients to run user-specified
actions. Task sequences are used with Operating System Deployment
to build source computers, capture an operating system image, migrate
user and computer settings, and deploy an image to a collection of
target computers. Task sequences can also be used to run other Configuration
Manager 2007 actions, such as deploying Configuration Manager 2007
software packages or running custom command lines.
For more information
about task sequences, see TechNet: About Task Sequences.
- Task sequence variables
- When a task sequence is running, the Task Sequence environment
contains many variables, including temporary variables available only
to the running action, variables available throughout the task sequence,
and variables that are more permanent such as machine or collection
variables. These variables play a part in many aspects of the task
sequence, but especially in the use of conditions.
For more information
about variables, see TechNet: About Task Sequence Variables.