We have sccm 2007 R2 running in the office. I am new to sccm. Recently, I have been asked to set up operating system deployment for windows 2008. However i have trouble making the task sequence to show up in the task sequence wizard when booting a test machine via pxe. I followed the step by step instructions such as creating the task sequence, collection, import a new computer, advertise, etc. There are some other task sequences available on the list to be selected. How can I make the one I created to show up there. I have made sure the "Make this task sequence available to boot media and PXE" is enabled. Any help? THANKS.

Have the machine been deployed previously? / JohanRegards / Johan Arwidmark Twitter: @jarwidmark Blog: http://www.deploymentresearch.com FB: www.facebook.com/deploymentresearch

The test machine might have a sccm client previously. But it has been manually re-imaged without sccm client before sending to me for testing. I did run a sccm report with its MAC and found no computer with that MAC.

I double checked. The test machine has not been deployed previously.

Well, if the machine is not in ConfigMgr, you need to advertise the task sequence to the All Unknown Computers collection (assuming R2 or R3, and unknown computer support enabled). / JohanRegards / Johan Arwidmark Twitter: @jarwidmark Blog: http://www.deploymentresearch.com FB: www.facebook.com/deploymentresearch

I have manually imported the test machine into SCCM, added the machine to a custom collection and advertised the task sequence to the collection. Shouldn't that be all I need? I still can't see the task sequence when PXE boot the test machine. Do I still need to advertise the task sequence to "all unknown computers"?

As long as you selected to make the task sequence available for boot media and pxe on the advertisement, yes. Check the smspxe.log for information on why it was not accepted to pxe-boot. / JohanRegards / Johan Arwidmark Twitter: @jarwidmark Blog: http://www.deploymentresearch.com FB: www.facebook.com/deploymentresearch

Remember you have to select the bootimage in the TS prior to enable the "make the task sequence available for boot media and pxe".

There is no error in the smspxe.log file. Yes, "Make the task sequence avaiable for boot media and pxe" is enabled. I have just tried this... After I advertised my task sequence to All Unknown Computers collection, the task sequence showed up when the test machine was pxe-boot. This shows my task sequence should work. But what I want to do is to only advertise my task sequence to a custom collection, not All Unknown Computers. Any idea what I am missing??? Thx.

create two advertisements for your Task Sequence, target one advertisement at New (not in the sccm database) Computers (bare metal) by pointing it at the Unknown Computers collection target another advertisment at Known Computers (computers already in SCCM) by pointing it at your Deploy OS collection. that should be enough cheers niall My step by step SCCM Guides I'm on Twitter > ncbrady

i faced the same issue. i had created new advertisement on a new collection worked for me

Thanks for replies. I have just done the following: - create a new advertisement with my task sequence and point at the All Unknown Computer collection - create a new advertisement with my task sequence and point at the custom collection (with only my test system in this collection) When I pxe-boot my test system, my task sequence does show up. It is good. But when I pxe-boot another test system which I have manually imported into sccm but NOT added to the custom collection, my task sequence also shows up. I only want those systems in the custom collection to have access to my task sequence. How can I do that? Is there a missing step somewhere? Thx.

i faced the same issue. i had created new advertisement on a new collection worked for me

Hi. I see only to possibilities. 1. The system is still unknown in the SCCM Database. Meaning that is was imported wrong (sorry).. 2. The system exist in a collection to where you advertised the TS. Check this really good article from Steve Rachui. It´s explaining the unknown computer process: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/steverac/archive/2008/09/21/unknown-computers-in-sccm-2007-r2-how-it-works.aspx Rgds Thomas

If you use assignments you can use the clear pxe status flag on collection or computer object. Make sure to avoid duplicate records (primary key as Mac address or GUID) because the pxe server only use 1 based on database return value. Boundaries and site assignment must be configured properly.