Disk Imaging

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Disk Imaging

• Made easy

Todd Houle THoule_at_wesleyan.edu Wesleyan
University Oct. 1st, 2007
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Why Use Disk Images?

• To be more efficient in deploying
• To be able to recover from problems
• To standardize on software

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Differences in Methods

• Radmind -gt Great for incremental updates and
  quick repairs
• -gt Tougher learning curve
• -gt Best for Lab/Classroom use
• -gt More Flexibility in image differences
• ASR -gt Complete imaging for a through rebuilding
• -gt Can take longer to update or clean a
  computer.

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Building a Disk Image

• Start with a Master Machine
• Install all applications
• Enter serial numbers
• Run software updates
• Do not bind to Active Directory (use LDAP?)

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Creating the Image (overview)

• Boot from another device
• Netboot or Firewire Drive
• Remove special files
• ltsee next slidegt
• Save the Image to a File
• Scan the image

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Files to Remove

• /Volumes/MacHD
• /var/db/.AppleSetupDone
• -gt to create a new admin account
• /var/vm/swapfile
• -gt virtual memory storage
• /var/db/BootCache.playlist
• /var/db/volinfo.database
• -gt to make your image more compatible

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Delete Admin Account

• Type at command prompt
• nicl -raw /Volumes/ltimagediskgt/var/db/netinfo/loca
  l.nidb delete /users/ltadmingt
• rm -rf /Volumes/ltimagediskgt/Users/ltadmingt

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Saving the Disk Image

• Use Apple Disk Utility
• New Image -gt From Folder
• Scan for ASR
• Use Carbon Copy Cloner
• Save image to File

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Disk Utility

• File Menu -gt New Disk Image from Folder
• Select the Hard Drive for your Image
• Scan Image for ASR

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Carbon Copy Cloner

• Version 3
• Must remove files mentioned earlier
• Save to a disk image
• Must still
• scan for
• ASR
• Version 2
• Did more!

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Chapter 2

• Restoring Images

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Methods to Restore

• Command Line
• Bombichs NetRestore
• Apple Disk Utility

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Command Line ASR

• All tools are based on Command Line ASR
• mac sudo asr -source /stuff/image.dmg -target
  /Volumes/MacHD/ -erase
• Hint drag-n-drop image and disk to add path

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NetRestore by Mike Bombich

• Very customizable. Images can be kept on server
  (AFP or HTTP) or local.
• Configuration can be loaded at start from server.
  
• For use with a NetBoot server

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Disk Utility

• Select a disk, then the Restore tab
• Drag a source (disk or image)
• Drag a destination (disk or image)

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If Theres Time

• Multicast ASR
• For sending image to many machines at once.
• Complicated Setup.

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Multicast ASR

• Build Disk Image
• Type at the command prompt
• defaults write /tmp/asr "Data Rate" -int 6000000
• defaults write /tmp/asr "Multicast Address"
  ltmcast addressgt

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Start the Multicast

• Requires OS X 10.4, but does not need Server
• Type at command prompt
• sudo asr -source /path/to/master.dmg -server
  /tmp/asr.plist

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On the client..

• Boot from another drive (NetBoot or Firewire)
• Type at a command prompt
• sudo asr -source asr//ltyourservergt -target
  /Volumes/lttgtdiskgt -erase