Creating and modifying NetBoot images

Deployment Solution lets you create and modify Mac NetBoot images using the Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility and the Apple's System Image Utility. These images are then used to boot Mac clients in preboot environment. Ensure that you modify the NetBoot image using the Mac pre-OS Creation Utility so that the image is compatible with Deployment Solution. Symantec recommends that the NetBoot source is booted with the combo update of the supported operating system.

After you modify the NetBoot image, you must upload the NetBoot image to the Notification Server computer. You can do this using the Add Preboot Configuration dialog box. The NetBoot image is then distributed to all the Network Boot Servers in the network.

See Creating preboot configuration for Mac.

Before you create the NetBoot image, ensure the following:

  • Symantec Management Agent, and Deployment Solution plug-in for Mac are installed on the NetBoot image source volume.

  • Deployment Automation folder for Mac- Install policy is installed on the source computer.

  • Rename the NetBoot source volume with a unique name before you launch the Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility.

    After you create the Mac NetBoot image, you can rename the NetBoot source volume name to its original name.

If you face an error, it can be verified in the Console's application. To access the application go to Finder > Utilities and launch console.app application.

To view logs of Apple's System Image Utility, go to Menu > View > Show Log.

You can create and modify Mac NetBoot images from the following sources:

  • Mac booted volume

    The Mac booted volume of the source computer is the current volume in which the client computer is booted.

    Note:

    For Mac OS X 10.9, you cannot create a NetBoot image from a booted volume.

  • Mac bootable volume

    The Mac bootable volume of the source computer is any volume other than the booted volume on which Mac operating system is installed and is used to create a NetBoot image.

    Note:

    For Mac 10.9, you can create a NetBoot image only of the production volume on which the Symantec Management Agent and the Deployment Solution plug-in for Mac are installed.

To create and modify Mac NetBoot image from Mac booted volume

  1. Launch the Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility.

  2. In the Mac pre-OS Creation Utility, select NetBoot from Create and Update image.

  3. Click Next.

  4. Enter the Temporary Volume Name.

    You can estimate the size of the temporary volume by clicking the Estimate Size.

  5. Click Prepare Temporary Volume.

    Ensure that you have emptied the Trash before creating the temporary volume.

  6. Click Next.

  7. Click Launch System Image Utility.

  8. In the Apple's System Image Utility, enter the Type, Installed Volume, Save To, Image name, and Description. The Network disk and the Image Index must be left as default. A message is displayed if the NetBoot image (.nbi) is created successfully.

  9. In the Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility, click Choose... from Select image to update. To modify a NetBoot image select the NetBoot.dmg.

  10. Click Update Image to modify the image (.dmg file) and make it suitable to be used for Deployment Solution tasks.

    Save the modified image on your computer and then upload it to the Notification Server computer.

To create and modify Mac NetBoot image from bootable volume

  1. Launch the Mac pre-OS Creation Utility.

  2. In the Mac pre-OS Creation Utility, select NetBoot from Create and Update image.

  3. Click Next.

  4. Click Next again.

  5. Click Launch System Image Utility.

  6. In the Apple's System Image Utility, enter the Type, Installed Volume, Save To, Image name, and Description. The Network disk and the Image Index must be left as default. A message is displayed if the NetBoot image (.nbi) is created successfully.

  7. In the Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility, click Choose... from Select image to update and select the image (.dmg) to modify.

  8. Click Update Image to modify the image (.dmg) and make it suitable to be used for Deployment Solution tasks.

    For Mac OS X 10.9 NetBoot image, you must add more files to the .nbi folder. Browse and select the Target .nbi folder and the Source Volume of the NetBoot image. Click on OK.

    Save the modified image and then upload it to the Notification Server computer.

For more information see the following videos:

Default Chromeless Player

Default Chromeless Player

See About Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility.

See Launching Symantec's Mac pre-OS Creation Utility

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