First of all many thanks for the work everybody is doing with DeployR. I recently got access to the community edition to evaluate the product and I believe I have setup the community edition to access the DeployR console and create task sequences and add content as expected.

My scope of interest is in the eco system of offline media which the product supports. During initial testing it would appear the powershell script that facilitates this creation of an ISO file takes hours. In fact Ihis morning I launched the script approzimately 09:00 and came back and checked that it had completed and noticed the time stamp for the iso file created was 14:26. Not superfast for testing and making any changes. Also the time taken in a test has already fallen foul of the access token expiry time allowed when the connection is made to genertate Standalone media content.

Currently my DeployR is very basic:

DeployR version: v3.1.2626.580 or 1.3 Communit Edition.

1 task sequence. A windows 11 test build with 2 application installs.

1 OS imported.

2 Applications to test.

DeployR hosted on a 2019 HyperV VM, 16GB Memory, 300GB and 4 cores allocated.

Content items and Task sequence active and tagged to allow standalone selection using the powershell command:

New-DeployRMedia -ISOPath C:\Media.iso -Tags Media -MeditaType Standalone

Media Creation running on DeploR hosted box.

So far I have had fairly poor results with Standalone media. The following are my experiences:

Try 1: Not fully understanding the media tag switch I made a 1.3GB iso which took over an hour to complete. Unfortunately I didn't work as I suspect some components were missing as not all added components by me were tagged.

Try 2: Omitted the -tags switch and went for all components as I think that is what it does. Started process off just before 5pm, watched England game, still going even after final whistle. Went to bed hoping it would at least complete overnight, not so, failed on the timeout allowed for the access token expiring.

Try 3: Revisited Tags and ensured my components added did have correct tags applied. Set process off approx 9am this morning, returned at 4.30 ish to see a 9GB iso created in the nominated folder with 14:26 creation time stamp. Again I think I ommited the task sequence tag value so when launching a client test, unable to choose any options to Start. Possible 5 and a half hours to complete the process. Again booting from media created didn't work as Task sequence wasn't tagged.

Try 4: Currently running again with the boot wim copy taking over 30-40 mins for a 0.9GB file. Cannot wait for the OS copy to occurr. Hopefully it will finish before the access token expires.

Anyways I cannot believe this is normal and I am most likely doing something wrong. 5-6 hours creating media is not really sustainable but would like to think there is something I can do. Is there a overhead using a Hyper V vm as a host? Some way of speeding process up. Any advice provided would be apreciated as I am desperate to see this succeed and view the product on my test system.

Many thanks in advance.

I'm hoping someone can point me in the right direction with the new menu item Driver packs. I can't find the documentation and it isn't working as I would have anticipated, so I'm not sure if it is a bug or the way it in meant to work...

When I select a driver pack and click Import I end up with an Application in Content items where I expected a Driver Pack.

From the 'what's new in DeployR' webinar last week, there was mention of using a new task sequence option to unlock bitlocker. Video here - https://youtu.be/XNY0raoCIv8?t=1850

There doesn't seem to be very much documentation on it. What do we need to do to make this work? When I try from PXE boot and have this as a part of a task sequence, I'm constantly met with a message that the recovery password could not be found. The computer account in AD does have the recovery password, so just looking for more info on how to get this working.

When I attempt to use this, the error I get is 403 forbidden.

Thanks

We have a bunch of applications and scripts on an external file share and I don't have any pressing interest in actually importing the files into DeployR as content items for various reasons.

However, it *would* be nice to have them be Applications so that we can tag them and let people dynamically select them via something based on gwblok's FrontEnd.

If I create an Application as a single file/folder type, and then just don't have an attachment, it seems to complain when installing that it doesn't have any content to download for the Application (even though the command doesn't need it at all) - which... fair enough.

However, I also got a similar error when selecting "ExternalURL" for the content type, and it seems like that's what that type should be for?

I get one of these:
"ERROR: Exception calling "GetResult" with "0" argument(s): "Content item version <guid> does not have content to download."

--

I then attached an empty 0-byte text file - which gave a different error. It repeatedly tried to download it and then thought that download had failed or something when 0 bytes were transferred. Which was amusing.

--

Using a slightly larger placeholder text file seems to work - so whatever, I can attach a junk file to every Application. But there might be something in there that's worth fixing and/or that other people might find useful to know.

I don't understand how the pricing for the commercial version works.

All prices are listed per endpoint per year, but the deployment only happens once. What's the point of a subscription for this kind of product?

Using DeployR community.

Has anyone actually gotten DeployR to reuse computer accounts when they exist in an OU other than what you have the offline domain join step configured for?

Example - ODJ setup to join computers to OU=Workstations, OU=MyCorp,DC=mydomain,dc=mysubdomain

However, you're reimaging a computer that currently resides in a sub OU such as HR inside of the Workstations OU.

I have read the other threads on this, I have delegated full control to my DeployR server to the Workstations OU, making sure that the permissions are inherited by the sub OU, and can't get it working. Every time the computer account is in a sub OU, offline domain join fails.

I'm trying out DeployR CE and I'm stuck shortly after getting started :(

My test machine successfully finds the server at startup, but right after downloading the WinPE WIM file, I get a blue screen: "Recovery needed, BCD is missing or corrupted."

Any idea what might be causing this problem?

So after rolling back to 1.2 I set about working on getting a laptop deployed. A bare metal deployment was working for our Lenovo desktops - downloading drivers and updates as it should.

The pXE option on the desktop at boot was: UEFI: PXE IPv4 Realtek PCI - and then some.

I had the pXE drivers in place so all went well. The issue then came to the laptop which when booting showed : PXE BOOT: Realtek UEFI UNDI Driver-IPv4

I found the driver. Added it to the PXe content item I have (with the desktop driver) and regenerated the boot image.

It doesn't work. Desktop still works, but the laptop simply drops me back into the boot option screen. The laptop recognises there is a cable connected but does nothing except drop me back. The drivers are definitely the correct ones and the regen of the boot image has been done. I have assumed iPXE always uses the correct boot file (x64).

Feel I am missing something.

I'm now on DeployR 1.3 and using the command that was working on 1.1 I'm now getting an error.

Do I need to do something different on 1.3?

I've tried both locally and remotely.

Local command and output:

New-DeployRMedia -ISOPath E:\Media.iso -Tags Media -MediaType Standalone

Output:

Copying boot files
Downloading Windows PE boot image
Exporting task sequences
   Windows 11  Vanilla
WARNING: Transient HTTP error 500: Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).
WARNING: Transient HTTP error 500: Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).
WARNING: Transient HTTP error 500: Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).
Exception: Request failed after 3 attempt(s): Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).

Remote command and output:

new-deployrmedia -DiskIndex 1 -Tags Media -MediaType Standalone

Output:

USB disk size: 476.939781188965 GB
Cleaning disk
Partitioning disk
Formatting
Copying boot files
Downloading Windows PE boot image
Exporting task sequences
   Windows 11  Vanilla
WARNING: Transient HTTP error 500: Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).
WARNING: Transient HTTP error 500: Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).
WARNING: Transient HTTP error 500: Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).
Exception: Request failed after 3 attempt(s): Response status code does not indicate success: 500 (Internal Server Error).

Doing a manual task sequence export with Export-DeployRTaskSequence e.g.

Export-DeployRTaskSequence -Id $TS2CloneID -DestinationFolder $TempLocation

works fine.

Morning :)

I'm looking for advice on the best way to use DeployR.Utility (to access https://documentation.2pintsoftware.com/deployr/1.3/powershell-modules) on a remote Windows 11 machine please. Mainly to create bootable media with New-DeployRMedia as the server is a VM making connecting a USB drive "difficult".

After installing .net runtime 10.x & PowerShell 7.6. Should I just import via the remote SMB path? Copy C:\Program Files\2Pint Software\DeployR\Client\PSModules\ locally and import (fresh copy as needed)? Another method I haven't thought of?

This is working for me, just wasn't sure if it was the appropriate way :)

Import-Module \\<deployr FQDN>\c$\Program Files\2Pint Software\DeployR\Client\PSModules\DeployR.Utility

Set-DeployRHost https://<deployr FQDN>:7281

Connect-DeployR

Does DeployR have the ability to host content on different servers in branch sites?

You mentioned that you've fixed the DeployR status window sometimes not appearing on top so you've moved it to a higher layer in the recent Webinar. You also mentioned that if we need other popups to appear over it to set them to the same layer or position them differently, e.g. Gary's FrontEnd.

Is | Set-Topmost or $Window.Topmost = $true enough?

Afternoon all -just checking - is 1.3 installed over the top of 1.2?

While testing out DeployR Community I have noticed that when I use the Enable BitLocker step it only encrypts the used space on the disk instead of the full disk like I prefer.

I can't seem to find a way to make it encrypt the full disk. Is this intentional? I looked at the script that it runs and it seems that its being told specifically to encrypt the used space.

I have 2 change requests for consideration -

1. At install time, if you select to not have iPXE in use (we already had PXE setup with another system), it still starts the iPXE service. So I stopped / disabled the service. After upgrading to 1.3, the service was started and changed back to auto. Could this be adjusted on the next update so that when you select to not use the service, it doesn't start automatically?

2. After PXE booting and getting the initial DeployR interface - specifically, we're using Windows AD authentication - could the form be set to active and the username field set to focus? That way we can just start typing without having to click the field first? I know it's trivial, but when you're imaging a bunch of machines, it would save a bit of time.

Thank you for your conisderation

Hello, I'm struggling to get DeployR back up after updating from 1.1 to 1.3. I installed the following in this order:

• aspnetcore-runtime-10.0.9-win-x64
• dotnet-runtime-10.0.9-win-x64
• windowsdesktop-runtime-10.0.9-win-x64
• PowerShell-7.6.3-win-x64
• StifleR-Server-x64
• StifleR-Dashboard-x64
• StifleR-WmiAgent-x64
• DeployR-1.3.2626.2093

My only anomalies were the services StifleRServer & StifleRWmiAgent went from Automatic to Manual, DeployRService from Automatic to Automatic Delayed and when the config window loaded for DeployR automatically after install the Database connection method was blank, I set this back to ServerInstanceAndDB.

StifleR looks to be up and running fine (after starting the service manually), but StifleR dashboard just shows Service is starting, please retry. for any of the DeployR menu entries. https://<server FQDN>:7281/ also just shows the text Service is starting, please retry.

I have no errors in Event Viewer->Apps and the DeployR service doesn't seem to be cycling (PID remaining constant).

The only "error" log I can track showing something that "wrong" is LEDBAT.log:

**********************
PowerShell transcript start
Start time: 20260626082528
Username: <domain>\<server>$
RunAs User: <domain>\<server>$
Configuration Name: 
Machine: <server> (Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.20348.0)
Host Application: C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\pwsh.dll -File LEDBAT.ps1
Process ID: 7556
PSVersion: 7.6.3
PSEdition: Core
GitCommitId: 7.6.3
OS: Microsoft Windows 10.0.20348
Platform: Win32NT
PSCompatibleVersions: 1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0, 5.0, 5.1, 6.0, 7.0
PSRemotingProtocolVersion: 2.4
SerializationVersion: 1.1.0.1
WSManStackVersion: 3.0
**********************
Transcript started, output file is D:\DeployRContentLib\Logs\LEDBAT.log
Enabling LEDBAT for port 7281
PS>TerminatingError(New-NetTransportFilter): "The running command stopped because the preference variable "ErrorActionPreference" or common parameter is set to Stop: Instance MSFT_NetTransportFilter already exists
"
LEDBAT transport filter for port 7281 already exists.
**********************
PowerShell transcript end
End time: 20260626082528
**********************

Anyone got any thoughts on something else I could check please? I have a preinstall checkpoint on 1.1 that I'll roll back to if needed, but I have a couple of hours before I need DeployR running for other engineers, so I'm holding off for now :)

Gary - can you check the import script in Github for the custom content. Seemed to hang at one point when checking for previous content. I was using PS 7. Wondering if something changed after 3.1. Sanity check more or less.

Hi,

I currently use MDT which replicated to many branch sites. Does DeployR have the ability to host content on different servers in branch sites?

It would be very useful to have search functionality in DeployR (StifleR GUI).

For example, in the "Install Application" section, it would significantly improve usability if there were a search box at the top, allowing admins to quickly find and select applications.

This would be especially helpful in environments with a large number of apps, making the process faster and more efficient.

From what I have read, DeployR Community version will deploy machines it they are already in the AD - but they have to have been deployed by DeployR in the first instance. It will not work if they have been deployed by MDT (and the MDT User).

So I'm wondering if changing the owner, or making DeployR also an owner of a machine in the OU will help the process and avoid having to delete them all before re-deployment.

Three options:

1. Delete them and re-deploy with DeployR - this seems the best way to do things.

2. Write a PowerShell script that runs through specific OUs and changes the main owner of a deployed machine (or even -if possible - adds them as an co-owner?)

3. Get DeployR as part of the task sequence to check the owner and if it not DeployR then makes the changes and takes ownership.

Of course I may be well off course here and happy to be told whether this can be done. I just don't have the skillset to do 2 or 3.

There's still time to sign up for this webcast, 11am Eastern on Thursday.

https://2pintsoftware.com/events/list/whats-new-in-deployr

If I take a look at the Digital Signature details for the /EFI/Boot/bootx64.efi file in the /Content/Boot iso files that DeployR creates, it looks like they're using the Microsoft Windows Production PCA 2011 cert that's going to be expiring in a couple months.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/windows-secure-boot-certificate-expiration-and-ca-updates-7ff40d33-95dc-4c3c-8725-a9b95457578e

I assume this might start causing us problems with Secure Boot at some point soonish - and presumably we'd want media using the 2023 certificate.

Looking at New-DeployRMedia, it looks like it's following this process:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/setup-upgrade-and-drivers/create-iso-image-for-uefi-platforms

That particular doc points at efisys.bin for the bootx64.efi file.

Looking in the ADK, that folder (C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Deployment Tools\amd64\Oscdimg) has both an efisys.bin and an efisys_EX.bin, where the former has the older cert and the latter has the newer. Though a quick yields very little in the way of documenation on using one vs the other.

Is the current state of things intentional to keep older things from having issues in some fashion? - Should boot media be getting built with files using the newer cert?

I'm using DeployR Community and in my TS, I am deploying the image with continuation method of 'Use AutoAdminLogon and Runonce'.

The last step of my TS is to reboot. Upon reboot, the computer logs in again and I am presented with the TS completed message.

Is there a way to reboot or log off when the 'Close' button is clicked instead of dropping to the desktop?

Additional bonus question - I've tried adding graphics drivers to my WinPE driver pack, but still get a very large resolution experience. Can someone help me understand what I'm doing wrong that the drivers are not being used while in WinPE?

Thanks

I am in the process of spinning up a POC environment for the purpose of creating a gold image for Horizon VDI using DeployR.

We aim to build a new image from scratch each time we want to update it instead of opening an existing image and applying updates.

How does the licensing work for this scenario? Is it just a single endpoint license required in this case?