Create Netboot Image From Dmg

I currently have a linux installation on a usb drive. I would like to take that installation and convert it to an image that can then be transfered to a machine configured to be a network boot server and allow a lab full of computer to boot from that image. Jan 05, 2009 To create a basic NetBoot, NetInstall, or NetRestore image: Mount your source system volume. The source system can be either Mac OS X v10.6.x or Mac OS X Server v10.6.x. The source volume can be the original installation media, a nonbooted system volume, or a disk image. This can be tested by creating a vanilla NetBoot Image via System Image Utility, once created upload it to your NetBoot server of choice. OS.dmg NBI’s created with AutoCasperNBI really should be created from a clean never booted Operating System disk image (read: OS.dmg).

This section provides a basic, best practice workflow for imaging computers using NetBoot images. The workflow involves the following steps:

Determine which NetBoot images you need to create.
Create clean base OS images.
Create the NetBoot images.
Upload the NetBoot images.
(Optional) Create configurations.
Boot the target computers to a NetBoot image.
Image a computer.

To image computers by using a NetBoot image, you need:

A NetBoot server. The server can be one of the following:
- A server with macOS Server installed and access to macOS Server's NetInstall service
  As of fall 2018, Apple removed NetInstall from the server app. For more information about changes to the macOS server and alternatives, see the following article from Apple's support website: https://support.apple.com/HT208312.
- A Linux server with the NetBoot/SUS Appliance (Net/SUS) installed
It is recommended but not required that the server be a dedicated NetBoot server.

A tool for creating NetBoot images. The tool can be one of the following:
- Casper NetInstall Creator (not supported by macOS 10.12 or later)
The target computers
A network switch
A gigabit network switch is recommended but not required.
Network cables (one for the server and one for each computer)
A Thunderbolt to Ethernet or USB to Ethernet adapter for computers that do not have built-in Ethernet ports

The number and type of NetBoot images you create depends on the macOS models in your environment. Typically, a NetBoot image must be created on hardware that matches the target computer. Additionally, each macOS model supports a different range of macOS versions, so you need to make sure that the version in the NetBoot image is supported on the target hardware.

To start, create an advanced search that lets you view the macOS models in your environment. Then, use the information in the 'System Requirements' section to determine which macOS versions are supported on that hardware and then how many NetBoot images you need to create.

Viewing the macOS Models in Your Environment

Log in to Jamf Pro.
Click Computers at the top of the page.
Click Search Inventory.
Click New .
To save the search, select the Save this Search checkbox.
Enter 'Device Models and Years' in the Display Name field.
Click the Display tab.
Click Hardware, and then select Model.
Click Save.
Click View to view the search results.
Sort the results by model by clicking the Model column heading.

System Requirements

For a comprehensive list of which macOS versions are supported on the Mac models in your environment, see the following article from Apple's support website: https://support.apple.com/HT201686

Now that you know what NetBoot images you need to create, create a clean base OS image for each one. For instructions, see the Creating a Minimal Base OS Image Knowledge Base article.

The procedure for creating a NetBoot image differs depending on the tool. Follow the procedure for the tool you are using.

Using the Casper NetInstall Image Creator

To avoid complications with server-to-client compatibility, create the NetBoot image on the server that will host the image. The NetBoot image must be created with an operating system that is running the same or later version than the operating system used to image client computers.

Download the Casper NetInstall Image Creator from Jamf Nation.
Follow the instructions in the Creating a NetBoot Image and Setting Up a NetBoot Server Knowledge Base article.

Using the AutoCasperNBI

The NetBoot image can be created on any macOS computer, regardless of version.

Download AutoCasperNBI from macmule: https://macmule.com/projects/autocaspernbi/
Open AutoCasperNBI.app.
Note: This requires administrator credentials for the computer or server.
Select a .dmg of an operating system image.
Select Jamf Imaging.app.
Enter the Jamf Pro server URL. For example, “https://jss.mycompany.com:8443/” (excluding the quotation marks).
Enter a name for the NetBoot image.
It is recommended that you include the version number of the operating system in the name.
Important: (NetBoot/SUS only) Do not use spaces in the name as they can break the imaging process in the NetBoot/SUS Appliance.

The procedure for uploading a NetBoot image differs depending on the tool. Follow the procedure for the tool you are using.

For NetInstall

From the NetBoot server, put the NetBoot image in /Library/NetBoot/NetBootSP0/.
Turn on the NetInstall service in Server.app.
Ensure that a green status icon is displayed next to the NetBoot image in the NetInstall pane, indicating that the image is available for deployment.

For NetBoot/SUS Appliance

Log into the Net/SUS server web application.
The default credentials are:
Username: webadmin
Password: webadmin
Note: It is recommended that you change the default credentials for better security.
Click NetBoot Server.
On a smartphone or iPod touch, this option is in the pop-up menu.
Click Upload Net Boot Image.
This connects you to the SMB share where NetBoot images are stored.
Enter credentials to the share and click Connect.
The default credentials are:
Username: smbuser
Password: smbuser
Note: It is recommended that you change the default credentials for better security.
Copy the NetBoot image to the SMB share.
Important: The name of the folder cannot contain any spaces.
Return to the NetBoot/SUS server web application and refresh the page.
Choose the NetBoot image from the pop-up menu.
Choose subnets for the NetBoot image by entering a subnet and a netmask. Then click Add Subnet.
Click Enable NetBoot.
A green status icon is displayed next to the NetBoot image in the NetInstall pane.
If a red status icon is displayed, do one of the following:
- Ensure you are using the subnet that includes the NetBoot server. (For more information, see http://www.subnet-calculator.com.)
- Ensure there are no spaces in the NetBoot image filename.

Configurations give you a quick way to specify what should be installed and configured on computers during imaging. Using configurations can speed up the imaging process. For more information, see Configurations in the Jamf Pro Administrator's Guide.

The NetBoot server must be on the same subnet as the target computers. For information about booting computers across subnets, see the following article from Apple's support website: https://support.apple.com/HT202059

This section explains two ways to boot to a NetBoot image: manually and using a policy. The manual method is useful for testing purposes, and testing is recommended before deploying a policy that boots all computers to the NetBoot image.

Note: If you are booting a macOS 10.11 or later computer to a NetBoot image, the computer must first trust the NetBoot server. For more information, see the Booting a macOS 10.11 or Later Computer to a NetBoot Image Using a Policy or Jamf RemoteKnowledge Base article.

Manually Booting a Computer to a NetBoot Image

From the target computer, navigate to Apple menu > System Preferences.
Click Startup Disk.
Select the NetBoot image.
Note: Hover over the NetBoot image to view its IP address.
Click Restart.

Using a Policy to Boot Computers to a NetBoot Image

Log in to Jamf Pro.
Add the NetBoot server to Jamf Pro by doing the following:
1. In the top-right corner of the page, click Settings .
2. Click Server Infrastructure.
3. Click Netboot Servers.
4. Click New .
5. Configure the settings on the pane, making sure to choose 'Use default image' from the NetBoot Image pop-up menu.
6. Click Save.
Click Computers at the top of the page.
Click Policies.
Click New .
Use the General payload to configure basic settings for the policy, including the trigger and execution frequency.
Select the Restart Options payload , and choose 'Restart immediately' from the No Users Logged In Action or User Logged In Action pop-up menu.
Choose the server that is hosting the NetBoot image from the Boot Computers To pop-up menu.
Click the Scope tab and specify the computers you want to boot to the NetBoot image.
Click Save.

From the target computer, open Jamf Imaging.
Modify the basic imaging settings as needed.
Click Image.

Target computers not booting to the NetBoot image

If target computers are not booting to the NetBoot image:

Identify where the failure occurred.
Boot the target computer in verbose mode.
- Hold down Command-V.
- Additional messaging will display on the computer screen at startup and help to identify the failure.
Ensure the server and client(s) are on the same subnet range.
Isolate your server and client(s) to a private network on a dumb switch.
Recreate the NetBoot image.

Computers failing to block copy

If block copying of the base OS fails, is skipped, or Jamf Imaging begins “Installing Base OS”:

Create a base operating system using a different method. For more information, see the following article from Apple's support website : https://support.apple.com/HT203638

Jamf Imaging Debug Mode

If a computer does not finish imaging, put Jamf Imaging into full debug mode and contact your Jamf account representative. Putting Jamf Imaging into debug mode will help your Jamf account representative identify the issue. To put Jamf Imaging into full debug mode, execute the following command when creating the NetBoot image:

When full debug is enabled in this way, a log is created on the target computer. This log can be found in the following location:

/Library/Logs/JAMF/ImagingScripts.log

A debug log is also created on the host computer running Jamf Imaging. This log can be found in the following location:

~/Library/Logs/JAMF/CasperImagingDebug.log

Logs and any screenshots of the issue are also helpful. From the target computer, the logs to provide are:

/var/log/system.log
/var/log/jamf.log
/var/log/install.log

From the Jamf Pro server, the log to provide is:

/path/to/jss/logs/JAMFSoftwareServer.log

See the following documentation for more information about NetBoot-related concepts and procedures:

Automating the Imaging Process Knowledge Base article
Booting a macOS 10.11 or Later Computer to a NetBoot Image Using a Policy or Jamf RemoteKnowledge Base article
The 'How Many NetBoot Clients Can Connect to a Server' article from Apple's support website:
https://support.apple.com/kb/TA21329
The 'If your NetBoot clients cannot start up from the server' article from Apple's support website:
https://support.apple.com/HT203437