We use a Hardware Independent Image process at my company. With the use of a few scripts to identify what model machine, and where the correct drivers are shared from, we are able to get almost every model we have in production to full provision without an error.
Of course, there is one exception. The Dell T7600, using the on-board SAS connections. With our standard build template, the machine accepts and starts to provision, runs the scripts, downloads drivers and then reboots to begin the Windows Setup portion...but then, the wonderful blue-screen flash, and a reboot to no-good install of Windows. It seems that Windows can not find or access the SAS-connected SSD. If I plug that same SSD into the SATA connector, it works like any other machine. The reason I'm trying to use SAS is the speed difference, 6Gbs versus 12Gbs. And considering the only department that uses the only 15 T7600's we have, routinely works with files that can be over 10Gb, the transfer speed is very important. Right now, my users have no clue there is a SAS option, and seem to be happy. But if I can make the SAS work, it could extend the life the T7600 for them, saving the company from buying new machines too early. The T7600s are only a few years old.
I know I have the correct driver, because if I boot off of our Windows Enterprise CD, it says no HDD detected. But then I tell it where to look for the driver, it finds it, loads it, and then finds the drive. So I know it's possible have that configuration in place. I just can't seem to get the driver injected, or the drive recognized for some reason.
I have tried pre-staging the driver on the HII, and made a reference to the location in the Unattend.XML answer file..no good.
I put the driver in our normal driver store for that model...no good.
I had the machine fully ready to go, sysprepped, and then created a WIM file, using DISM to mount the image and inject the file, then return the WIM to the reference to capture as a TBI...no good.
I'm running out of ideas, and seeing as Dell had someone tell me the on-board SAS was just a 'gang-plug' and not a boot-able option, they are of no help right now.
It has to be possible, but I can't figure out how to specifically tell Windows to use the driver for the model using SAS any other method.
Any ideas?
Thanks,
Rick S