DS 7.x Quick Guide for troubleshooting Deployment Solution communication issues

This article provide a quick tips for troubleshooting communication issues in DS 7.x

Symptoms of broken communication in DS 7.x may return generic messages/errors as below:

• Error 183 (generic error)
• Waiting for the agent to get the task
• Task failed (timeout)
• RegisterLibrary: LoadLibrary Failed to load 
• Stopping PECTAgent. Please check for Network configuration or server name resolving problem and try again.
• Agent Exception, Could not load file ErrorCode=0

After an upgrade or after a fresh installation of ITMS or CMS is good practice to check the DS component have installed correctly

Assuming a Deployment Solution Environment at version DS 7.6 with Site Servers proceed as follow:

1. Make sure all the "upgrade" and "install" policies for the DS plug-ins and components are enabled under "settings -> all settings" 

2. Check the SMP Symantec Management Agent plug-ins are present and up to date (in RED the Plug-ins required for DS):

3. Check the Site Server Plug-ins are present and up to date (in RED the Plug-ins required for DS):

4. Check the Site Server IIS integrity:                                                                      

5. Check the Automation Files (.DDLs) at SMP have updated to the latest version (the version may differ from the production plug-ins) - :

   \Program Files\Altiris\Deployment\BDC\bootwiz\oem\DS\winpe\x64\Base\Program Files\Symantec\Deployment
   \Program Files\Altiris\Deployment\BDC\bootwiz\oem\DS\winpe\x86\Base\Program Files\Symantec\Deployment

                                       note:  (If the .DLLs are not up to date, try to run NewBDC.bat and NEWBDCx64.bat located at SMP  "\Program Files\Altiris\Notification Server\NSCap\bin\Win32\X86\Deployment\bootwiz\")

6. Check the package 374E1C49-4F58-4F5C-8D51-07A30F0D44AD has downloaded at the Site Server and that the Automation Files (.DDLs) have updated to the latest version:      

   \Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Package Delivery\{374E1C49-4F58-4F5C-8D51-07A30F0D44AD}\cache\bootwiz\oem\DS\winpe\x64\Base\Program Files\Symantec\Deployment

   \Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Package Delivery\{374E1C49-4F58-4F5C-8D51-07A30F0D44AD}\cache\bootwiz\oem\DS\winpe\x86\Base\Program Files\Symantec\Deployment

7. Re-create the pre-boot environment at "settings -> deployment -> manage pre-boot configurations":

8. Make sure "bootwiz" is running at the NBS server (Site Server):                      

9. BootWiz will copy the DLL files to the Site Server location:

   \Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\Deployment\SBS\Bootwiz\{374E1C49-4F58-4F5C-8D51-07A30F0D44AD}\cache\bootwiz\oem\DS\winpe\x64\Base\Program Files\Symantec\Deployment

   \Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\Deployment\SBS\Bootwiz\{374E1C49-4F58-4F5C-8D51-07A30F0D44AD}\cache\bootwiz\oem\DS\winpe\x86\Base\Program Files\Symantec\Deployment

10. BootWiz will also include the files into the boot.wim "pre-boot" image at:                                                                                                "\Program Files\Altiris\Altiris Agent\Agents\Deployment\SBS\Images\<your WinPE pre-boot name>\x64\sources"                                                

11. The date/time of boot.wim can give a good indication on the last time bootwiz has run successfully - An updated boot.wim would include all the latest DLLs and the client machine booted into WinPE should be able to communicate with the NS for running DS tasks