This program cannot run because a reboot is in progress or software distribution is paused.

Really quick post here.  You may find when running an SCCM2007 task sequence from Run Advertised Programs that you get an error regarding another program is installing please try later. 

when examining the execmgr.log you will see This program cannot run because a reboot is in progress or software distribution is paused.

This worked for me - not claiming it to be a fix for everyone but you could try it.  On the problematic machine go to either:

• x86 – HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Mobile Client\Software Distribution\State\
• x64 – HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\SMS\Mobile Client\Software Distribution\State\

Set both "Paused" keys in there back to "0" if they are on "1" and then reboot.  Fixed it for me!!!

Create a bootable USB pen for SCCM Windows 7 Build Deployment

If you are ever in a situation where deploying your OS by SCCM's more conventional methods (ie PXE or LAN based deployments) isn't feasable (bandwidth/no connectivity) then you can prepare a USB pen and deploy to machines via a USB boot.

I've found the SCCM built in method of making a USB pen to be quite unreliable so I opt for the manual method.

Just a few heads up first:

• I'd recommend at least an 8GB drive but in reality your build (if corporate) will eventually exceed this.
• The pen will be totally wiped clean - all data will be lost.

Step 1:  Preparing the USB pen

1. Open command prompt
2. Type diskpart and press enter
3. Type list disk and press enter
4. Find your disk in the list
5. Type select disk * (* being your number)
6. Type clean and press enter - you should see "DiskPart succeeded in cleaning the disk."
7. Type create partition primary and press enter - you should see "DiskPart succeeded in creating the specified partition."
8. Type select partition 1 and press enter - you should see "Partition 1 is now the selected partition." 
9. Type active and press enter - you should see "DiskPart Marked the current partition as active."
10. Type assign and press enter - you should see "DiskPart successfully assigned a drive letter ..."
11. Type detail disk and press enter.  For this example we will work with a drive letter "U" for USB
12. Type exit to leave the Diskpart command and return to a standard prompt

Step 2:  Formatting & Copying

We are still using a drive letter "U:" so we want to type:

format U: /fs:fat32 /q YOU WILL LOSE EVERYTHING ON THE PEN HERE

Enter a label for the drive - this is how it will show in "Computer"

I copy the files manually - it works - but if you want to do it "properly" use this command:

In command prompt navigate to the location of your build files - this is what would have been extracted from the ISO that was produced in SCCM when you "Created Removable Media" from the OSD task sequence - if you need a guide on this mail me or leave a comment...

Type xcopy \*.* /s/e/f \ 

With our extracted ISO in C:\Win7Build and our pen being U:\ This would look like:

Type xcopy c:\Win7Build\*.* /s/e/f U:\ 

Don't forget you may/will need to adjust the boot order in the BIOS to accommodate booting from USB - you can find a guide here: http://bit.ly/TvndIW

verifying content availability for package optional program *

I have a task sequence setup for quick deployment of corporate apps to machines that haven't yet got complete driver packages and get a vanilla install of Windows 7 x64 deployed.

This TS was recently failing when run from "Run Advertised Programs" with the error:

verifying content availability for package optional program *

It turned out my Java Package didn't have program selected due to the it being disabled from the actual packages program its self.  I've highlighted it below.  If you do get the error it's worth checking your TS programs - unfortunately SCCM doesn't always give the most comprehensive of error messages - I hope this helps someone else.

Empty program list in SCCM Task Sequence

I've just come in to find our Windows 7 builds are failing on a specific program that is installed during the task sequence.  It happens it was Trend Anti Virus which I had been working on the previous day.

Before getting into the log files I had a look at the task sequence and noticed that there was no program listed.  Ah ha!  Problem solved > click drop down and select program....  No programs are listed ??!!  I checked the package and I have two programs in there - a standard install and one with verbose logging enabled...

Tried deleting the step in the TS and recreating it... Still nothing...

Resolution

I hold my hand up here - I had changed the interaction to "Only when a user is logged in"

Changed it back and sure enough it was back to normal.


Not so much a problem but it's worth noting - if it's a Friday morning and you haven't had your coffee yet it may catch you out...

Hope this helps someone :)