How to get the related logs for troubleshooting operating system Deployment

General log for all operating system deployment and task sequence log events are SMSTS.log nad the steps below will help you to get these for the troubleshooting.

Enable the Debug Shell on your boot image

Boot images have an option to enable a command shell while running in Windows PE. This is turned off by default for security reasons (since it would allow an end user to open a command shell during the re-imaging process) but can be enabled on the Windows PE property page.

· Locate your boot images in the Operating System Deployment section of SCCM

Right-click on your chosen boot image (for example 32 bit) and choose Properties

· Select the Windows PE tab from the properties, and place a checkmark in Enable command support then click apply now.

· Update the boot image on the distribution points

When you PXE boot your clients and you want to troubleshoot any Windows PE deployment issues, press F8 once Windows PE has loaded and you'll get a command prompt, in addition this will keep Windows PE operational in situations where whatever error you were getting would cause Windows PE to reboot with no warnings thereby giving you a chance to read the logs....

· You can see that log file in any of these locations. (Depending on which phase they are)

1) X:\Windows\Temp\SMSTSLog
2) C:\_SMSTaskSequence\SMSTSLog
3) C:\Windows\System32\CCM\Logs
4) C:\Windows\System32\CCM\Logs\SMSTSLog (or in the c:\windows\SysWOW64\ccm\logs\Smstslog folder on x64 machines)

 Few related links

https://blogs.technet.com/carlossantiago/archive/2009/01/19/how-can-i-increase-the-size-of-the-smsts-log-file.aspx  : How Can I Increase The Size Of The Smsts.log File 

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb932135.aspx  : Log Files for Operating System Deployment

https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632813.aspx : Troubleshooting Operating System Deployment

 Hope this infromation will be useful

Sudheesh Narayanaswamy

System center Support