Exactly, that's how it should happen, and I've done it successfully for
other customers.  But this newer version of the CCTK seems to be having a
problem. The odd thing is that if the DCC tools are installed, then it
there's no problem with it in a task sequence.

 

What version of are you using?

 

Nick | http://t3chn1ck.com

 

From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]]
On Behalf Of ccollins9
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2015 12:51 PM
To: mssms
Subject: Re: [mssms] Dell CCTK 3.0.1 bug?

 

We are able to set blank BIOS passwords in the task sequence by using a "run
command line" step, pointing the package to the CCTK source files, and using
command: .\x86\cctk --setuppwd= --valsetuppwd=oldOrExistingPassword. If the
computer actually has the password, it is set to blank. If the computer
already has a blank password, this step could fail, so we put the option in
the task sequence to "continue on error"

 

Further, let's say for example that there are a possible of 6 older
passwords that could be on the computer's BIOS, there's nothing wrong with
having 6 of the same steps in the task sequence as I described in the first
paragraph to set it to blank, just mark each step as "continue on error"

 

As an aside, all of our computers are required to have a BIOS password, so
the Task Sequence later puts in a new BIOS password for TPM and it stays
that way.  We have an enterprise password vault so we can easily track the
old passwords.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Wed, May 13, 2015 at 2:18 PM, Nick Moseley <[email protected]
<mailto:[email protected]> > wrote:

I seem to have found a bug in Dell's newer BIOS configuration tools (DCC
3.0.x).  This will prevent automating BIOS configurations (to
enable/activate the TPM chip) with ConfigMgr. Has anyone experienced the
following or know if it's by design??

 

More details: 

 

In order to enable/activate the TPM, a BIOS password must be set.  Normally,
we can set the password, enable TPM, then remove the password.  However, the
problem to remove the password is being seen as a two-fold problem.

1.       The GUI wizard tool to create the configuration, does not allow for
building the configuration if the value is left blank (meaning to clear the
password).

2.       The DCC toolset includes the set of files ("cctk") which can be
used directly rather than the wizard.  These files can be run with the
proper command line parameters to accomplish the same goal.  When running
the commands manually, it succeeds.  But running the commands via SCCM, it
fails.

 

If the problem is not by design, then it may mean a feature enhancement (in
#1) or a bug fix (in #2).  Otherwise, possible workarounds include:

*         Enable a BIOS password, and do not remove it

o   Pro - no additional work needed, plus it would help prevent users from
disabling TPM and potentially corrupting their disk encryption and data loss

o   Con - IT needing to remember the BIOS setup password

*         Install the DCC toolset

o   Pro - would allow for registration of the proper DLLs (or whatever) that
allows using the "cctk" directly

o   Con - it's an unnecessary administrative tool to be installed for the
general user, or it will prolong the process to install the toolset, and
then do a follow-up uninstall

*         Have a technician manually make the changes (not recommended) 

 

Nick | http://t3chn1ck.com

 

 

 

 



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