HP Image Assistant Quick Start Guide Table of contents Overview... 2 Glossary... 2 System requirements... 2 Using HPIA... 2 Downloading HPIA... 2 Capturing a Golden Image configuration file... 3 Using HPImageAssistant.exe... 4 Analyzing the results... 5 Saving or printing the results... 10 For more information... 11
Overview HP Image Assistant (HPIA) is a Windows image comparison tool that captures metadata configuration files from images, compares image configuration files, and provides recommendations to help you develop images for optimal Windows performance. HPIA can compare HP-developed Golden Images and IT-developed images to highlight differences in such things as BIOS version, BIOS settings, device drivers, installed software, and Windows updates. By automating these comparisons and providing an interface to quickly locate differences, HPIA reduces the time needed to develop quality Windows images, with the right device drivers, right software patches, and right BIOS settings, for HP business computers. Glossary Golden Image An image developed by HP or another image that is ready to be or has already been deployed. HPIA extracts an XML image configuration file from the Golden Image to use as a reference. My Image An image that you want to analyze. HPIA extracts an XML configuration file from the image selected as My Image to analyze and compare to the Golden Image configuration file. QFE A software update released by Microsoft. Quick-Fix Engineering (QFE) software updates address severe instability, security problems, preinstallation problems, and problems reported by customers. System requirements HPIA can be run on computers running the following versions of Windows. The HPIA user interface executable, HPImageAssistant.exe, requires.net Framework 4.5. Note HPIA does not support Windows Embedded, Windows Mobile, or Windows IoT operating systems. Table 1. Supported operating systems Operating system.net Framework 4.5 Windows 10 Windows 8.1 Windows 7 SP1 Installed Installed Go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=30653 to download and install the software. HPIA can capture and analyze image configuration files from select HP Elite and Pro computers running Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 7 SP1 operating systems. For a full list of images supported by HPIA, go to http://www.hp.com/go/clientmanagement. Using HPIA Downloading HPIA 1. Go to http://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/clientmanagement/overview.html. 2. Select HP CMS Download Library. 3. Scroll to HP Image Assistant and download the SoftPaq. HPIA consists of HPImageAssistant.exe, HPImageAssistant.dll, ImageCapture.exe, ImageInfo.dll, and ImageUpdate.dll. HPIA can be run from a flash drive, a target computer, or from a different computer running a Windows 10, Windows 8.1, or Windows 7 operating system. HPIA does not update the registry. 2
Select HPImageAssistant.exe to open the HPIA user interface. ImageCapture.exe is a standalone tool that captures an XML image configuration file that can then be compared. HPImageAssistant.exe and ImageCapture.exe must be run as an administrator to capture the XML files properly. Capturing a Golden Image configuration file If you run HPIA on an HP computer, by default, HPIA selects the Golden Image configuration file from http://www.hp.com based on the system board ID and operating system. HPIA also supports capturing a Golden Image configuration file from a known good computer. These image configuration files are XML files that contain metadata describing an image. They are not the actual image. HP recommends running HPIA from a USB flash drive to capture files. HP also recommends saving the configuration files to the USB flash drive to be sure that you do not modify the image of the computer you are working on. HPIA generates the configuration file SYSID_OSBIT_OSVERSION.xml in the same directory as the executable, as follows: SYSID HP platform system ID (for example, 2253) BIT Operating system architecture (64 for 64-bit, 32 for 32-bit) OSVER Operating system major and minor versions (for example, 6.3 for Windows 8.1) To capture an image configuration file for the Golden Image: 1. Run ImageCapture.exe from the command line. or Open the directory where you saved HPIA, select HPImageAssistant.exe, select Tools, and then select Capture My Image Configuration. Note You must be logged on as an administrator to use HPIA to capture an image. 3
The XML image configuration file is captured. Using HPImageAssistant.exe 1. Open the directory where you saved HPIA, and then select HPImageAssistant.exe. 2. Next to Choose My Image, select one of the following options: Browse Allows you to select a saved XML image configuration file. This Computer Selects the image configuration file of the computer you are using. 4
3. Next to Choose Golden Image, select one of the following options: Browse Allows you to select a saved XML image configuration file. This Computer Selects the image configuration file of the computer you are using. From HP.com Allows HPIA to automatically select the appropriate XML file of a known good image from HP.com. The automatic XML selection depends on the platform model, operating system version, and the architecture of My Image selected in Step 2. Note You must be connected to the Internet to use the From HP.com option. HP recommends this option to ensure that you use the latest image for comparison. 4. Select Analyze. Note The system ID, operating system architecture (64-bit or 32-bit), and operating system major and minor versions must match between the My Image and Golden Image configuration files to compare and analyze the files. HPIA compares the specified My Image and Golden Image configuration files and then displays a summary. Analyzing the results After you run HPImageAssistant.exe, a summary is displayed. Select one of the other tabs to see additional details about the device drivers, installed software, security settings, and BIOS settings. If you selected the From HP.com option, there is also a Recommendations tab. If you did not select the From HP.com option, there is also a QFEs tab. The Summary, Security, and Recommendations tabs contain information about the My Image configuration file only. The Device Drivers, Installed Software, QFEs, and BIOS Settings tabs contain information about the comparison between the My Image and Golden Image configuration files. The following colors and symbols are used to help you analyze the results and prioritize the recommended changes to My Image. 5
Summary tab This tab summarizes the health and security of the My Image configuration file. The health summary includes details about missing drivers, out-of-date drivers, recommended software updates, out-of-date software, as well as BIOS settings and dependencies. The security summary includes details on whether virus and spyware protection is enabled and up-to-date, whether the firewall is enabled, and whether a BIOS Setup Password is set. In the BIOS section, Mismatched refers to BIOS settings that exist in both the My Image and Golden Image configuration files, but have different values. Added refers to BIOS settings that were either added or removed between BIOS releases. Recommendations tab The Recommendations tab is available only if the From HP.com option next to Choose Golden Image was selected. This tab shows the latest versions of BIOS, Drivers, and Software installed on My Image and Golden Image. Based on the comparison, HPIA recommends updating My Image or installing a missing component. Double-click a BIOS, Driver, or Software item to see more details. In the Softpaq column, you can select the number to download the update, select the notes icon to open the SoftPaq release notes, or select the final icon to download the SoftPaq CVA file. 6
To download simultaneous recommended HP software updates: 1. Go to http://www8.hp.com/us/en/ads/clientmanagement/drivers-bios.html#softpaq-download-mng. 2. Select Download HP SoftPaq Download Manager. 3. Use HP SoftPaq Download Manager (SDM) to find and download the HP software updates recommended by HPIA. For more information on using HP SDM, see the HP SoftPaq Download Manager and HP System Software Manager white paper. Device Drivers tab This tab provides information about the device drivers installed on My Image and Golden Image, including class description, driver name, device ID, hardware ID, device manufacturer, driver provider, the date the driver was last updated, and driver version. When you first click this tab, it is blank except for a series of filters. Select one or more of the following filters to show a specific set of drivers: My Image Only Displays drivers installed on My Image but not Golden Image Golden Image Only Displays drivers installed on Golden Image but not My Image The Same Displays drivers that match between My Image and Golden Image Out-of-Date Displays drivers that need to be updated on My Image (based on the Golden Image configuration file); might be identified as a critical update No Drivers Displays drivers that need to be installed on My Image for full system function (based on the Golden Image configuration file) Different Displays drivers that are installed on both My Image and Golden Image but have different values Installed Software tab This tab provides information about the software installed on My Image and Golden Image, including name, version, manufacturer, and the date installed. This is the software listed under Programs and Features in Control Panel. When you first click this tab, it is blank except for a series of filters. 7
Select one or more of the following filters to show a specific set of software: My Image Only Displays software installed on My Image but not Golden Image Golden Image Only Displays software installed on Golden Image but not My Image The Same Displays software that matches between My Image and Golden Image Out-of-Date Displays software that needs to be updated on My Image (based on the Golden Image configuration file); might be identified as a critical update Different Displays software that is installed on both My Image and Golden Image but have different values QFEs tab Note This tab is available only if the From HP.com option for Choose Golden Image was not selected. This tab provides information about the QFEs installed on My Image and Golden Image, including ID, description, fix comments, and the date installed. When you first click this tab, it is blank except for a series of filters. Select one or more of the following filters to show a specific set of QFEs: My Image Only Displays QFEs installed on My Image but not Golden Image Golden Image Only Displays QFEs installed on Golden Image but not My Image The Same Displays QFEs that match between My Image and Golden Image Different Displays QFEs that are installed on both My Image and Golden Image but have different values 8
Security tab The Security tab provides information about the following security items: Firewall, AntiVirus software, AntiSpyware software, and BIOS. You can see whether the firewall is enabled, whether the anti-virus software is enabled and up-to-date, whether the anti-spyware software is enabled and up-to-date, and whether there is a BIOS Setup Password. HP strongly recommends that you use a BIOS Setup Password. The information in this tab applies to the My Image configuration file only. BIOS Settings tab This tab provides information about the BIOS settings on My Image and Golden Image, including name, installation path, and current value. Only BIOS settings that can be configured are shown. When you first click this tab, it is blank except for a series of filters. Select a filter to show a specific set of BIOS settings. My Image Only Displays BIOS settings available on My Image but not Golden Image Golden Image Only Displays BIOS settings available on Golden Image but not My Image The Same Displays settings that match between My Image and Golden Image Different Displays BIOS settings that are available on both My Image and Golden Image but have different values 9
Saving or printing the results 1. Select File and then select Save Results to save the summary and recommendations as an HTML file. 2. Open or print this HTML file as needed. 10
For more information To read more about HP Image Assistant, go to hp.com/go/clientmanagement. Sign up for updates hp.com/go/getupdated Copyright 2016 HP Development Company, L.P. Windows is either a registered trademark or trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Confidential computer software. Valid license from HP required for possession, use or copying. Consistent with FAR 12.211 and 12.212, Commercial Computer Software, Computer Software Documentation, and Technical Data for Commercial Items are licensed to the U.S. Government under vendor's standard commercial license. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. The only warranties for HP products and services are set forth in the express warranty statements accompanying such products and services. Nothing herein should be construed as constituting an additional warranty. HP shall not be liable for technical or editorial errors or omissions contained herein. First Edition: January 2016 Document Part Number: 852846-001