The task "Create Task Sequence Media Wizard" completed with errors

When trying to create a bootable usb to pass around to those sites that do not have a distribution point for creating image you may occasionally run across this issue.

SCCM

b

4/30/20242 min read

If you're like me, then you hate this error. it says go read your "CreateTsMedia.log."

Media creation failed with error message: "Element not found." Refer to CreateTsMedia.log file to find more details. you look at the log and see this:

  • Failed to initialize Toolkit and policy. Verify the user is authorized to create Task Sequence media and has local admin permissions.

  • Failed to create media generator (0x80070490)

  • CreateTsMedia failed with error 0x80070490, details=''

Try to find a solution on google and it tends to be fairly useless for those of us that want a "Click here and BAM! it's fixed". This isn't a simple solution. from what I can tell you're either doing one of these unapproved tasks or something is looking corrupt behind the scenes and you need to create some replacement packages or a new task sequence (who wants to do that?).

official documentation regarding creating the task sequence media states the following no-no's:

  • The Auto Apply Drivers step in the task sequence. Stand-alone media doesn't support automatic application of device drivers from the driver catalog. Use the Apply Driver Package step to make a specified set of drivers available to Windows Setup.

  • The Download Package Content step in the task sequence. The management point information isn't available on stand-alone media, so the step fails trying to enumerate content locations.

  • Installing software updates.

  • Installing software before deploying the OS.

  • Custom task sequences for non-OS deployments.

  • Associating users with the destination computer to support user device affinity.

  • Dynamic package installs via the Install Packages step.

  • Dynamic application installs via the Install Application step.

  • The Use pre-production client package when available setting in the Setup Windows and ConfigMgr task sequence step. For more information about this setting, see Setup Windows and ConfigMgr.

I validated my task sequence didn't have these issue, but the problem still occurred, and i spent hours swapping out items one by one trying to get it to work, then i said screw it, let's try automating this simple wizard task.

New-CMBootableMedia

New-CMBootableMedia is something I used a while back at a different site for this issue and got me past this annoyance. I'll show you the settings I used to create an iso to send to dell.

just change the variables to match what you need. Usually you will not need to set a variable, so the $vars portion can be removed and the -variable can be removed from then New-CMStandaloneMedia function, unless you're sending the thing to dell like I was..

Once this has been run in powershell it will spit out the hash for the iso file.

The log for me was located here. the location in installed my console.

  • D:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\AdminConsole\AdminUILog\CreateTsMedia.log

You can then test the iso file or look at the log created and it should end something like this.

  • Hash for e:\temp\DellCFI.iso is 8B89202D9C364E978781594A4E192A

  • Done with media generation CreateTsMedia

  • MediaGenerator::~MediaGenerator()

  • CreateMedia.exe : success

Element not found