I'm running into two different problems with IP configuration tasks that may be related.
The first problem is simple enough. Upon doing a clone and configure task, the cloning and configuration tasks finish without error, but the target machines retain the static IP address the image had, even if the imaged computer was changed to DHCP before sysprep was run. All cloned machines boot fine, and they keep the original names they had, but they do not keep the IP address they originally had, and instead obtain the 'master' machine's static IP, even if the master machine was switched to DHCP before sysprep/image capture was done.
The odd part is when I log into the cloned client the network adapter has two addresses assigned to it, the static one from the image and the one of the client. Its as if the image's network configuration is overriding the client's original IP and the configuration task isn't going through correctly.
The second problem is with any of my machines that are on 1 GB speed using the Intel 82579LM network card. Upon booting to the WinPE environment, they do not get an IP address assinged to them. Its as if the console cannot adequately read the IP information of the target machines and just lets them get NO ip information, not even static configuration. The end result is that they hang with the interface getting the self-assigned IP address 169. and not connecting to the ghost console.
This problem has occurred to others;
https://www-secure.symantec.com/connect/forums/ghost-115-polling-server169-addressnothing-happens
for example.
However, unlike others, the situation seems different inasmuch as it used to work just fine.
So, essentially, the task involved in configuring a NIC card's IP address on any given client machine is running into trouble, both in the WinPE environment and at the end of a clone/configure task.
Any help is much appreciated.