> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://documentation.2pintsoftware.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://documentation.2pintsoftware.com/deployr/deployment-methods/starting-a-task-sequence-in-an-existing-os.md). # Starting a task sequence in an existing OS You can also start task sequences from an existing OS. This is useful when you need to perform a series of tasks, such as installing applications or applying configuration. To start a task sequence from an existing OS, bootstrap the process using PowerShell: * Open an elevated PowerShell session. * Execute the following commands: ```powershell iex (irm "https://your-server-name.com:7281/v1/Service/Bootstrap") ``` * When the DeployR client starts, choose the task sequence you want to execute. To completely automate the process, the task sequence ID can also be specified: ```powershell iex (irm "https://your-server-name.com:7281/v1/Service/Bootstrap?tsid=00000002-0000-0000-0000-000000000001:1") ``` You can pass additional information by setting a variable containing the task sequence variables to define. For example: ```powershell $DeployRBootstrap = @{ MyRole = "Accounting" } iex (irm "https://your-server-name.com:7281/v1/Service/Bootstrap?tsid=00000002-0000-0000-0000-000000000001:1"") ``` ### Things to note #### Certificates The endpoint must trust the DeployR server's certificate. If you use a public certificate or an internal CA, no additional configuration is typically required. However, if you use the 2Pint Software self-signed certificate, you must first add the 2Pint Software root CA certificate to the endpoint's trusted root certificate store. You can distribute the certificate using Intune, Group Policy, PowerShell, or another management tool. This is the same certificate you loaded into WinPE. #### Logs The bootstrap log is created in C:\Windows\Temp, and once the task sequence starts, the DeployR logs are created in C:\\\_2P\Logs. #### Prerequisites Running a task sequence on an existing machine requires .NET and PowerShell 7. When you run the commands above, they are installed automatically if needed, using installers from the DeployR server rather than the internet. The example below is from an existing machine that did not have the prerequisites installed; they were installed automatically. #### Console View ``` Transcript started, output file is C:\Windows\Temp\DeployR-bootstrap.log 03/11/2026 08:15:20 Telling Windows to stay awake 03/11/2026 08:15:20 WARNING: No certificates found to inject into root store. 03/11/2026 08:15:21 No PowerShell LTS version found. 03/11/2026 08:15:21 Minimum PowerShell version = 7.4.13 03/11/2026 08:15:21 Installing PowerShell 7.4.13 (old version was '0.0.0') 03/11/2026 08:15:21 MSI path = C:\_2P\Content\00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000004\PowerShell-7.4.13-win-x64.msi 03/11/2026 08:15:48 Return code = 0 03/11/2026 08:15:48 No .NET Core version found. 03/11/2026 08:15:48 Minimum .NET Core version = 8.0.21 03/11/2026 08:15:48 Installing .NET Core 8.0.21 (old version was '0.0.0') 03/11/2026 08:15:54 Return code = 0 03/11/2026 08:15:59 Return code = 0 03/11/2026 08:16:01 Return code = 0 03/11/2026 08:16:01 Current PATH = C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Program Files\SysInternalsSuite\;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Users\gary.blok\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps 03/11/2026 08:16:01 New PATH = C:\WINDOWS\system32;C:\WINDOWS;C:\WINDOWS\System32\Wbem;C:\WINDOWS\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\;C:\WINDOWS\System32\OpenSSH\;C:\Program Files\Microsoft VS Code\bin;C:\Program Files\SysInternalsSuite\;C:\Program Files\Git\cmd;C:\Program Files\PowerShell\7\;C:\Program Files\dotnet\ 03/11/2026 08:16:01 Creating symbolic link to pwsh.exe 03/11/2026 08:16:01 Starting TwoPint.DeployR.ClientShell ``` ### Troubleshooting If it is failing to launch, most of the issues have been around certificates and the endpoint not trusting the DeployR server. Other causes include .NET installation issues, permissions, and network connectivity.\ \ Here is a script on GitHub that you can run after a failed attempt to check some of the basics.\ \
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