[Today's post is from the Configuration Manager Writing Team]
The Configuration Manager 2007 documentation library and the Configuration Manager 2012 documentation library have been updated on the web and the latest content has Updated: July1, 2011 at the top of the topic.
This month’s updates incorporate customer feedback for Configuration Manager 2007, and some new information (and updates) for Configuration Manager 2012.
We will continue to add more information for Configuration Manager 2012 as we get that information from the product group and in response to customer feedback. At the moment, some topics are published without any content to let you know that it’s planned. We also monitor page hits and search results to help us plan when to publish the information. To help you find the right information, use the Configuration Manager 2012 search portal.
Note that we are writing for the released product, rather than for any pre-release version, such as Beta 2. As such, there might be some discrepancies with the pre-release version that you are testing and the documentation.
We value customer feedback and try to incorporate it when possible. Although we can’t promise to make the docs perfect for everybody, we are committed to continual improvement. So, keep that feedback coming, and feel free to contact us about anything related to the documentation by using our usual address of SMSDocs@Microsoft.com.
What's New in the Configuration Manager 2007 Documentation Library for July 2011
The following information lists the topics that contain significant changes since the June 2011 update.
Configuration Manager 2007 General Supported Configurations
- Updated to clarify that the Windows Server 2008 R2 domain functional level and forest functional level is supported with Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and Configuration Manager 2007 SP2.
How to Prevent the Configuration Manager Client Software from Being Installed on Specific Computers
- Updated to add the registry path for 64-bit operating systems.
How to Prevent Configuration Manager From Installing Files on a Specific Drive
- Updated to clarify that the branch distribution point does not honor the no_sms_on_drive.sms file. This clarification is also added to About Standard and Branch Distribution Points.
Certificate Requirements for Out of Band Management
- Updated to remove the key length of 1536 for the AMT provisioning certificate. This key length is not supported by Configuration Manager.
Prerequisites for Out of Band Management
- Updated to clarify that DHCP is required for both in-band provisioning and out of band provisioning. Failing to configure DHCP correctly is one of the most typical reasons why in-band provisioning fails.
What's New in the Configuration Manager 2012 Documentation Library for July 2011
What’s New in Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated with the clarification that the Manage Site Accounts (MSAC) command-line tool that was provided with Configuration Manager 2007 is not provided with and is not supported by Configuration Manager 2012. Information is also added for Client Status (which was Client Status Reporting in Configuration Manager 2007, and also known as “Client Health”).
Introduction to Client Deployment in Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated for information about client status and deploying the Configuration Manager client on mobile devices.
Determine How to Manage Mobile Devices in Configuration Manager 2012
- New topic that lists the differences between the three types of mobile device management in Configuration Manager 2012 and when to use each method.
Determine the Site System Roles for Client Deployment in Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated for all the site system roles that you might require to install clients on computers or mobile devices.
Determine Whether to Block Clients in Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated for computers, mobile devices, and AMT-based computers.
How to Configure Request Ports for Clients in Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated for Configuration Manager 2012. There are no signification changes from Configuration Manager 2007.
How to Prevent the Client Software from Installing on Specific Computers in Configuration Manager 2012
Planning for Discovery in Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated for information about Network Discovery.
Configure Sites and the Hierarchy for Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated for information about configuring Network Discovery.
PKI Certificate Requirements for Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated the client certificate specific information details for operating system deployment to remove the restriction that the Subject must contain a unique value. In Configuration Manager 2012, this certificate now supports the Subject Alternative Name (SAN). In addition, updated the certificate details for the AMT provisioning certificate for the supported key lengths.
Reporting in Configuration Manager 2012
- This section is updated for the following topics:
Example Scenarios for Using Out of Band Management in Configuration Manager 2012
Frequently Asked Questions for Configuration Manager 2012
- Updated to include the following new Client Deployment and Operations question:
-- The Configuration Manager Writing Team
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties and confers no rights.
[Today's post comes from Harini Muralidharan]
We are announcing support changes for the following releases. Please look for these changes to be reflected in the Supported Configuration pages within a few months.
Microsoft Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1 is now supported on Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3 now support Windows Embedded Standard 7 SP1 as a client platform.
General limitations for managing Windows Embedded devices can be found in this article, http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb932123.aspx.
No software updates are required.
Microsoft Windows ThinPC and Windows Embedded POSReady 7 are now supported on Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3 now support Windows Thin PC and Windows Embedded POSReady 7 as client platforms.
Known limitations with Windows ThinPC and Windows Embedded POSReady 7 can be found here - http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2011/07/26/how-to-create-prestaged-media-for-wes-7-1-posready7-and-thinpc-in-configmgr-2007-r3.aspx
--Harini Muralidharan
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
[Today’s post comes from Chaohao Xu]
This blog post introduces how to create prestaged media for Windows Embedded Standard 7.1, PosReady7 and ThinPC with ConfigMgr 2007 R3.
First, you need to setup a reference machine that runs the operating system you plan to deploy. Then, you need to capture the reference machine into an image file. Finally, create a prestaged media based on that image file in create prestaged media wizard. You can either do the first step by using a task sequence or manually. With either method, it is important to create a single partition disk layout for the reference operating system (OS).
If you install the reference machine manually, then during the setup wizard of WES 7.1, PosReady7 and ThinPC, a 100 MB system partition to hold the boot system files is created by default and the operating system itself is installed on the other partition. When creating prestaged media, Configuration Manager 2007 R3 will try to back up the boot system files in the captured reference image. Because prestaged media only supports single partition image. It is important to have the boot system files on the same partition with the OS partition.
If the following symptom is seen in CreateTsMedia.log when creating a prestaged media for WES 7.1, PosReady7 or ThinPC, it is likely that the reference image captured doesn’t have a single partition disk layout:
Back up OS bootsystem files from D:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\1\_tsmedia_2108\stage to a subfolder D:\Users\ADMINI~1\AppData\Local\Temp\1\_tsmedia_2108\stage\OEMMedia
Closing image file \\EDRS\SMSPKGD$\EDR0001F\POSReady7X86.wim
Failed to create media (0x80070002)
When manually installing WES 7.1, PosReady7 and ThinPC setup wizard will create additional partitions for system files automatically, as seen in the following screen capture. But you may open the command shell with Shift+F10, and run the following diskpart commands to partition the disk yourself. The following diskpart command will create a single NTFS partition on disk x. If you do not, the installation process might create a separate partition for boot system files automatically.
Select Disk x
Clean
Create Partition Primary
Select Partition 1
Format FS=NTFS Quick
Active
Assign
After the partition is successfully created, exit the command shell and continue with the installation of WES 7.1, PosReady7, or ThinPC.
Once the operating system setup is finished, use a task sequence to capture the image or perform a manual capture. After the image capture completes, create an operation system image package based on that image in site server, and use the task sequence media wizard to create a prestaged media.
--Chaohao Xu
[Today's post is provided by Rob Stack]
The latest downloadable update for the Configuration Manager 2007 Documentation Library has been posted to the Microsoft Download Center. The June 2011 version is the newest downloadable update available and contains new information and updates to the documentation since the last update was published for the September 2010 version.
To get the most recent downloadable Configuration Manager Documentation Library help, go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=71816b0f-de06-40e0-bce7-ad4b1e4377bb&displaylang=en.
For more information about the Configuration Manager 2007 Help File Update Wizard, see this post: "Need the Latest Configuration Manager 2007 Help File?" at http://blogs.technet.com/configmgrteam/archive/2009/02/03/need-the-latest-configuration-manager-2007-help-file.aspx .
Please contact smsdocs@microsoft.com if you have any questions or comments about this downloadable update.
-- Rob Stack