MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Michael Niehaus — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 15:51:04 GMT

We purposely prevent cross-platform installations of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (only allowing Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2). This is because of a support limitation in those OSes: You can only do a cross-platform installation using Windows PE 2.0 (it fails on Windows PE 3.0). Since we don't support Windows PE 2.0 (from an older WAIK) in MDT 2012, we can't support this scenario.

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Michaja van der Zouwen — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 09:29:42 GMT

I'm testing MDT 2012 RC1 right now and I'm able to install WS 2008 R2 with a 32-bit litetouch bootimage out-of-the-box, without the need for 32-bit setup files (probably because the WinPE image itself is based on 32-bit win7 which has the same kernel). The only problem I'm having is that my 64-bit 2008 Task Sequences aren't showing up in the menu pane using the same 32-bit boot image, even thought the 32-bit 2008 Task Sequences are present (and available). Has anyone out there come across this issue?

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Phil — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 22:52:43 GMT

Actually I don't see why this was changed at all...In MDT update 1 2010 it was working fine...Now there is some confusion for my group using it as they think the wizard is broken.

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Dujon Walsham — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:12:27 GMT

then again i just remembered that some Windows 7 images have the same build number, and since there are ISO's which now ship with both on the same disk, can this work perhaps in junction with the 32bit boot wim?

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Dujon Walsham — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 08:09:36 GMT

I can see this being an issue in this sense

I especially use Windows Server 2008 R2 images, and since 2008 R2 is only in 64 bit, would there be anyway to get this to install using a 32bit boot wim?

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Farmer Pete — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 11:56:42 GMT

I think he is talking about the setup files.

For Windows 7, I only do scripted installs. My understanding is that the setup files would of course be available, as it has the full DVD and runs the setup to install. So I could eliminate the x64 boot images? Yay! :-)

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Michael Niehaus — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 02:42:01 GMT

Definitely not simple to do - there were wizard changes, LiteTouch.wsf changes, ZTIDriver.wsf changes, ZTIPatches.wsf changes, etc. - and all the changes assume the matching ZTIUtility.vbs, ZTIGather.wsf, etc. By the time you replaced all of those, you might as well be running MDT 2012 Beta 1.

re: MDT 2012 Beta 1: Cross-Platform Deployment

Diagg — Sat, 11 Jun 2011 07:37:30 GMT

Sorry for the stupid questions but : Can you name the files involved and where to place them ?