Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Team BlogOfficial blog for MDT 2010
There have been reports of a problem when running Refresh, Replace, Sysprep and Capture, and Custom task sequences with MDT 2010. When running those scenarios an error message is displayed after completing the wizard that states “A connection to the distribution share could not be made”. When looking at the log files the error states: ‘Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed.”
This problem seems to occur most often when logged onto the client machine as one user and entering different credentials into the deployment wizard or customsettings.ini.
We have developed a fix for this problem. To fix the problem you should edit the ztiutility.vbs file in the deployment share under the scripts folder. Open the file in notepad and replace the following code in the MapNetworkDriveEX function:
Case Else
' Case &h800704C3 ' Multiple connections to a server or shared resource by the same user, using more than one user name, are not allowed.
' Case &h8007052E ' Logon failure: unknown user name or bad password.
' There was a some kind of fatal error.
If ErrDesc <> "" then
MapNetworkDriveEx = ErrDesc
Else
MapNetworkDriveEx = "Unable to map UNC Path " & sShare & " :" & "( 0x" & hex(HasError) & " ) "
End if
oLogging.CreateEntry MapNetworkDriveEx & "", iLogType
Exit function
End select
With this code:
Err.Clear
On Error Resume Next
oNetwork.MapNetworkDrive chr(sDrive)&":", sShare, False
HasError = err.number
ErrDesc = err.Description
On Error Goto 0
If Err.Number <> 0 Then
Exit Function
End If
We thank you very much for your feedback and assistance in helping us fix this problem. We are currently working on a KB article that decribes these steps and will update once that KB article is available
Open Beta for MDT 2010—Join Now
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010
Deploy Windows 7 beta with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010. Join the beta at http://connect.microsoft.com. Follow the instructions on this blog post to get connected to the Beta: http://blogs.technet.com/msdeployment/archive/2008/12/03/a-new-version-is-coming-soon.aspx
MDT 2010 is the next version of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a solution accelerator for operating system and application deployment. New features like flexible driver management, optimized transaction processing, and access to distribution shares from any location simplify deployment and make your job easier. Deploy faster and easier with MDT 2010. Join the beta now.
Tell us what you think! Join the beta and send us your honest feedback. We appreciate your input.
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is the fourth generation deployment accelerator from Microsoft. It is the recommended process and toolset to automate desktop and server deployment. MDT benefits you by providing:
· Detailed guidance and job aids for every organized role involved with large-scale deployment projects.
New Functionality
Join the Beta
Additional infrastructure deployment tools are available as beta releases on the Connect Web site. They are open beta downloads. See below for instructions on how to access the Connect Web site.
To join the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta, follow these steps:
1. Visit the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Beta at http://connect.microsoft.com.
2. Sign in using a valid Windows Live ID to continue to the Invitations page.
3. Scroll down to Microsoft Deployment Connection.
If you have not previously registered with Microsoft Connect, you might be required to register before continuing with the invitation process.
If the link in step 1 does not work for you, copy the link and paste it into the Web browser address bar.
Related Resources
Check out other Solution Accelerators! Visit the SAT page on TechNet, http://www.microsoft.com/solutionaccelerators, for additional information.
We appreciate your comments and feedback, please send mail to satfdbk@microsoft.com
Microsoft Deployment has been released for a little over three months and we now have had enough questions and support calls come in to generate a FAQ. You might want to bookmark this post because we plan on updating this list as additional questions are asked.
Q: Is it possible to change the text IT Organization in the task sequence dialog box?
A: Yes! You can set the variable _SMSTSORGNAME in the custom settings.ini to match the text you want to use. For example to set the text to Microsoft Corporation, add the following line to your customsettings.ini:
_SMSTSORGNAME = Microsoft Corporation
Q: What is the purpose of each of the task sequence templates?
A: In BDD 2007 we supported only the installation of a client Operating System and did not technically support using task sequences for anything other than deploying an Operating System. With Microsoft Deployment we now support deploying server Operating Systems as well as running customized task sequences that can perform any number of operations. Here is a list of the templates we provide and their purpose:
Q: For the Client Replace task sequence, how do I make the task sequence wipe the disk?
A: Set the variable WipeDisk = TRUE in the customsettings.ini
Q: In BDD 2007 I modified ztidiskpart.txt to create partitions. How do I do this in Microsoft Deployment?
A: Microsoft deployment does not use the ztidiskpart.txt file to create the partitions. Now, this disks are configured run time based on the task sequence parameters in the Format and Partition Disk step. This step allows you to create multiple partitions across several disks. If you do not want a partition formatted you can create your own custom script that calls diskpart /s and provide your own diskpart.xt file
Q: When trying to add a custom Vista WIM to the workbench, I receive the following error: Error during wizard processing An unexpected error occurred while processing the wizard results. Collection was modified; enumeration operation may not execute.
A: There is a hotfix available that will fix this problem. See the following KB article for more information and to retrieve the hotfix:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941595
Q: How do I use the media hook capabilities in Microsoft Deployment to deploy to unknown computers?
A: Michael Niehaus has a great blog entry and screencast on how to set up and configure this feature: http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/archive/2008/01/19/microsoft-deployment-configmgr-boot-media-unknown-computers-web-services.aspx
Q: How do I configure my task sequence to capture a reference image?
A: In the standard client task sequence there are a series of steps at the end of the task sequence that prepare the system for imaging, reboot to Windows PE, and then captures an image of the computer. To enable these steps the following variable should be set in the customsettings.ini, Microsoft Deployment Database, ConfigMgr variables, or task sequence variables:
DoCapture = YES
Q: Do I need to use the Microsoft Deployment database with ConfigMgr 2007?
A: It depends. We have made Microsoft Deployment flexible enough for you to use the Microsoft Deployment Database, customsettings.ini, ConfigMgr 2007 Task Sequence variables, Web Services, or Collection or Computer variables. If you already have a populated database from using BDD 2007, you have the ability to use that database in conjunction with Microsoft Deployment and ConfigMgr by customizing the customsettings.ini to make the database connection. If you choose to use the Microsoft Deployment database (or any other database) then you will need to use the Import Microsoft Deployment Task sequence to create a custom Windows PE image that includes ADO support
Q: What is install updates offline and how do I use it?
A: Install Updates offline is a step that can be added to the task sequence that will install Vista and Windows Server 2008 patches to the Operating System prior to the Operating System booting for the first time. To use this step in the task sequence, you first need to create an updates package inside of ConfigMgr: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb680701.aspx. After creating your updates package you need to add the Install Updates Offline step in the task sequence in the PostInstall section immediately prior to the Configure step
A: Yes! Due to how the task sequencing engine works with SMS 2003 OSD, the process is slightly different than for Lite Touch.
Create a variables.dat file in your package source and distribute it to your SMS 2003 Distribution Points. The contents of that variables.dat file should be the following:
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<MediaVarList Version="4.00.5345.0000"><var name=”_SMSTSORGNAME”>My CorpName</var></MediaVarList>
The latest version of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, MDT 2010, is currently being developed. This new version, which is due to be released shortly after the Windows 7 release, will offer:
The first beta release will be made available in the coming weeks. Please sign up for at the Connect website to be notified as soon as it is available, if you haven’t already done so. To sign up, follow these simple steps:
We look forward to receiving your feedback on this new MDT 2010 version and encourage you to use the Connect site for that feedback.
If you have suggestions, comments, or concerns about MDT 2008 (the current release), please submit that through the Connect site as well.
We are pleased to announce the release of MDT 2010 available for download here.
MDT 2010 has been in planning and development for a little over a year and is our largest release to date with over 70% of our code changing since MDT 2008. MDT 2010 has also been tested throughout our Beta and Release Candidate versions by well over 10,000 IT professionals around the world. We appreciate all of the feedback you have given and without your help this release would not have been possible.
Michael Niehaus did a great series of blog posts on most of the new features of MDT 2010. You can review those posts here: http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/search.aspx?q=MDT+2010+New+Feature&p=1
Please make sure you review the release notes for instructions on how to upgrade from MDT 2008 or one of the beta releases of MDT 2010.
THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR MAKING THIS RELEASE POSSIBLE!
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1 - Now Available!
If you’re making the move to Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, and/or Office 2010, you need tools and guidance to help you through the process. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010, a free Solution Accelerator, is designed to fill that need.
The latest MDT 2010 Update 1 release, now available for download, offers something for everyone:
For System Center Configuration Manager 2007 customers:
For Lite Touch Installation:
For all existing customers:
Next Steps
We've received a number of questions over the past few days on the best way to upgrade from MDT 2008 to MDT 2008 Update 1 without losing any settings. The most common problem that has been seen is that the Deployment Points are no longer present after installing MDT 2008 Update 1. The following instructions will allow you to upgrade and maintain all of your existing settings:
1. Before installing MDT 2008 Update make a backup of the Deploy.XML file. The file is located by default in C:\Program Files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Control
2. Install the MDT 2008 Update 1 MSI
3. Launch the Deployment Workbench and right click on Distribution Share and choose Create distribution share directory
4. A wizard will then be presented. Choose Upgrade an existing distribution share and type or browse to the path of your existing distribution share. Check the check box to Backup existing scripts and configuration files and click on Finish (the files will be backed up to the Distribution\Backup folder)
5. Close the Deployment Workbench and restore the Deploy.xml that was backed up earler to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Control, overwriting the existing file
6. Launch the Deployment Workbench, navigate to the Deployment Points and your Deployment Points should now be visible.
7. Right click on each Deployment Point and choose Update. This will update all of the Windows PE images with the correct version of the scripts
8. If you are using WDS, you will now need to replace your boot image in WDS with the updated Lite Touch WIM file
Announcing Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008 – now Windows Vista SP1-Ready!
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 was Released to Web via Windows Update and Download Center this Tuesday and we know there are a lot of companies waiting to deploy it into production. You may be familiar with the Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) tools from the past and the latest version, dubbed Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) which was released in November. We changed the name from BDD because you can now build images and deploy desktops and servers (including Windows Server 2008) with the same toolkit and we thought MDT better reflected that functionality. Today we’re excited to announce the release of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2008! MDT makes imaging and deployment much easier with its new checklist and wizard-driven user interface. At the same time it continues to provide lots of great in-depth guidance for managing your deployment projects end-to-end, as well as quickstart guides if you want to quickly dive into the tools. If you are among the more than 350,000 people still using BDD 2007, we didn’t forget about you. An update for BDD 2007 to support SP1 imaging and deployment is also available today.
Both these tools can save you lots of time in planning and building out a standard desktop experience all the way to rolling OS images out into production. Download MDT 2008 or the updated BDD 2007 today. For more information, go to http://www.microsoft.com/deployment or contact a Desktop Deployment Planning Services specialist.
In addition to Service Pack 1 support for Windows Vista, MDT 2008 also has the following new features:
We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of the release candidate of MDT 2010. This release contains numerous bug fixes since MDT 2010 Beta 2. MDT 2010 RC has been tested and will work with Windows 7 RTM and Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM as well as all previously supported operating systems.
A BIG Thank You to all of you who tested and have given feedback for MDT 2010 Beta 2. We were able to fix several bugs and push through some design changes based on your feedback. Now is the time for you to verify the bug fixes and continue to provide feedback as we work towards the release of MDT 2010.
As with any release please make sure you read through the release notes to understand the known issues with this release and make sure you have a backup of your deployment environment before you upgrade to MDT 2010 RC.
If you have not signed up on our connect site you can still do so here: https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=14
Thank you very much for your support and we hope you continue to provide feedback!
One thing that amazes me about this community is the number of early adopters and the incredible amount of feedback that we receive on our products. We thank you very much for testing, implementing, and providing your feedback. We released Microsoft Deployment almost two weeks ago and we have already seen two relatively minor bugs surface through the public newsgroups. The following information describes these two bugs and how you can overcome them in your environment.
For those of you who may not know what ztitatoo does, this script adds entries into WMI on the client machine in order to track version information of your deployments so you can run WMI queries or SMS Reports to see some or all of the following properties:
Unfortunately the ztitatoo.wsf script was not fully updated to match our new name so there are some bugs inside of the script that point to registry entries that were used with BDD 2007.
To work around this bug, go to c:\program files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\templates\Distribution\scripts folder and edit the ztitatoo.wsf file. After saving the file in your templates folder make sure you copy the updated ztitattoo.wsf file to your distribution$\scripts directory.
Replace the following lines:
'//---------------------------------------------------------------------------- '// Record the deployment details '//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\Deployment Method", oEnvironment.Item("DeploymentMethod"), "REG_SZ" oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\Deployment Type", oEnvironment.Item("DeploymentType"), "REG_SZ"
Set oDate = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemDateTime") oDate.SetVarDate(Now()) oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\Deployment Timestamp", oDate.Value, "REG_SZ"
'//---------------------------------------------------------------------------- '// If this is Lite Touch, populate the task sequence details '//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\Task Sequence ID", oEnvironment.Item("TaskSequenceID"), "REG_SZ" oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\Task Sequence Name", oEnvironment.Item("TaskSequenceName"), "REG_SZ" oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\Task Sequence Version", oEnvironment.Item("TaskSequenceVersion"), "REG_SZ"
'//---------------------------------------------------------------------------- '// If this is OSD, populate the package ID and program name '//----------------------------------------------------------------------------
If oEnvironment.Item("OSDPACKAGEID") <> "" then
sValue = oEnvironment.Item("OSDSITECODE") & ":" & oEnvironment.Item("OSDPACKAGEID") oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\CM_DSLID", sValue, "REG_SZ"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\OSD Package ID", oEnvironment.Item("OSDPACKAGEID") oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\OSD Program Name", oEnvironment.Item("OSDPROGRAMID") oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\BDD 2007\OSD Advertisement ID", oEnvironment.Item("OSDADVERTID")
Replace with this code:
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\Deployment Method", oEnvironment.Item("DeploymentMethod"), "REG_SZ" oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\Deployment Type", oEnvironment.Item("DeploymentType"), "REG_SZ"
Set oDate = CreateObject("WbemScripting.SWbemDateTime") oDate.SetVarDate(Now()) oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\Deployment Timestamp", oDate.Value, "REG_SZ"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\Task Sequence ID", oEnvironment.Item("TaskSequenceID"), "REG_SZ" oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\Task Sequence Name", oEnvironment.Item("TaskSequenceName"), "REG_SZ" oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\Task Sequence Version", oEnvironment.Item("TaskSequenceVersion"), "REG_SZ"
oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\OSD Package ID", oEnvironment.Item("OSDPACKAGEID") oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\OSD Program Name", oEnvironment.Item("OSDPROGRAMID") oShell.RegWrite "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Deployment 4\OSD Advertisement ID", oEnvironment.Item("OSDADVERTID")
You might have noticed that we have included a task item in our templates for Standard Client and Standard Server Lite Touch Task sequences called Set Diskpart BIOS Compatibility Mode. This task is designed to fix the Windows PE Uberbug that is described in the following KB articles:
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=931760 http://support.microsoft.com/?id=931761
This task is disabled by default. If you have enabled the task you have probably noticed that the task sequence fails and examining the smsts.log file shows that an "Access is denied" error occurred when running the ztisetvariable.wsf script. The actual error message is really Incorrect Function but that does not help you solve the problem.
The problem or bug is actually within the client.xml and server.xml files that serve as templates for our Standard Client and Standard Server task sequences.
Inside of the client and server.xml files in c:\program files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\templates folder, modify the following section:
Change this: <step type="SMS_TaskSequence_SetVariableAction" name="Set Diskpart BIOS Compatibility Mode" description="" disable="true" runIn="WinPEandFullOS" successCodeList="0"> <action>cscript.exe "%SCRIPTROOT%\ZTISetVariable.wsf"</action> <defaultVarList> <variable name="VariableName" property="VariableName" hidden="true">OSDDiskpartBiosCompatibilityMode</variable> <variable name="VariableValue" property="VariableValue" hidden="true">TRUE</variable> </defaultVarList> </step>
To this: <step type="SMS_TaskSequence_SetVariableAction" name="Set Diskpart BIOS Compatibility Mode" description="" disable="true" runIn="WinPEandFullOS" successCodeList="0"> <action>cscript.exe "%SCRIPTROOT%\ZTISetVariable.wsf"</action> <defaultVarList> <variable name="VariableName" property="VariableName">OSDDiskpartBiosCompatibilityMode</variable> <variable name="VariableValue" property="VariableValue">TRUE</variable> </defaultVarList> </step>
Essentially you are just removing the hidden="true" from the XML file. Once you save the XML files just delete your task sequence from the workbench and recreate it.
Again thank you very much for finding these issues and please keep the feedback coming!
Get ready to deploy Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2.
The Windows® 7 and Windows Server® 2008 R2 launches are just around the corner. As you prepare to deploy these operating systems, get a jump start with Microsoft® Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2. Leverage this Solution Accelerator to achieve efficient, cost-effective deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
MDT 2010 is the next version of Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, a Solution Accelerator for operating system and application deployment. New features such as flexible driver management, optimized user interface workflow, and Windows PowerShell™ can simplify deployment and make your job easier. MDT 2010 will support deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 in addition to deployment of Windows Vista®, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP. Join the beta now!
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is the recommended process and toolset for automating desktop and server deployment. MDT provides you with the following benefits:
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Beta 2 is a significant upgrade over MDT 2010 Beta 1. MDT 2010 Beta 2 adds the following new features and functionality:
Deployment Workbench Enhancements
Powershell Capabilities
Task Sequence and Script Enhancements
Configuration Manager Enhancements
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2010 Beta 2 is now available! To invite customers and partners to join the Beta program, forward them the information in this e-mail message.
Q. What additional files are needed to deploy Windows XP SP2 with BDD 2007?
A. In addition to the Windows XP SP2 source files, sysprep.exe, setupcl.exe, and factory.exe from the deploy.cab file from the Windows XP SP2 Support Files located at the root of the Product media or downloaded from:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=3E90DC91-AC56-4665-949B-BEDA3080E0F6
Q. How does BDD 2007 utilize the tools from the deploy.cab file?
A. By copying the deploy.cab file into the Distribution\tools\x86 folder, BDD will locate and extract the necessary files as part of the Lite Touch process to properly sysprep the XP master image before capturing into a WIM file.
Q. What log files can be evaluated to troubleshoot deployment issues with Windows XP?
A. The primary log files for Windows XP SP2 are located in the %windir% folder and are named:
setuplog.txt - Contains information about setup actions during the installation.
setuperr.txt - Contains information about setup errors during the installation.
setupapi.log – Contains information about hardware detection during the installation.
Q. Are there BDD specific log files and where are they located?
A. BDD scripts automatically create log files. Each script creates a log file that matches the name of the script, for example ZTIGather.wsf creates a log file named ZTIGather.log. Each script also updates a common log file (BDD.log) that aggregates the contents of logs created by the BDD scripts. BDD logs are located in the C:\MININT\SMSOSD\OSDLOGS folder during the deployment process. They are then moved at the completion of a deployment, their destination is dependent on the deployment type:
Lite Touch - C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\BDDLogs unless the /debug:true option has been specified.
Zero Touch - C:\TEMP\SMSOSD or C:\SMSOSD unless the C:\MININT\Archive_OSD.SMS file is found.
Q. Can I use Windows System Image Manager to create a catalog file or edit Windows XP setup information files?
A. No, Windows SIM is only used to create and edit unattend.xml files for Windows Vista and Server 2008 deployments. Unattend.txt, and setup.inf files can be edited with a plain text editor such as Notepad.
Q. Can I create a single Windows XP SP2 image for deployment that can be installed to any hardware?
A. As long as the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) of the reference computer matches the HAL of the destination computer, as detailed in the following knowledge base article:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309283/
Q. How do I add a storage driver to my already captured Windows XP WIM file for deployment?
A. Unlike Windows Vista, storage drivers must be present on the computer when “sysprep –reseal” is run.
Q. How do I add a storage driver to Windows XP image before syspreping so that it will be available in my image for deployment?
A. After acquiring the correct driver download package, first extract the INF file(s) included in the driver package so that you can determine the correct Plug and Play ID’s (PnP ID) that the driver package supports. Examine the files and locate the PnP ID’s in lines resembling something like the following in the txtsetup.oem file provided by the manufacturer
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2922&CC_0106","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_282A&CC_0104","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2829&CC_0106","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2822&CC_0104","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2821&CC_0106","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2682&CC_0104","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2681&CC_0106","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C3&CC_0104","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C6&CC_0104","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C1&CC_0106","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_27C5&CC_0106","iaStor"
id = "PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2653&CC_0106","iaStor"
You will need to copy the drivers & associated files into the distribution share so that they will be available to the setup and sysprep processes. One method is to use the $OEM$ folder structure to automate the necessary copying. A folder structure such as the following is one example:
.\Distribution\Control\<BUILDID>\$OEM$\$1\Drivers\DriverName
Once the driver is available from a known location such as the above, you need to edit the sysprep.inf file so that it includes information which references the PnP ID’s of the driver as illustrated below:
[Sysprep]
BuildMassStorageSection = YES
[SysprepMassStorage]
PCI\VEN_8086&DEV_2652&CC_0106="C:\DRIVERS\DriverName\driverfile.INF"
Each additional driver PnP ID must be added to the sysprep.inf file before running sysprep to integrate the storage driver into the syspreped image.
For a step by step example of integrating the Intel IASTOR driver into sysprep.inf, look a the article: BDD 2007 - Integrating Mass Storage Drivers into your XP image
Q. When I deploy Windows XP with Lite Touch, on some hardware, the machine halts with a Blue Screen (BSOD), or hangs loading mup.sys after the machine attempts to boot into mini-setup?
A. This problem occurs because Windows Vista and Windows PE 2.0 create disk partitions differently than Windows XP. This problem occurs only on computers that use certain BIOS firmware. Knowledge Base article describes the problem and a hotfix for Windows XP that can serve as a workaround for the issue: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/931760/en-us . This problem can also occur due to a HAL mismatch between the source computer and the destination computer or this could also be due to a missing mass storage driver.
Q. I have already created my master XP image and don’t want to rebuild, but am still getting the above problem on some hardware. Is there another workaround available for this issue?
A. One workaround is to add data & values to the registry of WinPE 2.0. These settings will change how WinPE partitions and formats the hard drive before the XP image is applied. The following settings need to be added to WinPE to workaround the issue:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CURRENTCONTROLSET\SERVICES\VDS\ALIGNMENT]"LessThan4GB"=dword:00000000"Between4_8GB"=dword:00000000"Between8_32GB"=dword:00000000"GreaterThan32GB"=dword:00000000
Another workaround that does not require changing the registry in WinPE is a simple change to the Distribution\Scripts\ZTIDiskpart.txt file used by BDD. If you change the file as follows, WinPE will partition the drive in such a manner that there is no need for either of the above steps:
Original ZTIDiskpart.txt file:
select disk 0
clean
create partition primary
assign letter=c:
active
exit
Modified ZTIDiskpart.txt file:
create partition primary align=16065
The "align=16065" command solves the issue described in kb931760 since it would does not create the partition in the area that gets overridden by this bios bug of some systems, but will cause you to to lose approximately 2 MB disk space.
Q. How do I integrate all of the hotfixes for Windows XP as part of my deployment when I build my master image?
A. One suggested method is to use a batch file such as “RunUpdates.cmd” as mentioned in this early TechNet Magazine article:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag/issues/2005/11/UtilitySpotlight/default.aspx
NOTE: Don’t use the "ostype" or "splevel" parameters of RunUpdates.cmd since they depend on the old sys2file.vbs output of BDD 2.5.
Q. Where can I find more FAQs and other information about Business Desktop Deployment 2007?
A. Additional information can be found at several Microsoft hosted weblogs:
Ben Hunter’s blog: http://blogs.technet.com/benhunter/default.aspx
Michael Niehaus’ blog: http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus/default.aspx
Richard Smith’s blog: http://blogs.technet.com/richardsmith/default.aspx
Q. Are there Microsoft newsgroups and similar sites that offer support for deployment?
A. The following newsgroups are available with peers, MVP’s, & Microsoft employee support available:
microsoft.public.deployment.desktop
microsoft.public.sms.tools
microsoft.public.office.setup
microsoft.public.usmt
microsoft.public.application_compatibility
Technet forum:Windows Vista Deployment and Imaging
Q. Are there any useful non-Microsoft deployment related information sources?
A. Yes, several such sources are available:
MyITForum BDD Wiki
DeployVista.com
One of the new tasks and scripts in the Microsoft Deployment Lite Touch Task sequence is called Windows Update. This task is disabled in the default task sequence for the Client Template. The task runs a script called ztiwindowsupdate.wsf. One item to note is that the current version of this script requires client access to the Internet and also does not support proxy authentication. However if you meet those requirements, there are some really nice advantages of using this action. Here is a brief description of what actions this script performs.
This script will install and download updates from Windows Update http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and Microsoft Update http://update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate over the Internet using the Windows Update Agent API http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Aa387099.aspx. By default this feature is disabled in each Task Sequence, it must be manually enabled to run, and each computer must have a connection via proxy to the Internet. This script was designed to run on Windows XP, 2003, Vista, and should be compatible with Windows Server 2008 when released.
Most companies will already have established teams and infrastructures in place to patch newly deployed machines on the corporate network. This involves tracking the latest set of patches, drivers and updates available for each desktop configuration and determining which updates should be downloaded and installed for each configuration. If your company already has an established process, this script should not be necessary. For those teams who do not have established processes, yet wish to ensure that their images are updated when deployed, this script was designed to fill that need.
Microsoft Windows Update will automatically scan your machine and download a wide range of updates:
· Windows Service Packs (for Windows XP, Windows 2003)
· Many 3rd party Drivers have been placed on Windows Update, and will be automatically installed
· Enhanced features for Windows Vista Ultimate
· And the latest QFE (Quick Fix Engineering) patches for your System.
· And more!
Tip Many hardware manufacturers have placed their drivers up on Windows Update. This means for those drivers you will no longer need to maintain these drivers in your “Out of Box Drivers” directory. You can experiment by removing drivers from your distribution share to see which ones are available on Windows Update. Note that if the drivers are not included with Windows by default you should not remove “Networking” or “Storage” drivers, as the OS will require these drivers to boot and connect to windows update over the internet.
Microsoft Update will automatically scan your machine and download a wide range of updates:
· Updates for Microsoft Office
· Updates for Exchange Server and SQL Server
· Updates for Visual Studio
· Some 3rd party (non-Microsoft) applications
ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf is run multiple times during the deployment of an OS during the state restore phase. First it is run after the OS has started for the first time. This ensures that the latest updates and service packs are installed prior to installation of any applications that might require dependencies. This can include the latest version of the .NET Framework, for example. ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf is also run after the installation of applications allowing Microsoft Update to ensure that the latest application service packs and updates have been applied. For example Microsoft Update can ensure that the latest updates are applied to Microsoft Office 2003 or 2007.
It is possible that during installation of one or more components, Windows Update might need to reboot. This script is designed to automatically reboot and resume again if the Windows Update API requires it. If this script is run and determines that the machine is fully up to date, it will exit and continue, however if after 7 unsuccessful attempts to update the machine, the script still requires a reboot, ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf will log an error.
Installation Processing
During runtime, ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf will perform the following:
· Will ensure that the latest version of the Windows Update API is installed on the machine.
· Will ensure that the latest version of the Microsoft Update binaries are installed on the machine.
· Will search the local machine using the default query: "IsInstalled = 0 and IsHidden = 0". Meaning that it will search for all updates that apply to the local machine that are not already installed, and may or may not be normally hidden.
· For each update found, there will be an associated ID and a KBArticle
o The ID will be in the GUID format, example: “67da2176-5c57-4614-a514-33abbdd51f67”
o The KBArticle will be a numerical value: “987654”
· The script will compare the ID and the associated KBArticle against a list of known exclusions:
o WUMU_ExcludeKB – A list of KBArticles to exclude. Any Update with a KBArticle found in this list will not be installed.
o WUMU_ExcludeID – A list of ID’s to exclude. Any Update with an ID found in this list will not be installed.
o In addition, any update that requires user input will be excluded, and not installed.
· All updates that require a EULA to be approved are approved. Be sure to manually read and check each EULA before running this script in a production enviornment.
· Each update is written to the log with the string “INSTALL” or “SKIP” if the update has been approved for installation, along with the Update ID, a short description of the update, and the KB article.
· Then each update is downloaded and installed in batches.
· A number of reboots may be required to continue installation.
Note Internet Explorer 7.0 requires User Interaction, so it is not installed by ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf
Note By default you should include 925471 in your KB exclude list to prevent Windows Vista Ultimate from installing extra language packs.
Customization
During the typical lifecycle of the ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf tool, you will want to periodically review the list of updates being installed by the ZTIWindowsUpdate.wsf tool to verify that each update meets your teams needs and expectations. All updates are logged and recorded in the ZTIWindowsUpdate.log file generated during deployment. Each update should indicate if it was “INSTALLED”, or if the script “SKIP”’ed installation of the update, the Update ID, the name, and the KB article associated with each update. If you come across an update that you wish to exclude, you can add that entry to your CustomSettings.ini file (for Lite Touch Installations).
For example, if you wish to exclude the installation of Windows Vista Langauge Packs, you would look up the line in the ZTIWindowsUpdate.log showing where the update was identified and installed, and select either the ID, or if present, the KB article number. In this case the KBArticle number for the Language Pack is 925471. Your Custom Settings would then contain the lines:
WUMU_ExcludeKB1=925471
What is Deployment 4?
Deployment 4 combines the guidance and toolset from previous releases of Business Desktop Deployment and Beta releases of Windows Server Deployment. This release continues to support Zero Touch Installation of desktop operating systems using Systems Management Server 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack and adds new deployment and task sequencing capabilities for desktops and servers using System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Deployment 4 also continues to provide Lite Touch Installation support without infrastructure requirements and adds capabilities for Windows Server 2003 and pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008.
Deployment 4 is available at the Microsoft Deployment Connection (http://connect.microsoft.com).
What applications and operating systems can I deploy using Deployment 4?
Deployment 4 will deploy pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, and the 2007 Microsoft Office system using a variety of Microsoft tools and custom scripts.
Can I use Deployment 4 to deploy pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008?
Yes. Deployment 4 is part of the Windows Server 2008 Beta and TAP Programs. It is also available as an open beta download.
Where do I find Deployment 4?
Deployment 4 is currently an open program on Microsoft Connect. To join the Deployment 4 Beta 3 program, follow these steps:
If you have not previously registered with Microsoft Connect, you might be required to register before you continue with the invitation process.
If the link in step 1 does not work for you, copy the full link and paste it into the Web browser address bar.
What new features does Deployment 4 contain?
Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 support, with the following features:
Lite Touch Installation support for Windows Server 2008:
Lite Touch Installation enhancements:
Lite Touch Installation multicast support:
What is the difference between Deployment 4 Lite Touch Installation and Zero Touch Installation?
Deployment 4 has been updated from Business Desktop Deployment 2007. As with previous releases, Lite Touch Installation requires a minimum set of tools and assumes that the environment does not have systems management utilities, directory services, or deployment servers in place. The highly automated Zero Touch Installation requires Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 or Microsoft System Management Server 2003 and Microsoft Active Directory® environment for deployment. Deployment 4’s Lite Touch Installation has been updated to share most of the configuration process with Zero Touch Installation. The unified architecture makes it easier to implement both Zero Touch Installation and Lite Touch Installation together if desired, depending on the breadth of tools available in the environment.
What does Deployment 4 include?
Deployment 4 provides the assets required to deliver Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system to the corporate desktop.
Usability
Included Tools and Related Guidance
Technical Solution Guidance
Sample and Job Aid Documents
Which organizations will benefit from Deployment 4?
Deployment 4 offers a solution targeted to all corporate customers who have 25 or more networked PCs using Microsoft desktops and/or servers who need a high level of operational excellence and scalability. Deployment 4 is especially useful for organizations with varied network and systems management infrastructure. Organizations with low bandwidth or disconnected branch offices or remote users can also benefit from new capabilities in Deployment 4 to create stand-alone media initiated operating system deployments.
Which operating system migrations does Deployment 4 provide guidance for?
Deployment 4 can be used to manage desktop migrations of Windows 2000 and later operating systems to Windows Vista. Deployment 4 also provides functionality for migrating Windows 2000 to Windows XP with Service Pack 2.
How does the workflow process ensure smooth deployment?
The Deployment 4 process is based on Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF). MSF delivers proven practices for planning, building, and deploying a variety of technology solutions. It combines aspects of software design and development plus infrastructure design and deployment into a single project life cycle. With MSF, organizations can achieve the right balance of flexibility while meeting their commitments, as well as achieve speed while minimizing their risks.
Does Deployment 4 make it easier for implementers to get to technical content?
Deployment 4 has contains feature team guides in two sections: guidance for project management and guidance for feature team technical implementers. The Deployment Workbench MMC application has document navigation features built into the tool.
How does Deployment 4 address the biggest obstacles in deployment?
Microsoft conducted extensive research to prioritize the top “deployment blockers” that prevent efficient migration and designed Deployment 4 to address these:
· Application compatibility
· Office documentation migration
· User state migration
· Automation of deployment
· Desktop Imaging
Which technologies are being applied in Deployment 4?
Deployment 4 is based on deployment tools from Microsoft, as well as custom scripts.
· Hardware and software Inventory—Application Compatibility Analyzer, Microsoft SQL Server™/Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000 Desktop Engine, Microsoft Office Access
· Application Compatibility Testing and Remediation—Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0, Microsoft Virtual PC 2004
· Core Application Packaging—Office Professional Edition 2007, the Microsoft Office Resource Kit
· Imaging—ImageX, System Image Manager, Microsoft Windows Preinstallation Environment 2.0 (Windows PE 2.0), Sysprep, Deployment Workbench
· Project Management—Microsoft Project 2003
· Application Packaging—Customer choice
· Volume Activation 2.0 – New methods of activation
· User Data and Settings—User State Migration Tool 3.0
· Deployment Process—Windows PE 2.0, Sysprep, Windows Deployment Services, Deployment 4 Deployment Wizard
· BitLocker™ drive encryption support for Lite Touch Install scenarios
Are there technology constraints to Deployment 4?
By design, there are very few. With Deployment 4, Microsoft does not assume that any network management system or specific deployment servers already exist within the organization.
Will desktop users lose all data and settings that they currently have on their computers?
No. Deployment 4 provides detailed, best-practice guidance about user state migration for desktops and employs the User State Migration Tool 3.0.1 to migrate the desired settings and attributes to the new desktop.
Does Deployment 4 support Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 installations?
Yes. Deployment 4 supports Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista and Windows Server 2003 operating system installations.
How do I get Windows PE 2.0?
Windows PE 2.0 is available as part of the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems (boot.wim). It is also available separately in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK), which includes Windows PE for each platform (ia64, x64, x86) and tools to customize it using Windows System Image Manager and Windows Deployment Services. Deployment 4 downloads the Windows AIK from the Deployment Workbench.
What tools are used in the Deployment 4 accelerator for imaging?
Deployment 4 delivers a feature-rich MMC console, Deployment Workbench, which is built on Windows Vista deployment tools including: ImageX, Windows System Image Manager, Windows PE 2.0, and Windows Deployment Services. Deployment 4 also uses Configuration Manager 2007’s stand-alone media initiated operating system deployment feature as well as System Management Server 2003 OS Deployment Feature Pack OS Image package contents and image management.
Does Deployment 4 address security policies necessary for desktop and server hardware?
Deployment 4 helps companies understand how security policies affect the design of operating system images and also discuss strategies for hardening of desktops and servers. However, Deployment 4 is not intended to replace specific security solutions. In parallel with Deployment 4, the Windows Vista Security Guide and Windows Server 2003 Security Guide is available on Microsoft TechNet and available from the Microsoft Download Center. Future Deployment accelerator releases will integrate the 2007 Office Security Guide and the Windows Server 2008 Security Guide.
Can Deployment 4 be tailored to fit a company’s specific project-management methodology?
Yes. Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) is a life-cycle model that addresses a number of disciplines, including project management, so good project-management methodology can be used in conjunction with the solution. The solution can even be adapted to operate within a different life-cycle methodology. Although the phases, tasks, and milestones are specific to MSF, the process is generic. Any analyst with a basic knowledge of MSF and the target methodology should be able to adapt Deployment 4 to fit into any project-management methodology.
Who should use Deployment 4 and how much does it cost?
Deployment 4 is freely available to customers and partners to use in planning and testing their operating system migration and deployment projects for pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, and the 2007 Microsoft Office System. Deployment 4 is available at the Microsoft Deployment Connection (http://connect.microsoft.com).
Reliable and Flexible OS Deployment—now with support for System Center Configuration Manager 2012 RC2
The Solution Accelerators team is pleased to announce Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 RC1 is available for download on Connect now.
New features and enhancements make large-scale desktop and server deployments smoother than ever!
Support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2: This update provides support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2 releases. MDT 2012 fully leverages the capabilities provided by Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment. The latest version of MDT offers new User-Driven Installation components and extensibility for Configuration Manager 2007 and 2012. Users now also have the ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012.
Customize deployment questions: For System Center Configuration Manager customers, MDT 2012 provides an improved, extensible wizard and designer for customizing deployment questions.
Ease Lite Touch installation: The Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) is now integrated with Lite Touch Installation, providing remote control and diagnostics. New monitoring capabilities are available to check on the status of currently running deployments. LTI now has an improved deployment wizard user experience. Enhanced partitioning support ensures that deployments work regardless of the current structure.
Secure Deployments: MDT 2012 offers integration with the Microsoft Security Compliance Manager (SCM) tool to ensure a secure Windows deployment from the start.
Reliability and flexibility: Existing MDT users will find more reliability and flexibility with the many small enhancements and bug fixes and a smooth and simple upgrade process.
Support for Windows 8: The RC1 release of MDT 2012 provides support for deploying Windows 8 Consumer Preview in a lab environment.
Key Benefits:
New Features:
For System Center Configuration Manager customers:
For all customers:
Download the MDT 2012 RC1 release.
Tell us what you think! Test drive our release and send us your constructive feedback through the Connect site. We value your input; this is the perfect opportunity to be heard.
Tell your peers and customers about Solution Accelerators! Please forward this to anyone who wants to learn more about OS deployment with MDT, and Microsoft Solution Accelerators.
Already using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit? We’d like to hear about your experiences.
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Team Blog
Deployment TechCenter
Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) and Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) Archive
Microsoft System Center
Microsoft Solution Accelerators
MDT 2012 now with support for Windows 8 Consumer Preview!
Reliable and Flexible OS Deployment—now with support for Windows 8, Windows Server “8” Beta, and System Center 2012
The Solution Accelerators team is pleased to announce Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 is now available for download.
Visit the Download Center to download Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2012 now.
New features include:
Support for Configuration Manager 2012: MDT 2012 provides support for Configuration Manager 2012 RC2 releases. MDT 2012 fully leverages the capabilities provided by Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment. Users now also have the ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012.
Support for Windows 8: MDT 2012 provides support for deploying Windows 8 Consumer Preview and Windows Server “8” Beta in a lab environment.
Download MDT 2012.
What is Microsoft Deployment?
Microsoft Deployment is the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007. It unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. Microsoft Deployment adds new deployment and task sequencing capabilities for desktops and servers using System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Microsoft Deployment also supports Zero Touch Installation of desktop operating systems using Systems Management Server 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack. For organizations without software distribution infrastructure, Microsoft Deployment provides a Lite Touch Installation option using the included Deployment Workbench and free tools for disk imaging and deployment.
Microsoft Deployment is available on the Microsoft Download Center and guidance can be read online in the Desktop Deployment and Server Deployment TechCenters on Microsoft TechNet. For more details and links to these destinations and other related content, visit http://www.microsoft.com/deployment.
What applications and operating systems can I deploy using Microsoft Deployment?
Microsoft Deployment will deploy prerelease versions of Windows Server® 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows® XP SP2, Windows Vista®, and the 2007 Microsoft® Office system using a variety of Microsoft tools and custom scripts. Ongoing updates to the toolset will support released versions of Windows Server 2008.
Can I use Microsoft Deployment to deploy prerelease versions of Windows Server 2008?
Yes. Microsoft Deployment and its Beta predecessor Windows Server Deployment have been part of the Windows Server 2008 Beta programs. Shortly after the official release of Windows Server 2008, an updated version of Microsoft Deployment will provide full support of Windows Server 2008.
Where do I find Microsoft Deployment?
Visit microsoft.com/deployment for all downloads and Microsoft TechNet online resources for Microsoft Deployment. The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit containing both the tools and guidance necessary for automating server and desktop deployment is currently available on the Microsoft Download Center at downloads.microsoft.com, keyword “Microsoft Deployment.”
What new features does Microsoft Deployment contain?
What is the difference between Microsoft Deployment Lite Touch Installation and Zero Touch Installation?
Microsoft Deployment has been updated from Business Desktop Deployment 2007. As with previous releases, Lite Touch Installation requires a minimum set of tools and assumes that the environment does not have systems management utilities, directory services, or deployment servers in place. The highly automated Zero Touch Installation requires Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 or Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 and Microsoft Active Directory® environment for deployment. Microsoft Deployment’s Lite Touch Installation has been updated to share most of the configuration process with Zero Touch Installation. The unified architecture makes it easier to implement both Zero Touch Installation and Lite Touch Installation together if desired, depending on the breadth of tools available in the environment.
What does Microsoft Deployment include?
Microsoft Deployment provides the assets required to deliver Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system to the corporate desktop.
Which organizations will benefit from Microsoft Deployment?
Microsoft Deployment offers a solution targeted to all corporate customers who have as few as 25 or more networked PCs using Microsoft desktops and/or servers who need a high level of operational excellence and scalability. Microsoft Deployment is especially useful for organizations with varied network and systems management infrastructure. Organizations with low bandwidth or disconnected branch offices or remote users can also benefit from new capabilities in Microsoft Deployment to create stand-alone media-initiated operating system deployments.
Which operating system migrations does Microsoft Deployment provide guidance for?
Microsoft Deployment can be used to manage desktop migrations of Windows 2000 and later operating systems to Windows Vista. Microsoft Deployment also provides functionality for migrating Windows 2000 to Windows XP with Service Pack 2.
Do I need Microsoft Deployment if my organization has System Center Configuration Manager 2007?
System Center Configuration Manager 2007 contains several deployment enhancements compared to Systems Management Server 2003. These enhancements include native support for operating system deployment, an integrated task sequencing engine and support for standalone media-initiated deployment. If your organization has System Center Configuration Manager 2007, Microsoft Deployment provides additional value by delivering deployment project management guidance, extensions to task sequencing capabilities, three additional task sequence templates and enhanced post operating system installation provisioning tasks—including automated role installation for Windows Server 2003 deployment.
The Microsoft Deployment process is based on Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF). MSF delivers proven practices for planning, building, and deploying a variety of technology solutions. It combines aspects of software design and development plus infrastructure design and deployment into a single project life cycle. With MSF, organizations can achieve the right balance of flexibility while meeting their commitments, as well as achieve speed while minimizing their risks.
Does Microsoft Deployment make it easier for implementers to get to technical content?
Microsoft Deployment contains feature team guides in two sections: guidance for project management and guidance and technical guidance for implementers. The Deployment Workbench MMC application has document navigation features built into the tool.
How does Microsoft Deployment address the biggest obstacles in deployment?
Microsoft conducted extensive research to prioritize the top “deployment blockers” that prevent efficient migration and designed Microsoft Deployment to address these:
· Data migration
· Deployment automation
· Disk Imaging
· Post installation configuration and provisioning
Which technologies are being applied in Microsoft Deployment?
Microsoft Deployment is based on deployment tools from Microsoft, as well as custom scripts.
· Hardware and software Inventory—Application Compatibility Analyzer, Microsoft SQL Server™/Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000 Desktop Engine, Microsoft Office Access™
· Application Compatibility Testing and Remediation—Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0.2, Microsoft Virtual PC 2004
· Volume Activation 2.0—New methods of activation
· User Data and Settings—User State Migration Tool 3.0.1
· Deployment Process—Windows PE 2.0, Sysprep, Windows Deployment Services, Microsoft Deployment Deployment Wizard
Are there technology constraints to Microsoft Deployment?
By design, there are very few. With Microsoft Deployment, Microsoft does not assume that any network management system or specific deployment servers already exist within the organization.
No. Microsoft Deployment provides detailed, best-practice guidance about user state migration for desktops and employs the User State Migration Tool 3.0.1 to migrate the desired settings and attributes to the new desktop.
Does Microsoft Deployment support Windows XP Professional with Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2003 installations?
Yes. Microsoft Deployment supports Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista, and Windows Server 2003 operating system installations.
Windows PE 2.0 is available as part of the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 operating systems (boot.wim). It is also available separately in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK), which includes Windows PE for each platform (ia64, x64, x86) and tools to customize it using Windows System Image Manager and Windows Deployment Services. Microsoft Deployment downloads the Windows AIK from the Deployment Workbench.
What tools are used in the Microsoft Deployment accelerator for imaging?
Microsoft Deployment delivers a feature-rich MMC console, Deployment Workbench, which is built on Windows Vista and Windows Server deployment tools including: ImageX, Windows System Image Manager, Windows PE 2.0, and Windows Deployment Services. Microsoft Deployment also uses Configuration Manager 2007’s stand-alone media initiated operating system deployment feature as well as System Management Server 2003 OS Deployment Feature Pack OS Image package contents and image management.
Does Microsoft Deployment address security policies necessary for desktop and server hardware?
Microsoft Deployment helps companies understand how security policies affect the design of operating system images and also discuss strategies for hardening of desktops and servers. However, Microsoft Deployment is not intended to replace specific security solutions. In parallel with Microsoft Deployment, the Windows Vista Security Guide and Windows Server 2003 Security Guide is available on Microsoft TechNet and from the Microsoft Download Center. Future Deployment accelerator releases will integrate the 2007 Office Security Guide and the Windows Server 2008 Security Guide.
Can Microsoft Deployment be tailored to fit a company’s specific project-management methodology?
Yes. Microsoft Solutions Framework (MSF) is a life-cycle model that addresses a number of disciplines, including project management, so good project-management methodology can be used in conjunction with the solution. The solution can even be adapted to operate within a different life-cycle methodology. Although the phases, tasks, and milestones are specific to MSF, the process is generic. Any analyst with a basic knowledge of MSF and the target methodology should be able to adapt Microsoft Deployment to fit into any project-management methodology.
Who should use Microsoft Deployment and how much does it cost?
Microsoft Deployment is freely available to customers and partners to use in planning and testing their operating system migration and deployment projects for pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows Vista, Windows XP SP2, and the 2007 Microsoft Office System. More information on Microsoft Deployment and links to downloads and related Microsoft TechNet content can be found at microsoft.com/deployment.
We have released a new KB article that describes the steps needed to deploy Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 with MDT 2008 Update 1. For the most part the deployments will work without problems. However if you want to deploy SP2 language packs there are some modifications necessary in the scripts.
See the KB article for more information: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=971943
If you missed the announcement, MDT 2012 was released last week. At that point, the Download Center was updated so that the main MDT download is now MDT 2012. But we understand that some of you may still have a need to download MDT 2010 Update 1. The MDT Archive download center page, at http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=2932, now has those files. Note that MDT 2010 Update 1 will only be supported until April 2013, and that previous versions are no longer supported.
Q. What is the Solution Accelerator for Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007?
A. The Solution Accelerator for BDD contains guidance, sample templates, and technology files (such as scripts and configuration files) to facilitate deployment of Windows client operating systems such as Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista. It presents deployment guidance as feature team guides that thoroughly explain each deployment process.
Q. Where is the best source for information for Windows Vista Deployment?
A. http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905061.aspx
Q. What is the single central Microsoft deployment resource?
A. http://www.microsoft.com/desktopdeployment/default.aspx
Q. Where can I download BDD 2007?
A. http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=62043
Q. This download is dated 6/21/2007 – what has changed since the original release of BDD 2007 in 2006?
A. This updated release of BDD 2007 is an update rollup release and is detailed in this Knowledge Base article: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=937191
Q. Can I install this updated BDD 2007 update rollup over an earlier install of BDD 2007 w/o losing any configuration information?
A. Yes, follow the instructions in the above Knowledge Base article # 937191 and use a command line like the following to install the patch over your previous installation:
msiexec /update BDD2007_x86_Patch1.msp REINSTALL=ALL REINSTALLMODE=as /quiet
Q. Is there a quick-start or other similar document for BDD 2007 to assist in first time installation?
A. The BDD 2007 download package contains a number of useful documents for initial installation & configuration, but a newly released “Quick Start for BDD 2007” document is available for download at the same location as the BDD 2007 download above, but is not included in the download.
Q. Is the source code available for BDD 2007?
A. The source code for the BDD 2007 Deployment Workbench and various utility programs (written in C# and C++) is now available on the Microsoft Download Center. See http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6a67f884-d629-4962-bd0a-c51bad560354&displaylang=en for the download.
Q. What are the system requirements for BDD 2007?
A. Set the below table for details:
Lite-Touch Installation
Zero-Touch Installation
Required Infrastructure
A local area network (LAN) with at least one server and sufficient disk space to store working files and images
Windows Server 2003 with Microsoft Active Directory directory service
Windows DS in legacy mode
SMS 2003 (functional for software distribution) with Service Pack 2 (SP2), the OSD feature pack, and the OSD Update
Required Software
Windows XP Professional
Windows Vista
2007 Office system
Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005
Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Required Free Software (Download)
· Microsoft User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) 3.01
· Microsoft Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
· Windows Automated Installation Kit
· Microsoft Core XML Services (MSXML) 6.0
· Microsoft Management Console 3.0
· Windows Script Host (WSH) 5.6. for Windows XP and Windows 2000 and/or for Windows Sever 2003
· Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0
Windows XP SP2 Deployment Tools
· SMS 2003 Service Pack 2
· SMS 2003 Operating System Deployment Feature Pack
A. The tools for deployment of Windows Vista are primarily contained in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK). Additionally, BDD 2007 takes advantage of the User State Migration Tool 3.0 (USMT), Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0, BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool, and the Windows Deployment Service on Windows Server 2003.
Q. Is there a similar document to the BDD Quick Start guide that details these additional tools?
A. Yes, the “Windows Vista Deployment Tools Overview” document available from the same BDD 2007 download location above lists these additional tools and describes their general features.
Q. What exactly is Lite Touch Installation?
A. Lite Touch Installation is an interactive installation and deployment of Windows XP SP2 or Windows Vista complete with application install and any other needed configuration of the final image on destination computers. Lite Touch Installation in BDD 2007 can be automated using a combination of pre-configured configuration files and the BDD Deployment Database.
Q. What documents are most useful in understanding the configuration and use of Lite Touch Installation?
A. The principal documents shipped with BDD 2007 which detail LTI are the “Lite Touch Installation Guide”, “Deployment Configuration Guide”, and “Deployment Configuration Samples Guide”.
Q. Where can I find information that detail automation of LTI deployments?
A. The “Configuration Reference” document details all of the variables that are used in LTI deployments. The “Deployment Configuration Samples Guide” document gives complete samples of automating LTI.
Q. Have any videos been made available to assist in configuring Lite Touch Deployment?
A. Lite Touch Deployment Video Walkthrough
Q. What exactly is Zero Touch Installation?
A. Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) uses SMS 2003 with the Operating System Deployment (OSD) Feature Pack to completely automate the deployment of Windows XP SP2, Windows Vista as well as any needed applications.
Q. What documents are most useful in understanding the configuration and use of Zero Touch Installation?
A. The principal documents shipped with BDD 2007 which detail ZTI are the “Zero Touch Installation Guide”, “Deployment Configuration Guide”, and “Deployment Configuration Samples Guide”.
Q. Where can I find information that detail automation of ZTI deployments?
A. The “Configuration Reference” document details all of the variables that are used in ZTI deployments. The “Deployment Configuration Samples Guide” document gives complete samples of automating ZTI.
Q. Have any videos been made available to assist in configuring Zero Touch Installation?
A. Zero Touch Deployment Video Walkthrough
We are going to be featured on the Technet Radio podcast and we want to know what you would like us to talk about! Now is your chance to get your deployment questions answered or here us talk about a topic that you have always wondered about.
Feel free to leave your topics as comments or email us through the link.
Thanks!
The next version of the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit—version 2012— is now available for beta download. To participate, register for MDT 2012 Beta 1 at Microsoft Connect.
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 Beta 1 rides the next wave of System Center releases with support for System Center Configuration Manager 2012. For Lite Touch installations, MDT 2012 improves the overall client-side user experience, while also providing behind-the-scenes enhancements for partitioning, UEFI, and user state migration. These features, combined with many small enhancements, bug fixes, and a smooth and simple upgrade process, make MDT 2012 Beta 1 more reliable and flexible than ever.
Tell the MDT team what you think! To participate in the MDT 2012 Beta 1 program, download and test the tool in your environment and then provide timely feedback and suggestions to our development team. MDT 2012 Beta 1 runs through August 2011. Please submit your feedback through Connect and direct any support questions you may have to satfdbk@microsoft.com. Thank you for taking the time to help us improve the MDT product feature and functions. Your time and assistance are much appreciated.
Next steps:
· Join MDT 2012 Beta 1 and tell the MDT team what you think!
· Help spread the word—share the beta invitation link with your friends.
· Send your comments to the MDT Team.
· Learn more about the MDT.
Get the latest tips from Microsoft Solution Accelerators—in 140 characters or less! Follow us on Twitter: @MSSolutionAccel.
Download Microsoft Deployment RC1 from Microsoft Connect Today!
Microsoft Deployment is the next version of Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007. The current generation of automated deployment tools from Microsoft is increasingly unified; the same tools, utilities and products in many cases offer support and functionality for desktop and server deployment tasks. Following the trend of unified tools, the Business Desktop Deployment team has incorporated new functionality and guidance to support automated server deployment in addition to desktop deployment capabilities. This expanded feature set, with its guidance and ability to automate installation of Windows client and server operating systems – as well as applications – has effectively outgrown the current name, Business Desktop Deployment.
Microsoft Deployment unifies the tools and processes required for desktop and server deployment into a common deployment console and collection of guidance. Microsoft Deployment adds integration with recently released Microsoft deployment technologies to create a single path for image creation and deployment, including:
· System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Operating System Deployment
· Windows Deployment Services with new multicast technology
· Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0
· User State Migration Tool 3.0.1
· 2007 Office system
· Windows Server 2008 Server Manager for automated server role definition
Enhanced Program on Microsoft Connect
This release candidate also offers an enhanced Microsoft Connect portal including technical frequently asked questions, deployment tips and tricks, a recommended 10-step program for new users to quickly get acquainted with deployment accelerators, customer-ready Solution Accelerator informational materials, and deployment-related conference presentations.
Accelerator Description
Microsoft Deployment combines the guidance and toolset from previous releases of Business Desktop Deployment and Beta releases of Windows Server Deployment. This release continues to support Zero Touch Installation (ZTI) of desktop operating systems using Systems Management Server (SMS) 2003 with the Operating System Deployment Feature Pack and adds new deployment and task sequencing capabilities for desktops and servers using System Center Configuration Manager 2007. Microsoft Deployment also continues to provide Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support without infrastructure requirements and adds capabilities for Windows Server 2003 and pre-release versions of Windows Server 2008.
New Features in Microsoft Deployment RC1
· Full support for Windows Vista, Windows XP, and Windows Server 2003 deployments with Microsoft Deployment and Configuration Manager 2007.
· Complete integration into the Configuration Manager 2007 admin console and task sequencing capabilities.
o Quick start Configuration Manager 2007 operating system deployments using one wizard to create needed task sequences and packages.
o Extension of the Configuration Manager 2007 task sequencing capabilities with new actions.
· Feature parity with BDD 2007 and SMS 2003, including dynamic package installation, automatic determination of state store location, computer backup, and database settings.
· Installation support for computers unknown to the Configuration Manager 2007 database
· Added support for offline patching
· Support for offline and online language pack installation
· Deployment monitoring:
o Updated Management Pack for System Center Operations Manager 2007
Lite Touch Installation (LTI) support for Windows Server 2008:
· Support for deploying Windows Server 2008 Beta 3 and potentially RC1 (to be verified after RC1 release), including support for Server Core installation options.
· Automated server role definition using Server Manager
Lite Touch Installation (LTI) enhancements:
· Enhanced disk and network interface cards (NICs) configuration options, including support for static TCP/IP configuration.
· Design changes to ease the migration from LTI to Configuration Manager 2007.
· Support for multiple task sequence templates. New sample templates include:
o Client template: Windows Vista, Windows XP
o Server template: Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008
o Replace scenario template
· Ability to invoke web service calls
o Support for web service calls from rules
o Web services can be invoked as part of the rules processing performed by Microsoft Deployment, using new rules that can be defined in CustomSettings.ini.
· Support for BDD 2007 upgrade or side-by-side installation with Microsoft Deployment.
Lite Touch Installation (LTI) multicast support:
· Deployment Workbench supports multicast transmission of operating system images when performing LTI deployments from Windows Server 2008 servers that are running Windows Deployment Services.
Where to Find Microsoft Deployment RC1
Microsoft Deployment is available as an open beta download in the Microsoft Deployment Connection Program on Microsoft Connect.
To join the Microsoft Deployment program, click here.
If you are already participating in the program, click here to access the download page.
Desktop Deployment Center on Microsoft TechNet
System Center Configuration Manager on Microsoft TechNet
System Center Configuration Manager evaluation software on Microsoft TechNet
Windows Server 2008 on Microsoft TechNet