Deploying Windows 7 eBook

Alan Richards Deploying Windows 7 Using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 P a g e | 1

Deploying Windows 7

Using

Microsoft Deployment

Toolkit 2010


Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Contact details 3

Installing Windows Deployment Services 4

Configure Windows Deployment Services 5

Installing Windows 7 Automated Installation Kit 8

Installing Microsoft deployment Toolkit 2010 8

Configuring Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 9

Adding Windows 7 Source Files 12

Update Deployment Share 13

Install Boot Images To Windows Deployment Services 14

Enabling Multicast Deployment 15

Creating A Task Sequence 16

Installing To A Bare Metal PC 18

Setting Installation Screen Defaults For Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 19

Capturing A Reference Computer 23

Deployment Share Rules 23

Creating A Capture Task Sequence 23

Disable Sysprep Task Sequence 25

Capturing The Image 26

Capturing Error 27

Deploying A Captured Image 28


Introduction This eBook has grown out of the blog posts at wwwedutechnowcom

The posts started out as a series showing the steps taken to deploy Windows 7 using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

2010 This eBook amalgamates all those posts

In July 2009 the School I worked at was the first School in Europe to fully deploy Windows 7 across our site This

eBook draws on all that experience to help make the readers life easier

Contact details If you have any questions or comments about this eBook or any other aspect of using ICT in education then you can

contact me using the following details

Blog edutechnowcom

Email arichardswesthatchessexschuk

Twitter arichards_Saruk

YouTube youtubecomarichardsSaruk


Installing Windows Deployment Services The first step in deploying Windows 7 is to install and configure Windows Deployment Services I would recommend

running your deployment server on a Windows Server 2008 R2 platform and the screenshots throughout this eBook

are all taken from such a setup

Open Server Manager using the icon on the taskbar

Right click on Roles and select Add Role

Click Next on the welcome screen

Select the Windows Deployment Services role and click Next

On the overview screen ensure you meet all the pre-requisites these mainly being that to use Windows Deployment

Services you need to have a domain environment using Active directory DHCP and DNS


Leave both the role services options ticked and click Next

Click on Install and Windows Deployment Services will be installed

Configure Windows Deployment Services Open Server Manager if it is not already open and expand the Windows Deployment Services node and right click on

the server and select Configure Server

Make sure you meet all the pre-requisites on the welcome screen and click Next


Select the location for all the images that will be stored by Windows Deployment Services

Select how your server will respond to clients

If you plan on using Windows Deployment Services to install Windows to bare metal computers then the best option

to select is Respond to all client computers


As we will be using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 to deploy Windows 7 we can leave the Add images to server

now box unticked and click Finish

Thatrsquos all the configuration we need to do with Windows Deployment services so any open windows can be closed


Installing Windows 7 Automated Installation Kit MDT 2010 utilises the Windows Automated Installation Kit which you will need to download from the Microsoft site

and install before installing MDT 2010 A link to the Windows 7 AIK is below

httpwwwmicrosoftcomdownloadsdetailsaspxFamilyID=696dd665-9f76-4177-a811-

39c26d3b3b34ampdisplaylang=en

The download for the Windows 7 AIK is an ISO file and therefore you will need DVD burning software to produce a

DVD from the ISO If you are running Windows 7 then you can use the built in DVD burning software

Launch the DVD you created from the downloaded ISO file

Select the Windows AIK Setup option and follow the onscreen instruction accepting all the defaults

Installing Microsoft deployment Toolkit 2010 Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 is a free product produced by Microsoft and can be downloaded from their

website For convenience there is a link below

httpwwwmicrosoftcomdownloadsdetailsaspxFamilyId=3BD8561F-77AC-4400-A0C1-

FE871C461A89ampdisplaylang=en

Once you have downloaded the file double click to launch the installation and follow the onscreen instructions


Configuring Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Once the installation of MDT 2010 has completed then expand the start menu and select the Deployment

Workbench

The first step is to create a deployment share To do this right click on the deployment shares node and select New

Deployment Share

Select a location for the deployment share remembering that this is where all your images will be stored so it needs

to be a significant size


Select a share name leaving the dollar sign in place so that it remains hidden to network browsing

Give the share a descriptive name

The next screen will ask you if MDT 2010 should ask to capture an image If you plan on using MDT 2010 to capture

images of reference computers then this option should be ticked


The next screen asks you if the user should set the local administratorsrsquo password In practice it is desirable that the

local administratorsrsquo password is set by the system and not a local user running MDT 2010 Letting local users set

local administrator passwords could create a scenario where all your computers have different administrator

passwords so leave this unticked

The next screen asks if MDT 2010 should ask the user for a product key Leave this unticked

Check the summary page and then configure the deployment share


Adding Windows 7 Source Files After the deployment share configuration has completed right click on the Operating System node and select

Import Operating System

Select the Full set of source files option

Select the location for the source files In this instance we are using an original Windows 7 Enterprise DVD


Enter a name for the destination directory for the source files to be copied to

Check the summary page and click Next MDT 2010 will now copy the source files to the deployment share Click

Finish once the import has completed

Update Deployment Share When you change anything in MDT 2010 it is always good practice to update the deployment share This ensures

that all the boot images and other tools contain the latest changes and additions you have made

Updating the deployment share also creates several boot images that can be used to deploy Windows 7 these

include a WIM files ISO file and a XML file

Right click the deployment share and select Update Deployment Share

Select Completely Regenerate The Boot Images and click Next twice


All the boot images needed by MDT 2010 will now be created these will be located in the deployment share you

created earlier in a folder call Boot

Install Boot Images To Windows Deployment Services Earlier in this ebook you setup WDS now we are going to use it

Open the Windows Deployment Services manager and right click on boot images From the pop up menu select Add

Boot Image

Browse for the location where MDT 2010 stores its boot images and select the LiteTouchx86wim file

Enter a name and description for the boot image and click Next twice


Enabling Multicast Deployment

The final step in this section is to enable multicast deployment On its own MDT 2010 doesnrsquot support multicast deployments and for this reason it uses Windows Deployment Services to send out the multicast traffic

To enable multicast right click on the deployment share and select Properties

In the dialogue box that appears put a tick in the Enable Multicast For This Deployment Share option and click OK

That completes the basic configuration of MDT 2010


Creating A Task Sequence After completing the previous steps in this eBook we are now in a position to start deploying Windows 7 MDT 2010

using task sequences to deploy software so the next step is to setup a task sequence to deploy the Windows 7

operating system we setup earlier

In the deployment workbench right click on the task sequence node and select New Task Sequence

Complete all the text boxes with the details of the image you are going to deploy

Leave the task sequence template as the default setting


Select the operating system you want to install ndash in this case you should only have one option the Windows 7 one

you configured earlier

The next screen asks you if you want to specify a product key In this example you do not want to specify a product

key


Complete the text boxes in the next screen with the details relevant to your organisation

Enter the password you want to use for the local administrator

Check the summary page and click Next to complete the task sequence

Installing To A Bare Metal PC You have now completed all the steps necessary to install a clean copy of Windows 7 to a bare metal computer To

complete the task you will need to boot the computer to the network and go through the MDT 2010 installation

screens to install Windows 7

MDT 2010 provides you with a lot of option screens such as capturing local user details enabling bitlocker and time

zone settings

A video showing all these screens can be seen at wwwyoutubecomuserarichardsSaruk


Setting Installation Screen Defaults For Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 MDT 2010 is a powerful piece of software and therefore when you install an operating system using only the default

settings there are a number of screens for you to complete You can however set defaults for the screens and also

hide screens that you do not want to show

All of this is done using rules within MDT 2010

Right click on the deployment share and select Properties

Click on the Rules tab

As you can see the default rules are very basic We need to add to these rules for each of the screens we want to

hide or set defaults for


The text below is taken from a system that hides every screen except the following three

Computer name

Task sequence selection

Time zone selection

[Settings] Priority=Default Properties=MyCustomProperty [Default] OSInstall=YES SkipAdminPassword=YES SkipApplications=NO SkipAppsOnUpgrade=YES SkipBDDWelcome=YES SkipBitLocker=YES SkipCapture=YES SkipComputerName=No SkipComputerBackup=YES SkipDeploymentType=YES DeploymentType=NEWCOMPUTER SkipDomainMembership=YES JoinDomain=DOMAIN DomainAdmin=USER DomainAdminDomain=DOMAIN DomainAdminPassword=PASSWORD SkipFinalSummary=No SkipLocaleSelection=YES KeyboardLocale=en-GB UserLocale=en-GB UILanguage=en-GB SkipPackageDisplay=YES SkipProductKey=YES SkipSummary=YES SkipTaskSequence=NO SkipTimeZone=NO TimeZone=085 TimeZoneName=Greenwich Standard Time SkipUserData=Yes

You will need to replace parts of this script with details that are relevant to your domain setup Once you have done

this click Apply and then click on the Edit Bootstrapini button


The bootstrapini file controls the account that is used to run MDT 2010 on the bare metal computer and connect to

the deployment share Below is the text taken from a system which does not ask for any user details when MDT

2010 launches on a bare metal computer

[Settings] Priority=Default [Default] SKipBDDWelcome=YES UserDomain=DOMAIN UserID=USER UserPassword=PASSWORD DeployRoot=SERVERNAMEDeploymentShare$

Once you have edited the text with the relevant entries for your domain save the changes to the file close it and

then click on OK on the deployment share properties dialogue

As you have made changes to MDT 2010 you will need to update the deployment share as detailed on page 13 You

will also need to replace the boot image on the Windows Deployment Server

Once the update process has finished you will need to re-assign the boot images to Windows Deployment Services

Expand Windows Deployment Services | Boot Images and delete the current boot image then right click on boot images and select Add Boot Image




When you boot your bare metal computer this time you will only be presented with three screens asking for

information

Computer name ndash Complete this with the relevant details for your organisation

Task sequence selection ndash Use this screen to select which operating system to install

Time zone selection ndash This will default to GMT but can be altered at this point if necessary

A video showing the reduction in screens can be seen at wwwyoutubecomuserarichardsSaruk


Capturing A Reference Computer If you have a large amount of software to install to your computers you have a number of options for deployment

both MDT 2010 and group policy are perfectly adequate ways of deploying software However both these methods

mean that a computer will be installing software for a while instead of being in use

A simple method is to build a reference computer and then take an image of it to be deployed using MDT 2010

Deployment Share Rules Firstly you will need to check that your deployment share rules do not prohibit capturing an image To do this right

click on the deployment share node and select Properties

Click on the Rules tab and ensure that the Skip Capture rule is set to NO

If you have to change this rule then you will need to follow the steps earlier in this eBook to update the deployment

share and add the regenerated boot image to Windows Deployment Services

Creating A Capture Task Sequence Right click on the task sequence node and select New Task Sequence

Complete all the details to identify this task sequence


Select Sysprep and Capture from the drop down menu

Select the operating system to be used as the base of this capture

After accepting the defaults on the next screen complete all the relevant details on the OS settings screen


Enter a password for the local administrator and click Next

At the last screen check the summary and click Next to complete the task sequence

Disable Sysprep Task Sequence In my experience the running of the sysprep command from the task sequence is patchy at best to get around this

issue you need to follow these simple steps to disable the task sequence command for sysprep and then run it

manually on the reference computer before capturing the image

Right click on the task sequence you creating earlier and select Properties

Click on the task sequence tab


Click on the Execute Sysprep option and then click on the Options tab on the right hand side Now click the check

box next to Disable this Step and click OK to complete the configuration

Capturing The Image On the reference computer install all of your software and then run Sysprep the sysprep application can be found in

the CWindowsSystem32Sysprep folder

Select the options for OOBE (Out Of the Box Experience) and tick the Generalize option

When the computer reboots ensure it boots to the network

As it boots up you will now have another task sequence to choose from as well as your original Windows 7

deployment one selecting the capture task you have created will start the process of capturing an image of your

reference computer and uploading it to your deployment share


Capturing Error

In some network scenarios you may receive an error message when the capture starts referencing a blank UNC

error To solve this issue right click on the capture task sequence and select Properties and then select the task

sequence tab

You now need to add a variable into the sequence with these settings

Name Set Image Folder

Task Sequence Variable ComputerBackupLocation

Value SERVERNAMEdeploymentshare$captures

To add the variable select Add | General | Set Task Sequence Variable and use the details above to complete the

fields

Use the arrow buttons to move it to the top of the sequence


Deploying A Captured Image Once the capture has completed you will need to add the created wim file to your operating system node

Right click on the operating system node and select Import Operating System and select the Custom image file

option

Browse for the location of the captured file (normally in a folder called captures in the deployment share) and put a

tick in the move the files option (this saves on disk space by moving the file and not copying it)


Select the option to copy the windows setup files and browse for the location of the original source files you copied

to the server

Specify a name for the destination directory

Check the summary screen and click Next to import the captured image

Once the import process has completed you will need to follow the steps from earlier in this eBook to create a new

task sequence to deploy your newly imported image

You will then be able to boot your PCrsquos to the network and use MDT 2010 to deploy your captured image





Table of Contents

Introduction 3

Contact details 3

Installing Windows Deployment Services 4

Configure Windows Deployment Services 5

Installing Windows 7 Automated Installation Kit 8

Installing Microsoft deployment Toolkit 2010 8

Configuring Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 9

Adding Windows 7 Source Files 12

Update Deployment Share 13

Install Boot Images To Windows Deployment Services 14

Enabling Multicast Deployment 15

Creating A Task Sequence 16

Installing To A Bare Metal PC 18

Setting Installation Screen Defaults For Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 19

Capturing A Reference Computer 23

Deployment Share Rules 23

Creating A Capture Task Sequence 23

Disable Sysprep Task Sequence 25

Capturing The Image 26

Capturing Error 27

Deploying A Captured Image 28









Blog edutechnowcom













































Workbench


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zone settings













Computer name


Time zone selection



















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Capturing Error



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Workbench


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Boot Image




















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zone settings













Computer name


Time zone selection



















information








































Capturing Error



sequence tab






fields





option





to the server


















































Workbench


Deployment Share



































Boot Image




















key









zone settings













Computer name


Time zone selection



















information








































Capturing Error



sequence tab






fields





option





to the server









































Boot Image




















key









zone settings













Computer name


Time zone selection



















information








































Capturing Error



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zone settings













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Time zone selection



















information








































Capturing Error



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Computer name


Time zone selection



















information








































Capturing Error



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Computer name


Time zone selection



















information








































Capturing Error



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to the server
























information








































Capturing Error



sequence tab






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option





to the server












































Capturing Error



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Deploying Windows 7 eBook

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Transcript of Deploying Windows 7 eBook