[sccm 2012] OS image tips?

[Callum]

I'm about to start creating a new OS image from scratch, to be deployed with SCCM 2012. Does anybody have any tips on how to reduce the size of the OS installation, and how to remove unneeded Windows components (e.g. Windows Games)?

[Norphy]

Which version of Windows?

[Callum]

Ah sorry, Windows 7 Professional (x64).

[Norphy]

Windows 7 Enterprise (not sure about Pro) doesn't come with the games preloaded. To be honest, there's not an awful lot you can do to trim the size of the installation down that much. The applications that you install will usually end up taking up a lot more space than the OS. That said, you can use DISM to remove any unwanted features.

 

However, you can do things like use the cleanup wizard to remove cache files for Windows Updates, clean up the WinSXS folder and internet cache files. When I do an image, I usually go through c:\users\default and trim out a bit more cruft. If you're using an answer file to copy the administrator profile into the default user profile, you need to make sure that the administrator profile doesn't have any unnecessary files in it. It's surprising how quickly they can accumulate!

[DNM]

Do you install all of your Application before deploying the OS or after?

If after how do you install them? (SCCM Push, GPO Application Install or Other App Deployment).

[Steve21]

Personally I'd always do a clean install.

 

Before I joined my current school made golden images, and now it's a faff anytime we try to update software that needs the old one removed. Much easier to start base windows and then add software on top.

 

For example we're looking at Windows 10 upgrades, and have no software packages (of the original installed software) as it was manually done in the golden image

 

Steve

[Norphy]

Do you install all of your Application before deploying the OS or after?

If after how do you install them? (SCCM Push, GPO Application Install or Other App Deployment).

 

I take a hybrid approach personally. Large packages such as the Adobe CC suite and office or awkward packages like QuickTime go into the image then smaller things get pushed out in the task sequence or by using application deployment in ConfigMgr.

[mdrabble]

I started with a clean image and installed application after the OS install but recently moved to a hybrid just like @Norphy.

[garethEds]

We dump everything into the image except the plugin based stuff - Flash / Java etc.

 

I want an image ready to go asap and not have to wait for apps to go through. I build a new image in the July of every year ready for the new academic year. Seems to work okay.

 

GJE