Jump to content

Completely Lost and feeling hopeless.

Nausing

By Nausing
in O/S Deployment

 Share

Recommended Posts

Nausing

Nausing

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi all,

 

I've tried to setup SCCM, WDS, MDT but always getting issues while trying to do deployments. I'm getting to the point where I feel hopeless and want to give up and use a paid deployment product.

Does anyone have an end to end guide on MDT/WDS install, configure, image build/capture and deployment for a typical school scenario.

 

Thank you!

 

EDIT 28/06/17: Thank you everyone for your support. This is my current status:

 

1. MDT 2013 U2/WDS/WSUS are installed

2. I am building a thin reference image with TS to Install W7, install some basic Windows Updates and features, Install IE11 and run fall updates from WSUS.

(I never knew this is what should have been done, I have been trying to capture and deploy a thick image per PC model)

 

 

Question - Now my reference image is built, what do I do? lol.

Do I add custom applications to MDT and add them to the TS?

Do I need to create a new TS with my new reference image .wim file and add the custom applications to that to deploy to PCs?

What do I do about drivers for all my different PC models? How do I specify what drivers go to what model PC?

Edited by Nausing
mdrabble

mdrabble

Posted
Posted (edited)

Another one for reference is https://www.systemcenterdudes.com/step-by-step-sccm-1511-configuration/

 

Before spending time on SCCM and the learning curve for it, I would stop and ask - What are you wanting to do deploy?

 

If you are only wanting to deploy/capture images them MDT is less of a learning curve to install etc.....

 

 

I would use @DJ-1701 guide for MDT - That should get you going.

 

No point in spending time on SCCM if you dont really need half the functions within it.

Edited by mdrabble
  • Thanks 2
Nausing

Nausing

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Another one for reference is https://www.systemcenterdudes.com/step-by-step-sccm-1511-configuration/

 

Before spending time on SCCM and the learning curve for it, I would stop and ask - What are you wanting to do deploy?

 

If you are only wanting to deploy/capture images them MDT is less of a learning curve to install etc.....

 

 

I would use @DJ-1701 guide for MDT - That should get you going.

 

No point in spending time on SCCM if you dont really need half the functions within it.

 

I persevered with SCCM and once past all the configuration issues it runs like a dream!

 

I followed the Windows Noob guides found here: https://www.windows-noob.com/forums/topic/4422-using-sccm-2012-in-a-lab-part-1-installation/

 

Prajwal Desai also rights some good guides too: https://prajwaldesai.com/sccm-2012-r2-step-by-step-guide/

 

Personally, I just get the computer to image from scratch, then deploy software out afterwards using WPKG-gp or Group Policy.

 

This is the basic setup I have used in the past: MDT for Windows 10 (Basic Functionality) - Blogs - EduGeek.net

 

 

I've seen the guides mentioned but they are generic in installing the roles with basic configuration.

 

I'm looking for a dumbed down version with something along the lines of: MDT is this and does this and you would use it in this situation etc.

 

Thanks all for chipping in.

mdrabble

mdrabble

Posted
Posted (edited)
I've seen the guides mentioned but they are generic in installing the roles with basic configuration.

 

I'm looking for a dumbed down version with something along the lines of: MDT is this and does this and you would use it in this situation etc.

 

Thanks all for chipping in.

 

https://mdtguy.wordpress.com/what-is-mdt/

 

also another MDT installation guide

 

https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/Post/496/Building-a-Windows-10-Reference-Image-using-MDT-2013-Update-1

Edited by mdrabble
  • Thanks 1
snagrat

snagrat

Posted
Posted

In theory I could zip up my whole DeploymentShare and get you to download it.

 

Then you just copy it across to your server, update a few bits and away you go.

  • Thanks 1
PotNoodleTech

PotNoodleTech

Posted
Posted

I just run standalone WDS/MDT, no SCCM or any of that and it's simple and easy to set up and get running in a day.

 

I suspect it's the SCCM part that's confusing matters. Dump it, set up a server, slap WDS on it, slap MDT on it, follow one of the many guides on YouTube/google and be happy with a build system that's fast and works very reliably.

  • Thanks 1
LeMarchand

LeMarchand

Posted
Posted
I just run standalone WDS/MDT

 

Me too. Fat images with pretty much everything apart from all the rubbish that gets installed by GPO/other methods. (Flash, Java, a/v, SIMS etc).

  • Thanks 1
garethEds

garethEds

Posted
Posted
Hi all,

 

I've tried to setup SCCM, WDS, MDT but always getting issues while trying to do deployments. I'm getting to the point where I feel hopeless and want to give up and use a paid deployment product.

Does anyone have an end to end guide on MDT/WDS install, configure, image build/capture and deployment for a typical school scenario.

 

Thank you!

 

Sorry to read this @Nausing - there is a cracking thread here about MDT: http://www.edugeek.net/forums/o-s-deployment/76099-mdt-resources.html which has been built up over time. You can do no wrong in buying some deployment books and going from there. You don't mention which OS you are going for but we used the books listed here. We have bought them all over time:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Deployment+fundamentals

 

The reason I use the books and follow their path (with minor changes) is that is makes it easier for someone new to come in and see what we have done.

 

Keep going. I love MDT and how it works. We don't have SCCM yet but it's on the way via the LEA.

 

Cheers

 

Gareth

  • Thanks 1
gshaw

gshaw

Posted
Posted
I will do a blog post on our new MDT setup soon as it's got quite a few nice bells and whistles on. Very flexible system especially if you like a bit of scripting as well :)
  • Thanks 1
Garacesh

Garacesh

Posted
Posted (edited)
I just run standalone WDS/MDT, no SCCM or any of that and it's simple and easy to set up and get running in a day.

Me too. Fat images with pretty much everything apart from all the rubbish that gets installed by GPO/other methods. (Flash, Java, a/v, SIMS etc).

Me three.

There's only one image in WDS: Win10 Ent LTSB 2016 x64

Drivers are loaded into WDS, and there's a few mandatory application installed tacked into the deployment sequence, but WDS pushes the image and drivers, then reboots and Windows does the rest.

It was a bit of a pain to set up but I feel it's much better than sysprepping machines per flavour. We've got 9 different types of machines here, I can't be fussed having 9 different images.

 

More than happy to answer any questions if you wanna fire some my way @Nausing. Drop me a PM any time.

Edited by Garacesh
  • Thanks 1
strawberry

strawberry

Posted
Posted
Once you've mastered MDT ( and it does take a while) then think about moving onto SCCM. They key thing is with MDT you can call the menu from inside windows to install software or you can use WDS to share the boot image. SCCM really doesn't add that much other than scheduled software deployments which tbh you can do with PSEXEC / impero or AB tutor.
Nausing

Nausing

Posted
  • Author
Posted
Thank you everyone for your input! I have added an edit to the first post with some more questions.. Is this what teachers feel like when they ask you to turn the projector on? :S
LeMarchand

LeMarchand

Posted
Posted

This is what I do:

 

 

  1. Create a VM of appropriate OS/bit
  2. Add in any software that isn't deployed via GPO
  3. Tidy up etc
  4. Snapshot
  5. Sysprep and capture
  6. Roll back to prior to snapshot
  7. Create and attach appropriate unattend file to image

 

Currently have W7x32 (not for much longer), W8.1x32 and x64, W10x64 VMs. As they're VMs I can update them periodically without too much fuss. The capture images have UEFI variants for 8.1 and 10. (Can't remember why the variants...)

 

When a new model comes in, I let it install and use DriverBackup or similar to capture drivers.

 

Then:

 

 

  1. PXE boot and apply appropriate image
  2. Once logged in, check for missing drivers and use the backup set or the internet to supply missing ones
  3. Add missing drivers to the store - I'm too lazy to do all the filtering etc and just let the server sort it out
  4. Bung out image to all other machines of same model
  5. Apply the "Montgomery Scott" timescale when asked how long it took me

  • Thanks 1

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing


×
×
  • Create New...