Sick of MDT/WDS

[rpain]

Hi,

 

All I want to do is to be able to make an image, capture it and deploy it to another identical machine(s). I've spent lots of time trying to set up task sequences and had an expensive engineer on site who also didn't really manage to get a perfectly workable solution and I'm just sick to death with it.

 

Are there any 3rd party products that people could recommend that would perform a similar job? It seems that every time Microsoft bring out a new windows 10 version, new quirks come along which break things and I'm fed up with it!

 

I've done some googling but figure that experience from real people is always better.

 

 

Thanks for any advice...

 

Richard

[Rob_D]

Have you looked at FOG (https://fogproject.org/). We used to use it before we moved to MDT.

Or Clonezilla (https://clonezilla.org/). I only ever used the bootable USB version, but there's a server based option.

 

TBH, both of these are probably just as much of a faff to get set up as MDT/WDS. But are probably better at handling full disk images.

 

What's the problem with using MDT installation tasks to build your PC? (Personally I found this much easier to set up and way more flexible than disk imaging setups.)

[synaesthesia]

Why image like that at all? Why not have a blank, sysprepped image free of any crud and push it out to machines neutral of their spec? And indeed as per @Rob_D's comment, task sequence the software installation etc. It's honestly a piece of cake.

[Simcfc73]

I agree, I know its a bit quicker rolling out a complete image but we just use a basic ISO and PDQ deploy all the software needed and the latest CU.

 

I used to use clonezilla server with Windows 7 and sysprep which I really liked (and preferred) but havent got time to update the base image regularly.

[PotNoodleTech]

What is the problem with MDT? Maybe we can help.

 

Been using it here for years and it works so well and hardly any maintenance. Slap a windows image(s) on there, add your drivers for the models of PC you are going to be using, add some apps in there that you want to be deployed during the build (antivirus, ms office, etc) and then create a task sequence. Update the image and import it into WDS and then point your DHCP server to boot from the WDS server (I have WDS and MDT on the same server)

 

It's a bit of kerfuffle right at the start initially setting it up (there are some great website/blog/online step by step tutorials out there) but once you've set it up it works day in day out, fast, reliable and automated for thousands of machines. From machine boot to fully working domain joined PC is about 30 mins here.

Edited October 12, 2018 by PotNoodleTech

[gshaw]

MDT set up nicely works like a charm. Task Sequence can be as easy or complex as you want to make it. Personally since Win10 came out I don't capture anymore and build off the base WIM and layer everything else on top. Makes it easy to switch out one version for another and avoids any sysprep issues.

[PotNoodleTech]

MDT set up nicely works like a charm. Task Sequence can be as easy or complex as you want to make it. Personally since Win10 came out I don't capture anymore and build off the base WIM and layer everything else on top. Makes it easy to switch out one version for another and avoids any sysprep issues.

 

That sounds like exactly what I need to do when I create me Win10 image!

[Koldov]

So, can anyone point me to a fairly simple (idiots) guide to WDS/MDT?

 

I have an ICT suite of 30 computers that need Windows 10 in the next half-term and I'm going to take it as my opportunity to have it all done at the touch of a button within half an hour, because it all sounds really simple.

 

Traditionally I'd go round with some DVD/USB and do them all individually, but I like the idea of them being all installed, set-up and domain joined remotely.

 

I take it the best option is to just have it read an install.wim rather than create an image on a pc then capture it?

 

Is it possible to set things like an individual specific computer name and how do you tell it which pc that name belongs to?

 

Does it fully customise all the settings at the beginning?

[rpain]

I guess as the last poster said, I think I just need a good tutorial... I’ve tried a few but I suppose I’m just unlucky.

[fiza]

This is what I used when I first set up MDT/WDS. It's probably out of date now but worth a look.

http://techgenix.com/Deploying-Windows-7-Part1/

[Arthur]

So, can anyone point me to a fairly simple (idiots) guide to WDS/MDT?

https://gal.vin/2018/10/06/building-windows-10-1809-reference-image-walkthrough/

 

https://gal.vin/2018/10/06/deploying-windows-10-1809-reference-image-walkthrough/

[chaplic]

I feel your pain, I've just spent a few days tweaking an MDT and it can be frustrating. Have you looked at windows autopilot? basically the premise is you don't have an image at all, just a standard windows 10. It does need various MS licenses though.

[LytchettNM]

I have to same I love WDS/MDT I have ours setup so that each computer on the network is recognised by its MAC and this is used to name the computer, I then push the drivers to each computer based on its model so I’m not pushing all drivers to every computer.

It has taken some time to get it right and I did each bit one at a time but it’s been worth it, I now build my images as a virtual machine with a pause in the task sequence so I can manually install any software I can deploy then capture that back to MDT ready to be deployed to each computers with zero touch, we re-image the whole site (around 1000 PC’s) every year.

[FishCustard]

That sounds like exactly what I need to do when I create me Win10 image!

 

Yup, only way to do it. I bake MS Office into the image purely as every machine will need it and why bother deploying it afterwards, but all other things are done by GPO/script depending on OU.

[Simcfc73]

So your answer files you create sort out the partitioning of the drives too? I've never sorted them but really need to do them with the new LTSC and the security questions. I'm waiting for server 2019 so I can upgrade my WDS.

[PotNoodleTech]

Yup, only way to do it. I bake MS Office into the image purely as every machine will need it and why bother deploying it afterwards, but all other things are done by GPO/script depending on OU.

 

Did you follow a guide to get your good win 10 setup or did you just do it via awesome knowledge? I freely admit I need to get back on the MDT wagon as I aint created an image since about 2015 (my current image just works!!!)

[FishCustard]

Did you follow a guide to get your good win 10 setup or did you just do it via awesome knowledge? I freely admit I need to get back on the MDT wagon as I aint created an image since about 2015 (my current image just works!!!)

 

I knew MDT beforehand, I used the Win 7 guide linked earlier in the thread. I referred to this for anything Win 10 specific.

 

Basically: grab vanilla WIM, apply WIM to a VM, do customisations, sysprep and capture, do any fiddling you want to with the offline WIM (like customising the login screen text, that Windows won't let you do when its running), deploy a test, deploy for real.

[PotNoodleTech]

I knew MDT beforehand, I used the Win 7 guide linked earlier in the thread. I referred to this for anything Win 10 specific.

 

Basically: grab vanilla WIM, apply WIM to a VM, do customisations, sysprep and capture, do any fiddling you want to with the offline WIM (like customising the login screen text, that Windows won't let you do when its running), deploy a test, deploy for real.

 

That's great. Nice one Fishy

[Davit2005]

At the previous place we had a consultant but he clearly know what he was doing, he left it so we could do the upkeep ourselves and I built enough documentation to keep them going when I left. I've built to nearly the same in a home lab environment and it is not too difficult.

 

I can't knock MDT at all for the types of environment I've worked in.

[kennysarmy]

Some guides I've followed in the past:

 

https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/askpfeplat/2014/08/04/mdt-2013-part-i-mdt-configuration-capture-a-windows-server-2012-r2-base-os-image/

 

Add .net 35 to task sequence

http://blog.thomasmarcussen.com/installing-net-framework-3-5-with-mdt-2013-the-simple-way/

 

Injecting drivers

http://www.edugeek.net/forums/o-s-deployment/120656-injecting-drivers-mdt.html

https://emeneye.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/injecting-drivers-based-on-target-computer-model/

 

 

Adding drivers to MDT

On the new PC run the command :

 

wmic computersystem get manufacturer

&

 

Download the drivers

Open MDT

Create a new folder under Out-of-box-driver -> Windows 10 64 Bit

With the same name as "manufacturer" / "model"

Import the drivers in to this folder by right clicking the folder

 

 

Hope some of that helps.

[ataylor]

Using SCCM here, took a little while to setup loving it now.

 

Started using Clonezilla followed by WDS and now SCCM

[Katy]

Using SCCM here, took a little while to setup loving it now.

 

Started using Clonezilla followed by WDS and now SCCM

Same here - went from RIS -> WDS, then MDT, and now SCCM with MDT. Love how now all I have to do is stick a PC in the OSDeploy collection and (if it doesn't do Wake on LAN) turn it on (set to PXE boot first in the boot order but only proceeds if there's a task waiting)

[gshaw]

Made a couple of blog posts a while back about getting started with MDT, may be worth a look

 

https://gshaw0.wordpress.com/2017/09/11/mdt-imaging-megapost-part-1-our-first-server/

https://gshaw0.wordpress.com/2018/03/04/mdt-imaging-megapost-part-2-database-automation/

[FishCustard]

Same here - went from RIS -> WDS, then MDT, and now SCCM with MDT. Love how now all I have to do is stick a PC in the OSDeploy collection and (if it doesn't do Wake on LAN) turn it on (set to PXE boot first in the boot order but only proceeds if there's a task waiting)

Same here, although I manually specify the PC name (because I have my own weird naming scheme for them based on model) and OU (so that it can just pick up the relevant software and be ready-to-go). Best feeling ever is imaging a bunch of new machines and having them all just ready to go.