How do you set up new PC's and domain join them?

[BroganOs]

I'm trying to learn how to streamline or get better at how I set up new pc's. The most I have ever had to set up in one go is 6 desktops so it's not a chore to do them individually. But I'd like to get better at it.

 

So my two questions are:

 

1. if you have new desktops what is the process of getting them ready to give to your staff. What I mean is, do you setup windows, install updates, install key software, say office and antivirus etc., domain join, apply gpo's and then hand it out to the staff member?

 

2. I'm trying to better my powershell knowledge. I understand that I can use the add-computer command to add a machine locally, but I dont understand how domain joining multiple computers works. I understand the command

[size=1][font=&quot][b]add-computer -computername PC-IT, PC-ADMIN, PC-TEACHER -domainname ad.contoso.com –credential[/b][/font][font=&quot] [/font][font=&quot][b]AD\adminuser -restart –force[/b][/font][/size]

or using a text file with the computer names.

But if my new pc's have a default name like DESKTOP123456, DESKTOP123457, DESKTOP123458 and I want them to domain join using the name's PC-IT, PC-ADMIN, PC-TEACHER what machine do I run the command from? and how do the new pc's get their names?

 

Thanks,

B

[sted]

i use wds/mdt on the server. i download drivers for them (or fire one up and use dism to extract drivers from an example pc) then basically flatten them mdt will domain join and install software so i can usually just go away for a bit come back (depending on software you want installing hit next a few times) on the 1st of a machine type check device manager etc and then shut it down and set up where its going/had out if its a laptop. I generally dont use manufacturer images as the amount of useless crud on them can be silly

[k-strider]

We use FOG

we just register the host in FOG and image it... obviously initial setup etc of FOG is time consuming but when we get a new pc its litrally a case of network booting it registering it and telling what image to lay down... then FOG does the rest puts it in AD etc...

there are lots of other systems SCCM and WDS...

[BroganOs]

Thanks guys, is licencing an issue? I had a look at MDT a while ago and remember something about entering a new licence number.

[CHiLL]

We use SCCM, which is Microsoft's (not free) management software to deploy /manage operating systems, updates, applications and more. It incorporates WDS/PXE and can also have MDT configured too. SCCM is a beast of a system to wrap your head around, but when configured correctly, you can just PXE boot a client, select the OS (Task Sequence) from the list and away it goes for a 'zero touch' deployment. For example, mine will install Windows 10, install the correct drivers, install core applications needed on the PC (like Office, Adobe Reader, 7-Zip, etc...because the rest of the applications are automatically pushed to the PC by SCCM at a later point), install extra features (such as .NET), install missing Windows updates and perform extra things, such as setting registry settings, etc.

[sted]

Thanks guys, is licencing an issue? I had a look at MDT a while ago and remember something about entering a new licence number.

mdt itself is free but it does work best if you have kms/mak keys i dont know anymore how it handles oem keys in theory as they are in the bios it should work but its been a long time since i tried

[Rob_D]

Thanks guys, is licencing an issue? I had a look at MDT a while ago and remember something about entering a new licence number.

Licencing shouldn't be a problem. Only licences I needed were a server licence (for the server running MDT) and a windows MAK licence for the computers. (unless you use KMS)

[BroganOs]

Our windows keys are OEM keys. We dont have enough computers to warrant anything else.

[Davit2005]

MDT/WDS or SCCM. MDT/WDS is good for a small envornment but if you can setup SCCM that would be more ideal and give more options in the future.

 

When it comes to KMS you need to meet certain client number requirements see this document. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/volume-activation/activate-windows-10-clients-vamt

 

KMS is certainly a lo easier to manage and hides usefull client license keys away from desktop end .

[PotNoodleTech]

Probably the easiest way to set up a mass deployment system is to install WDS and MDT on a server and use that to PXE boot. Once you've got it set up it makes deploying to 6 pcs or 600 really easy. One touch, I start it off by PXE booting, bang a password in and then thats it, O/S, domain join, software installation all done without touching the PC, just comeback half an hour later and it's done.

 

There are lots of other systems but the above can be set up in one day and you can be off building 100s of pcs the next day.

[Rob_D]

Our windows keys are OEM keys. We dont have enough computers to warrant anything else.

If you needed to put a windows key in to make MTD SCCM work then you could use GVLK keys and replace them with your OEM ones post imaging.

[Chaniel]

We use SCCM here as we also use it for windows updates, software deployment etc. In a previous school I was fine having set up just WDS with MDT (having MDT is important).

 

Process is basically as follows - New PC comes in, drivers get added to SCCM (or MDT) if not already. PC is PXE booted, password entered and task sequence chosen. Windows gets installed, updates done, domain bound, software installed etc. Super simple.

 

With your licensing query, apparently you can get MDT to put in the OEM Product key with a powershell script (https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/in-teaching-others-we-teach-ourselves/2016/12/13/how-to-deploy-windows-10-with-a-oem-product-key-from-the-bios-with-microsoft-deployment-toolkit/)

 

[font=monospace]$key=(Get-WmiObject -Class SoftwareLicensingService).OA3xOriginalProductKey
iex "cscript /b C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /upk"
iex "cscript /b C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ipk $key"
iex "cscript /b C:\windows\system32\slmgr.vbs /ato"[/font]

Edited May 16, 2019 by Chaniel

[BroganOs]

Great guys. thanks a million.

[smarties11]

Another vote for SCCM. We started using it last year for our Windows 10 roll-out, moving from fat images to zero-touch thin provisioning. It's a bit of a pain to set-up (especially the installation) but once you've done it you won't look back. All we do now is PXE boot a machine and the task sequence I have built does the rest. Installs the base WIM, injects the drivers for that particular model, provisions BitLocker for off-site devices, adds to domain if not a member, names the computer, installs all our core software include Office 365 client, AV etc, removes unnecessary printers, installs optional software based on task sequence parameters set, activates Office 365 using device based activation. Literally once the task sequence is complete all we do is test the machine and then put it in the classroom.

 

Beyond that, we use it to manage Windows updates (you can also inject these into the base WIM so that newly deployed computers have the latest updates from the off), software deployment, remote control and reporting.

 

There are built-in tools and reports to manage your Windows 10 servicing branches and the same for Office 365 client branches.

 

If you have WOL enabled you can also incorporate this into your task sequences so you can remotely PXE boot a machine and start the deployment process.

 

I'm a huge fan now and it's really streamlined the process of deploying a machine and keeping it up to date and means you don't have to mess around keeping images up to date every time you have a new driver, update or piece of software to manage. You just add a new step into your task sequence.

 

I've also retrospectively installed the SCCM client on our Windows 7 machines (not many of those left now though) and am using that for patch management, application deployment and remote control on those machines which has replaced some legacy tools and systems.

 

It's not expensive to add on to your EES/OVS agreement. The client licenses are already included in the desktop bundle, you just license your server(s).

 

My only regret is that I didn't start using it sooner!

[markwilfan]

If you go sccm install RCT tools too in your console client https://recastsoftware.com/ it's effing awesome

[PotNoodleTech]

Gonna have to look at SCCM methinks!

[CHiLL]

If you go sccm install RCT tools too in your console client https://recastsoftware.com/ it's effing awesome

Yes, cannot emphasis enough how good the RCT Tools are from Recast.

 

Gonna have to look at SCCM methinks!

Set aside some time for this, it's a massive beast to wrap your head around. Maybe just take a look at it in stages, such as getting it installed and configured purely to deploy OSs. Then look into app deployment, then Software Updates, etc.

Edited May 17, 2019 by CHiLL

[PotNoodleTech]

Yes, cannot emphasis enough how good the RCT Tools are from Recast.

 

 

Set aside some time for this, it's a massive beast to wrap your head around. Maybe just take a look at it in stages, such as getting it installed and configured purely to deploy OSs. Then look into app deployment, then Software Updates, etc.

 

Yes, and training time is minimal here. Hopefully I'll get it working by 2020

[ITGuyNW]

What do people do about naming their PCs? Do you just change it once the PC is all installed or do you have a way of pre-selecting its appropriate name?

[smarties11]

What do people do about naming their PCs? Do you just change it once the PC is all installed or do you have a way of pre-selecting its appropriate name?

 

There's a few ways to achieve this in SCCM. You can pre-create your computers in the SCCM console, or import them if you have details of their MAC addresses in an existing system. Then when you deploy an OS it will see the existing record in config manager and use that name.

 

I find the easiest way is to create a variable called 'OSDComputerName' in your unknown computers collection. You literally add this as a variable on the 'collection variables' tab of the collection properties, leaving the value blank. Make sure the 'do not display this value in the CM console' setting is unchecked.

 

Then, when your OSD task sequence runs, if the computer doesn't already exist in the database it will prompt for this variable and use whatever you input as the computer name. If you are re-imaging a PC and you want it to have a different name to the existing one, you just need to ensure that you delete the computer from the database first.

 

For this to work you need to have enabled 'unknown computer support' on your distribution point. It's on the PXE tab of your distribution point properties in Administration -> Site Configuration -> Servers and Site System Roles.

 

Hope this helps!

Edited May 23, 2019 by smarties11

[smarties11]

If you go sccm install RCT tools too in your console client https://recastsoftware.com/ it's effing awesome

 

Thanks for this tip. Not a product I have seen, but it does look good! Are you using the free community version or have you paid for enterprise?

[Rob_D]

What do people do about naming their PCs? Do you just change it once the PC is all installed or do you have a way of pre-selecting its appropriate name?

Our MDT task sequence is set to prompt for a computer name if the computer is unknown (it defaults to a random MININT### type name). If the computer is known/has an MDT record, then this will populate the computer name filed during the task sequence.

[Boredguy]

We populate our MDT database with workstation name, MAC address, task sequence, screen resolution, OU location.

We either manually update a record if we're just switching a PC, or for a whole new unit we have a CSV and Powershell script to bulk update the database.

 

That way it's a case of launch the litetouch image to start the build process and check later to see if the software has all gone on