Windows 10: Customised Windows 10 deployment on multiple desktops and laptops.

Hey guys,

As mentioned in my introduction I have questions, so here it goes.

Firstly I'll describe my scenario and what I intend to do.
I work for a small organisation (50 employees) which in the near future will extend to nearly 75. In this process we will change our office and get brand new desktops, laptops and some servers (used for various applications). We are due to receive around 25 new devices (laptops and desktops) on which I'll need to install Windows 10 plus the software we use.

While browsing the forum I bumped into Kari's (I bow before you good sir) tutorial which might do the trick.
So the plan is:

• start the installation on a reference computer.
• lunch audit mode and install all software, updates (will this create any issues ? 1607 in particularly)
• answer file and sysprep (all machines will be joined to a domain, can I do this here ? I guess there is no point in creating a custom default profile since people will be logging in via the domain account)
• find a way to image this build.

More questions:

Now, we do have a copy of Windows 10 Pro which has the install.esd file. Will this create any issues along the way ? I know you can convert it into a wim file, but after I created the answer file I need to convert it back into a esd ?
I my mind I see this image created, then stored on a shared storage and once I have all devices ready to install I just boot with WinPE and start the install from the image.
I did had problems finding a WinPE with Macrium Reflect on it (the one I found I couldn't boot from it due to secure boot in UEFI and after disabling it was prompted with wrong windows error or something of this kind (maybe I've downloaded some crap).
The work laptop I'm using is a Lenovo Yoga 12 so I don't know if that would be powerful enough to use virtual machines, but I do have a spare Lenovo E530 I5 and a E330 that I can practice on.
I aim on creating this customised image as it will help me save some time in the future when we aim to bring all the devices in our organisation to Win10.

Hope that covers everything that I intend to do and hopefully you understand something in this madness.
Am I on the right course ?
Do you think I should do it differently ?
I know there is a way to deploy all this via a server, but I don't know Server 2016 yet so I'll give that a miss I guess.
I apologise as it doesn't have a good structure, I'm rushing to close my shift.

Many thanks for your time in reading this "thing".

Cheers,


:)

 

Deployment Options for Windows 10 Desktops

You can install Windows 10 in a number of different ways, including the following:



In-place upgrade

Perform an upgrade, which also is known as an in-place upgrade, when you want to replace an existing version of Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 with Windows 10, and you wish to retain all user applications, files, and settings. For the home or small business user,
you can run Setup.exe from a product DVD or from a network share. During an in-place upgrade, the Windows 10 installation program automatically retains all user settings, data, hardware device settings, apps, and other configuration information. We recommend
this method for existing Windows 7 and 8.1 devices.   An in-place upgrade has four phases:

• Checking the system
• Installing Windows 10 with the Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE)
• The first startup
• Installing the Windows operating system and the second startup

You can stop and roll back an installation during any of these four phases. However, we recommend that you always back up your important data, whether performing an upgrade, or as a periodic maintenance function.

New deployment

A new deployment of Windows 10 involves performing a clean installation. This occurs when the hard disk on which you are installing the Windows operating system contains no previous Windows installation, or when you erase the disk prior to installation.
To perform a clean installation on a computer without an operating system, start the computer directly from the DVD. If the computer already has an operating system, run Setup.exe to start the installation. You can run Setup.exe from the following sources:

• DVD
• Network share
• USB drive

You also can use an image to perform a clean installation.

Windows 10 Mobile has a built-in device management client to deploy, configure, maintain, and support smartphones. Common to all editions of the Windows 10 operating system, including desktop, mobile, and Internet of Things (IoT), this client provides a
single interface through which Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions can manage any device that runs Windows 10. Because the MDM client integrates with identity management, the effort required to manage devices throughout the lifecycle is greatly reduced.
Windows 10 includes comprehensive MDM capabilities that can be managed by Microsoft management solutions, such as Microsoft Intune or System Center Configuration Manager, as well as many third-party MDM solutions.

Note: If you perform a clean installation on a hard disk partition that contains a Windows operating system, existing Windows files are moved to a \Windows.old directory. This includes files in the Users and Program Files folders and the
Windows directory.

Refresh

You can use refresh functionality to replace an operating system if a Windows 10 device hangs, fails, or just runs slow. Refresh keeps your data and files and all apps that come with Windows 10 and that you have downloaded from the Windows Store. However,
all applications or software you have installed from media or from the Internet will be removed, and you will need to reinstall them after the refresh.

Provisioning

You can use provisioning to configure and apply Windows images on new desktop devices, especially in a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) scenario. You use Windows ICD to create and configure devices with provisioning packages.

Migration

You perform a migration when you have a computer that is running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1, and you need to move files and settings from that operating system (the source computer) to the Windows 10 computer (the destination computer). Perform
a migration by doing the following:

• Back up user settings and data.
• Perform a clean installation.
• Reinstall the apps.
• Restore user settings and data.

There are two migration scenarios, side-by-side and wipe-and-load. In side-by-side migration, the source computer and the destination computer are two different computers. In wipe-and-load migration, the target computer and the source computer are the same.
In a wipe and load migration, migration data is captured and moved to a location off the computer, usually a network shared folder. After this, the source operating system is wiped from the host. The destination operating system replaces the source operating
system and the migration data then is restored from the safe location.

You can perform an automated installation when you use any of the above installation methods in combination with an automation tool such as MDT to make the installation more seamless or to remove repetitive tasks from the installation process. Automated
installations can take many forms, including pushing premade images to computers by using an enterprise-level tool such as MDT, Windows Deployment Services (DS), and System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Service Pack 1 (SP1), or even by creating an answer
file manually to provide information directly to the installation process.

 

Windows 10 update to version 16299 - Fails to restart to apply updates - error code: 0x80070032

Hi Belstone,

Kindly check this out: Resolve Windows 10 upgrade errors - Windows IT Pro

According to this, the error code could be related to having multiple drives. By any chance is your laptop dual-boot?

Ashvin

 

The install.esd file is only use to install windows, and is deleted afterwards.

I do not know why you have issues with Macrium. You just install and create a usb rescue drive.

Kari's tutorial is what you need.

If it was me (you will need to be running pro), I would make sure pc has all the programs you need, then create a Macrium Reflect image backup. Also create a Macrium boot entry.

Then install Macrium viboot and use it to create a Hyper-v vm, boot from it and use sysprep etc to generalise the installation, and then shutdown windows on vm.

Then boot into Macrium on the vm, and make an image backup of the vm (copy it to a physical drive outside hyper-v)

You can then take that image and simply restore it to your pcs.

Note: you should buy an appropriate licence as the free and home versions are not licensed for commercial use.

In fact if you buy a suitable licence, you do not even have to mess around with sysprep, as you can use Macrium Deploy ie you simply take an image backup, restore it to pc, then boot from macrium winpe boot drive and run deploy, and it removes drivers not appropriate to new pc, and then windows searches for correct drivers (Windows 10 is really good at this). In essence it is sort of sysprepping on new pc without hassle of audit mode etc.

 

Not in this case; OP clearly tells having a Windows 10 PRO install media with install.esd instead of install.wim file like for instance in Windows 10 ISO image created with Media Creation Tool. This ESD file should not be mixed up with an ESD file downloaded as part of Windows upgrade through Windows Update.

Anyway, in this case this is irrelevant because installing Windows 10 on technician machine to customize deployment image can be done using both ESD ISO and WIM ISO, as any normal Windows installation.

First something important: forget Macrium! That being said I can almost feel it how some senior geeks are now thinking "What on Earth is he talking about? Forget Macrium?" *Wink

Let me explain: I am a huge Macrium fan and wholeheartedly recommend their products, using them myself (Reflect, viBoot, CMC). In the tutorial you are referring to I explain how to use Macrium Reflect to capture and deploy Windows image. However, you have to remember the tutorial is written to private users with one or at most a few machines to deploy an image using Macrium Reflect Free. Using the free and even commercial Home edition on corporate network is not allowed.

Cost of Macrium Reflect Technician license is at the moment 413 but using this license deployment would be quite slow as the license can be used (according to EULA) on unlimited workstations but on one machine at a time.

To speed deployment up using Macrium you would need Workstation licenses which cost at the moment 548 for 10 workstations, 2,430 for 50 workstations or 4,556 for 100.

This quote is from a recent reply of mine to another member in the image customizing tutorial thread:

Don't get me wrong: Regardless what I told above I recommend Macrium as your backup solution. If your organisation has or will aquire a workstation license per computer, deployment using Macrium Reflect will be a valid alternative.

I have a few questions to you before going to details:

• Are the 25 new machines all same make and model (same hardware)?
• Are the old 50 machines same make and model?
• If answer to 1 and 2 is Yes, are the old ones same make and model than the new ones?
• What is the operating system currently installed on old existing machines?
• What will be the factory pre-installed operating system on new machines, or will they be delivered without OS?
• How will OS and software be licensed (I assume volume licensing)?
• What software will be pre-installed?
• How familiar you personally are with Windows deployment?
• What is the time frame (when do you receive the new machines, when should they be ready and deployed)?

While you are thinking your answers to above questions, I just want to tell you that it will be a piece of cake, no worries. You need a bit time and patience but deploying Windows is both logical and relatively easy.

 

Yeah, using MDT is going to be the preferred way to do it. Of course, nothing will stop you from using Macrium to take the image and deploy it if that is what you want. It's not appropriate by the EULA standards, but I am willing to bet quite a few people use this type of software in a business environment.

 

Referring to the highlighted sentence in above quote, that's why I thought it to be important to post what I posted, to tell about the business license requirements.

As OP's network is relatively small and deployment done in two batches making it not so hectic (new machines first, old ones later), one viable solution would be to use DISM (boot to PE, use DISM to apply image), or even ISO method (capture install.wim, create ISO, deploy).

 

Such detailed replies, many thanks guys.
Those prices definitely won't enter in our budget, so most likely we'll give a miss to Macrium and try DSIM.
As for answering to your questions Kari, check below:

• Are the 25 new machines all same make and model (same hardware)? We will get desktops and laptops, but most likely each category will be the same.
• Are the old 50 machines same make and model? No, different models of laptops and desktops.
• If answer to 1 and 2 is Yes, are the old ones same make and model than the new ones? No.
• What is the operating system currently installed on old existing machines? Windows 7
• What will be the factory pre-installed operating system on new machines, or will they be delivered without OS? Windows 10 Pro
• How will OS and software be licensed (I assume volume licensing)? So far we used volume license.
• What software will be pre-installed? Chrome, Office 2016 (we use Office365, so each instance of Office2016 will be activate via each account), Picasa, VLC, Adobe reader and some antivirus (we use Eset at the moment but we may change to something else, don't know yet to what).
• How familiar you personally are with Windows deployment? I never used it, but as long as I have a guide/tutorial I think I'll manage to use it.
• What is the time frame (when do you receive the new machines, when should they be ready and deployed)? I have a three weeks time frame. The problem is that at the moment I don't know how the this kit will be delivered, we are expecting all desktop/laptops to arrive at one stage and the new server to be delivered at a later time or vice-versa.

I hope that covers everything, if there are any other questions that need answering fire away.

Once again I thank you all for all your time put in replying to my questions.

 

Thanks for your answers. This seems pretty straight forward. If it's OK to you I can outline something, kind of chronological workflow suggestion. It might require some time but I promise I will post something latest by Monday (your scenario interests me due several personal reasons, I'm in fact quite keen to present you a plan taking this as an exercise *Wink).

In the mean time let's hope other members have some ideas to post for you to consider.

 

I note some small but important points regarding the older machines, not covered in the questions or Sico's responses.
Are all the machines of sufficient specification to run Windows 10?
Will Windows 10 run on them in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions?
The following link will allow each Windows 7 PC to be tested for compatibility for Windows 8.1 (whose requirements are identical to Windows 10).

Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant - Microsoft

There may be occasional machines that give false positives - I e the result is "not compatible", but there is no apparent reason why this result occurs!
Obviously, incompatible hardware may not be included in the upgrade.
If you have a mixture of 32-bit and 64-bit compatible machines, you will need to upgrade them accordingly.

 

Hi guys,
I'm so sorry for my late reply, I've had a really busy week and been most of the time out of the office.
@Kari - That would be great, more than I would ever expected and I'm looking forward to see what you come up with. Thank you so much.
@Fafhrd - In this case "old" is equal to 3, 4 years of service. All run on an I3, I5 proc with 8 Gigs of Ram. Checked the manufacturer and they are compatible, so no problems encountered there.

Once again thank you guys for the support shown,

 

OK, after giving this a thought and thinking how I would do it, here's my suggestion. Please notice that, as I said, this is how I would do it. Other geeks might disagree with parts or all of it.

I tested this scenario using one Hyper-V VM as technician machine (the one to build image) and three virtual machines to test simultaneous deployment in two scenarios:

• Capturing install.wim from technician machine and using DISM to apply / deploy image from a network share
• Capturing install.wim from technician machine, making ISO from it, deploying by clean installing from ISO burned to Flash drive

Based on the fact that ISO method is clearly faster and simpler, it is what I suggest to you. I estimate you would need an hour and half to two hours to customize install image, capture it and make an ISO, then assuming you would make 5 Flash drives for install / deployment you would need about half an hour per five machines, in other words you would deploy to those 25 new machines in less than three hours, almost a full working day to deploy those 50 existing ones.

Two working days, day 1 to make the image and deploy to new machines, day 2 to deploy to old ones.

Chronological workflow based on my suggestion:

Phase 1, Image customization tutorial, parts One through Six:

• Install Windows 10 on a technician machine (I recommend Hyper-V VM but any capable PC is OK)
• Boot to Audit Mode
• Update Windows, install software, customize & personalize Windows
• Sysprep

Phase 2:

• Capture the install.wim from technician machine as told in this tutorial, Part Four steps 4.1 through 4.5 (physical PC as technician machine) or Part Four steps 4.6 through 4.13 (Hyper-V VM as technician machine)
• Create ISO as told in same tutorial, Part Five
• Burn / write ISO to as many Flash drives as you want to / need to for simultaneous installs
• Boot production machines from Flash drive, install Windows 10

The above is how I would do this. If you choose the DISM method instead, applying install.wim from a network share, see this Microsoft support article: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../hh824910.aspx

For more advanced deployment using MDT see this article: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/.../dn475741.aspx

 

That looks perfect Kari,
I'll be on it from tomorrow, hopefully will get some free time to try out your solution.

Thank you so much for helping me and for the time you put into this,
You're a star mate. *Cool

Cheers,


Edit: Will post here if I encounter some problems along the way.

 

@Kari

Success. Managed to create a USB with a custom Win10 image which I already deployed on a physical machine. This will definitely save me tons of time in the near future.

You sir are a legend,

Sincerely thank you.

 

You are welcome, happy to hear it worked for you *Smile