Building a Windows 10 v1709 reference image using MDT

By Johan Arwidmark / October 19, 2017
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Here is a step-by-step quick guide on building the perfect Windows 10 v1709 reference image using MDT 8443 and Windows ADK 10 v1709. If you are looking for a Windows 7 version of this guide, check this post: https://deploymentresearch.com/521/Back-to-Basics-Building-a-Windows-7-SP1-Reference-Image-using-MDT-2013-Update-2 

Note: Please also check these posts:

Fixing why Sysprep fails in Windows 10 due to Windows Store updates
https://deploymentresearch.com/615/Fixing-why-Sysprep-fails-in-Windows-10-due-to-Windows-Store-updates

Remove WSUS configuration before capturing a Reference Image with MDT (by @NickolajA )
http://www.scconfigmgr.com/2014/12/29/remove-wsus-configuration-before-capturing-a-reference-image-with-mdt/

Image Factory
Automate this process even further (you still need to do the step in this guide first), check out the Image Factory for Hyper-V solution by Mikael Nystrom (@mikael_nystrom). 
http://github.com/DeploymentBunny/ImageFactoryV3ForHyper-V

Software Requirements

MDT 8443 can be installed either on a file server, or on your own laptop, but in this scenario I use a file server named MDT01. MDT 8443 requires Windows ADK 10 v1607 or later, but for Windows 10 v1709 you should use Windows ADK 10 v1709. I also recommend to download the various Visual C++ runtimes to include them in your reference image.

In this guide I also assume that you have a local WSUS server in your network, to which you have approved Windows 10 updates, Feature Packs (to get Microsoft .NET Framework updates) and Developer Tools, Runtimes and Redistributables / Visual Studio* (to get updates to Visual C++ runtimes).

Note: If you want to build a Windows 10 reference image for a virtual environment, like SCVMM, simply follow this guide to get the WIM file, and then use the Convert-WindowsImage.ps1 script on TechNet Script Center / Gallery to convert it to a VHD or VHDX file.

For this guide you need the following software.

Step-by-Step Guide

The entire process for creating a Windows 10 image using MDT takes about 40 – 60 minutes, fully automated. The initial setup of the solution takes about 30 – 45 minutes if done manually, and about 10 minutes if scripted. This guide covers the following seven steps:

  • Step 1 – Install Windows 10 ADK v1709 and MDT 8443
  • Step 2 – Create the MDT Build Lab Deployment Share   
  • Step 3 – Import the Windows 10 v1709 operating system
  • Step 4 – Optional – Import the latest Windows 10 v1709 Cumulative Update (recommended)
  • Step 5 – Add applications (Optional)
  • Step 6 – Create the MDT Task Sequence
  • Step 7 – Configure the deployment share
  • Step 8 – Create Windows Reference Images

Step 1 – Install Windows ADK 10 v1709 and MDT 8443

In this example I have a file server named MDT01, running Windows Server 2016.

  1. On MDT01, install Windows 10 ADK v1709, and select the following components:
    1. Deployment Tools
    2. Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)
    3. Imaging and Configuration Designer (ICD)
    4. Configuration Designer
    5. User State Migration Tool (USMT    

ADKSetup 
Windows ADK 10 v1709 Setup when installed on Windows Server 2016.     

2.  Install MDT 8443 using the default settings.

image_thumb1_thumb   
Installing MDT 8443.

Step 2 – Create the MDT Build Lab Deployment Share

  1. On MDT01, using the Deployment Workbench (available on the start screen), right-click Deployment Shares and select New Deployment Share. Use the following settings for the New Deployment Share Wizard (my data volume on MDT01 is E:)
    1.  Deployment share path: E:\MDTBuildLab
    2. Share name: MDTBuildLab$
    3. Deployment share description: MDT Build Lab
    4. Options: <default settings>

2. Once the deployment share is created you also want to relax the security a bit. MDT locks it down to hard by default. Use the following PowerShell script to set some better permissions:

# Check for elevation
Write-Host "Checking for elevation"
 
If (-NOT ([Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal] [Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()).IsInRole(`
    [Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole] "Administrator"))
{
    Write-Warning "Oupps, you need to run this script from an elevated PowerShell prompt!`nPlease start the PowerShell prompt as an Administrator and re-run the script."
    Write-Warning "Aborting script..."
    Break
}
 
# Configure NTFS Permissions for the MDT Build Lab deployment share
$DeploymentShareNTFS = "E:\MDTBuildLab"
icacls $DeploymentShareNTFS /grant '"VIAMONSTRA\MDT_BA":(OI)(CI)(RX)'
icacls $DeploymentShareNTFS /grant '"Administrators":(OI)(CI)(F)'
icacls $DeploymentShareNTFS /grant '"SYSTEM":(OI)(CI)(F)'
icacls "$DeploymentShareNTFS\Captures" /grant '"VIAMONSTRA\MDT_BA":(OI)(CI)(M)'
 
# Configure Sharing Permissions for the MDT Build Lab deployment share
$DeploymentShare = "MDTBuildLab$"
Grant-SmbShareAccess -Name $DeploymentShare -AccountName "EVERYONE" -AccessRight Change -Force
Revoke-SmbShareAccess -Name $DeploymentShare -AccountName "CREATOR OWNER" -Force

Step 3 – Import the Windows 10 operating system

  1. On MDT01, mount the Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709.iso media (or whatever you named it). On my server it was mounted to the D: drive.  
  2. Using the Deployment Workbench, expand the Deployment Shares node, expand MDT Build Lab, select the Operating Systems node and create a folder named Windows 10.  
  3. Right-click the Windows 10 node, and select Import Operating System. Use the following settings for the Import Operating System Wizard.  
    1. Full set of source files
    2. Source directory: D:\
    3. Destination directory name: W10X64v1709
    4. After adding the operating system, in the Windows 10 node, change the operating system name to Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709. 

wb 
The Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709 operating system imported to deployment workbench.

Step 4 – Optional – Import Packages

In order to have the image updated during the build and capture process you should use a local WSUS server to get in control of the updates. However, there are scenarios where you may have to patch the machine before the Windows Update Agent can do it's things, or any other component for that matter. For example, in one of the previous releases of Windows 10, v1607, there was an issue with the Windows Update Agent would not run correctly unless you also added the latest cumulative update to MDT.

Note: The Windows 10 v1709 media does not have any currently known issues that requires you to add a cumulative update, but here you find the steps if you need to in the future.

  1. Download the latest Windows 10 v1709 CU, and save it in C:\Setup\Windows 10 Updates on MDT01.  
  2. On MDT01, using the Deployment Workbench, expand Deployment Shares / MDT Build Lab / Packages and create a folder named Windows 10 x64 v1709.
  3. In the Windows 10 x64 v1709 folder, right-click and select Import OS Packages. Point to the C:\Setup\Windows 10 Updates folder.
  4. Expand the Advanced Configuration node, and create a selection profile named Windows 10 x64 v1709. When creating the selection profile, select the Packages / Windows 10 x64 v1709 folder.

Updat2    
A Windows 10 v1709 cumulative package imported into the Deployment Workbench.

Step 5 – Add applications

Not a hard requirement, but it make sense to add at least the various Visual C++ runtimes to your reference because quite frankly, you are installing Windows 10 to run apps, and many apps are depending on one or more of these runtimes. As you probably know, there are x86 and x64 versions of the runtimes, and for Windows 10 x64, you need both.

Note: Visual C++ 2015 is included in Visual C++ 2017, so you only install Visual C++ 2017.

For the Visual C++ runtimes, you make the install a bit easier by using a VBScript wrapper that installs all of them.

  1. On MDT01, extract the Visual C++ runtimes install wrapper to C:\Setup.  
  2. Download each runtime from Microsoft Download Center, and copy to the corresponding folder in C:\Setup\Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64\source.
image

Each runtime folder.

  1. Using the Deployment Workbench, expand Deployment Shares / MDT Build Lab / Applications and create a folder named Microsoft.  
  2. Right-click the Microsoft folder, and select New Application. Use the following settings for the New Application Wizard:a.    Application with source filesb.    Publisher:

    c.    Application name: Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64

    d.    Version:

    e.    Source Directory: C:\Setup\Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64

    f.     Specify the name of the directory that should be created: Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64

    g.    Command Line: cscript Install-MicrosoftVisualC++x86x64.wsf

    h.    Working directory:

Step 6 – Create and Configure the MDT Task Sequence

  1. On MDT01, using the Deployment Workbench, in the MDT Build Lab deployment share, select the Task Sequences node, and create a folder named Windows 10.  
  2. Expand the Task Sequences node, right-click on the Windows 10 node, and select New Task Sequence. Use the following settings for the New Task Sequence Wizard:
    1. Task sequence ID: REFW10-X64-001
    2. Task sequence name: Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709
    3. Task sequence comments: Reference Build
    4. Template: Standard Client Task Sequence
    5. Select OS: Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709
    6. Specify Product Key: Do not specify a product key at this time
    7. Full Name: ViaMonstra
    8. Organization: ViaMonstra
    9. Internet Explorer home page: about:blank
    10. Do not specify an Administrator password at this time
  3. Edit the task sequence by navigating to the Task Sequences / Windows 10 folder, right-click the Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709 task sequence, and select Properties.  
  4. On the Task Sequence tab, configure the Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709 task sequence with the following settings:  
    1. Preinstall. Configure the Apply Patches action to use the Windows 10 x64 v1709 selection profile.
    2. State Restore. After the Tattoo action, add a new Group action with the following setting:Name: Custom Tasks (Pre-Windows Update) 
    3. State Restore. Enable the Windows Update (Pre-Application Installation) action.
    4. State Restore. Enable the Windows Update (Post-Application Installation) action.
    5. State Restore. After the Windows Update (Post-Application Installation) action, rename the existing Custom Tasks group to Custom Tasks (Post-Windows Update).
    6. State Restore / Custom Tasks (Pre-Windows Update). Add a new Install Roles and Features action with the following settings:Name: Install – Microsoft NET Framework 3.5.1Select the operating system for which roles are to be installed: Windows 10

      Select the roles and features that should be installed: .NET Framework 3.5 (includes .NET 2.0 and 3.0)

    7. State Restore – Custom Tasks (Pre-Windows Update). After the Install – Microsoft NET Framework 3.5.1 action, add a new Install Application action with the following settings:?    Name: Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64
      1. Install a Single Application: Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64
    8. After the Install – Microsoft Visual C++ – x86-x64 action, add a Computer Restart action.
    9. Click OK.

TS 
Task Sequence configured for the reference image build and capture.

Step 7 – Configure the deployment share

To configure the deployment settings, you modify the two rules files (Bootstrap.ini and CustomSettings.ini). You can do the either via the MDT Build Lab deployment share properties, or directly in the file system, in the E:MDTBuildLabControl folder. Below you find the configurations I used in this guide.

Note: In my environment, my WSUS server is named WSUS01, and I'm using the default WSUS port in Windows Server 2012 R2 which is 8530.

Bootstrap.ini

[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=\\MDT01\MDTBuildLab$
UserDomain=VIAMONSTRA
UserID=MDT_BA
UserPassword=P@ssw0rd
SkipBDDWelcome=YES

CustomSettings.ini

[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
_SMSTSORGNAME=ViaMonstra
UserDataLocation=NONE
ComputerBackupLocation=NETWORK
DoCapture=YES
OSInstall=Y
AdminPassword=P@ssw0rd
TimeZoneName=Pacific Standard Time
JoinWorkgroup=WORKGROUP
HideShell=NO  
FinishAction=SHUTDOWN     
WSUSServer=http://wsus01.corp.viamonstra.com:8530
ApplyGPOPack=NO

BackupShare=\\MDT01\MDTBuildLab$
BackupDir=Captures
BackupFile=%TaskSequenceID%_#month(date) & "-" & day(date) & "-" & year(date)#.wim

SkipAdminPassword=YES
SkipProductKey=YES
SkipComputerName=YES
SkipDomainMembership=YES
SkipUserData=YES
SkipLocaleSelection=YES
SkipTaskSequence=NO
SkipTimeZone=YES
SkipApplications=YES
SkipBitLocker=YES
SkipSummary=YES
SkipRoles=YES
SkipCapture=NO
SkipFinalSummary=YES
  1. On MDT01 in the E:\Labfiles\LTI Support Files\MDT Build Lab\Control folder, modify the Bootstrap.ini and CustomSettings.ini per the above examples.  
  2. Using the Deployment Workbench, right-click the MDT Build Lab deployment share and select Properties.
    1. In the Windows PE tab, in the Platform dropdown list, make sure x86 is selected. Then in the Lite Touch Boot Image Settings area, configure the following settings:  
      1. Image description: MDT Build Lab x86
      2. ISO file name: MDT Build Lab x86.iso
    2. Still in the Windows PE tab, select the Drivers and Patches tab, and configure the following:
      1. Selection profile: Nothing
      2. Select the Include all drivers from selection profile option
        image

        Configuring the deployment share not to add the Windows 10 CU into the boot image.

    3. In the Windows PE tab, in the Platform dropdown list, make sure x64 is selected. Then in the Lite Touch Boot Image Settings area, configure the following settings:  
      1. Image description: MDT Build Lab x64
      2. ISO file name: MDT Build Lab x64.iso
    4. Still in the Windows PE tab, select the Drivers and Patches tab, and configure the following:
      1. Selection profile: Nothing
      2. Select the Include all drivers from selection profile option
         
    5. Click OK.
    6. Update the deployment share, by right-clicking the MDT Build Lab deployment share and select Update Deployment Share. Use the default Options for the Update Deployment Share wizard.
Boot

The contents of the E:MDTBuildLabBoot folder after updating the deployment share.

Step 8 – Create Windows Reference Images

Create a Windows 10 Reference WIM Image, fully automated.

  1. On MDT01, copy the E:\MDTBuildLab\Boot\MDT Build Lab x64.iso file to your VMware or Hyper-V machine.
  2. Create a virtual machine named REF001, assign it two vCPUs and 4 GB RAM. Then mount MDT Build Lab x64.iso on the virtual machine.
  3. Start the REF001 virtual machine, and allow it to boot. Then complete the Deployment Wizard using the below settings:
    1. Select a task sequence to execute on this computer: Windows 10 Enterprise x64 v1709
    2. Specify whether to capture an image: Capture an image of this reference computer. 
      1. Location: <default>
      2. File name: <default>

The task sequence will now do the following:

  • Install the Windows 10 Enterprise operating system.    
  • Install the added applications, roles, and features.    
  • Stage WinPE on the local disk.    
  • Run Sysprep and reboot into WinPE.    
  • Capture the Windows 10 installation to a WIM file.
MDT_thumb1

MDT capturing a Windows 10 Image.

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Johan Arwidmark

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Rocky
Rocky
2 years ago

Awesome guide, thank you.

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