Create a Windows 10 reference image using MDT 2013

The development of MDT 2013 is still hopelessly behind the technical preview releases of Windows. Until that happens you can still apply some custom hacks to the current version.

Like the previous Windows 10 preview builds, in Windows 10 build 9926 you still need to add updated DISM files to the boot image (until the Windows 10 ADK is released, and MDT is updated to support that version). However, a new issue was introduced in build 9926 due to the new "10.0.9926.0" version number: Many of the MDT scripts, especially the LTIApply.wsf and ZTIUserStafe.wsf scripts, breaks because they have quite many string checks for "6.X" versions. As an example. when you do string comparison in VBScript, "10.0" is not higher than "6.3".

This post is focusing on what you need to change in MDT 2013 to use for build and capture of a Windows 10 Enterprise x64 build 9926 reference image, the high-level steps are:

• Add three Windows 10 build 9926 hotfixes to MDT
• Add dism files to MDT 2013
• Update some scripts in MDT 2013
• Modify the task sequence (four modifications required)
• Prevent the virtual machine from accessing Internet during build and capture

Fixing MDT 2013 Build and Capture for Windows 10 build 9926

First, this is not supported so don't blame me if something is not working. It works fine in my testing, but I haven't tested every possible scenario.

Step 1 – Add three Windows 10 build 9926 hotfixes to MDT

Using the Windows Catalog site: http://catalog.update.microsoft.com search for "Technical Preview 2 x64" and download the KB3035129, KB3034229 and KB3035034 updates.

The most critical fix is Start menu registration, but it's not bulletproof yet.

In the Deployment Workbench, in your deployment share, create a folder named Windows 10 build 9926 x64, and import the packages.

Create a selection profile named Windows 10 build 9926 x64, and configure the Packages / Windows 10 build 9926 x64 folder in it.

Step 2 – Add updated dism files

Copy the dism.exe and DISM folder from a x64 WTP boot.wim file to your deployment share, in my case E:\MDTProduction\Tools\x64.

The dism.exe file and DISM folder are found in the X:\Windows\System32 on your boot image (once booted), or E:\Mount\Windows\System32 if you just mounted the boot.wim.

The needed files, copied to the deployment share.

Step 3 – Update MDT 2013 scripts

Download the updated MDT 2013 scripts from this location: MDT 2013 Update scripts, and copy them to your deployment share, replace existing files.

Step 4 – Modify the task sequence

There are a few things you need to modify in the task sequence.

• Configure the Apply Patches action
• Add actions that copies the dism files
• Add an extra restart action
• Remove a condition on one of the built in actions

Configure the Apply Patches action to use the Windows 10 build 9926 x64 selection profile.

Add two run command line actions to your Windows 10 build 9926 task sequence.

Copy WTP dism.exe
cmd /c copy %deployroot%\tools\%architecture%\dism.exe x:\windows\system32 /y

Copy WTP DISM subsystem
cmd /c copy %deployroot%\tools\%architecture%\dism*  x:\windows\system32\dism /y

The additional actions in the task sequence.

Then add a extra Restart Computer action before the Apply Windows PE action.

Extra restart action added for build and capture.

Then, remove the condition on the Apply Windows PE (BCD) entry in the task sequence.

Default condition removed on the Apply Windows PE (BCD) action.

 

Step 5 – Prevent the virtual machine from accessing Internet

If the virtual machine is allowed to connect to Internet, it will update some of the built-in apps, and that will break sysprep.

Simply make sure it does not have Internet Access.

 
WIM Capture in progress.

Happy Deployment, Johan