Deploying Windows 10 build 9860 using ConfigMgr 2012 R2

First, check out my earlier post on how to deploy Windows 10 build 9841 for some background info.

Note: If you are looking for how to do this with MDT 2013 Lite Touch instead, check this post: https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/195/Deploying-Windows-10-build-9860-using-MDT-2013-Lite-Touch.aspx

Then, since there is no ISO download of Windows 10 Enterprise Technical Preview build 9860 (at least not yet), you have to get the install.wim another way. You basically have one option:

• Upgrade a Windows 10 build 9841 to build 9860 and then "extract" the install.wim file from the install.esd file which you find in the C:RecoveryImage folder after upgrading.  

Update: There is a PowerShell script available that builds a Windows 10 ISO here: https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/197/How-to-create-a-Windows-10-Enterprise-build-9860-ISO.aspx

The install.esd file after upgrading build 9841 to build 9860.

Viewing the Install.esd file

ESD files were introduced in Windows 8.1, and are simply highly compressed versions of a normal WIM file. They are often called a Push-Button Reset Image. You cannot mount or service an ESD file, and you will find they take forever to extract (decompress) information from. But they are smaller than the normal WIM file, about 30 percent or so.

If you want to review the content of the install.esd, you can use the dism command to do so:

dism.exe /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:C:\RecoveryImage\Install.esd

The Windows 10 Enterprise image, build 9860.

Extract the install.wim

To extract the install.wim in a format that ConfigMgr 2012 R2 accepts, you need to change the compression type in the image. You can either do that by applying the correct index (#4) to a folder, and then capture that folder to a new install.wim file. But you can also create a new empty WIM file with the right compression type, and then just export the correct index from the install.esd file to this new wim file.

Update: There is a PowerShell script available that does everything for you here: https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/197/How-to-create-a-Windows-10-Enterprise-build-9860-ISO.aspx

1. Create a new empty WIM file, with the right compression type, by running the following commands (press Enter after each command):

md C:EmptyFolder

dism.exe /Capture-Image /ImageFile:C:\Temp\Install.wim /CaptureDir:C:\EmptyFolder /Name:EmptyWimImage /Compress:max

2. Export the Windows 10 build 9860 image from the install.esd file by running the following command.

dism.exe /Export-Image /SourceImageFile:C:\RecoveryImage\Install.esd /SourceIndex:4
/DestinationImageFile:C:\Temp\Install.wim /Compress:Recovery

3. Delete the empty index (#1) in the install.wim.

dism.exe /Delete-Image /ImageFile:C:\Temp\Install.wim /Index:1

Import the install.wim to ConfigMgr 2012 R2

Once the capture is completed, you simply copy the new install.wim to your ConfigMgr or File server, import it to the ConfigMgr console, and create a new task sequence. After creating the task sequence, modify it per the instructions in my earlier post.

Note: You still need to have the updated dism files in your MDT 2013 files package as outlined in my earlier post. I didn't have to update the dism files to 9860 versions, the 9841 version of dism seems to support the new 9860 build just fine.

 
Image Properties of the new 9860 build of Windows 10 Enterprise image (add to the ConfigMgr console).

 
Deploying Windows 10 Enterprise, build 9860, using ConfigMgr 2012 R2.

Windows 10 Enterprise, build 9860, deployed and ready to go

Happy Deployment, Johan