NOTE: This Hydration kit has been updated (this was during the ConfigMgr 2012 beta), you probably want to use this one instead:
The Hydration Kit for System Center 2012 R2 is available for download
https://deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/149/The-Hydration-Kit-for-System-Center-2012-R2-is-available-for-download.aspx
Here is a download for deploying a complete ConfigMgr 2012 RC1 infrastructure in either Hyper-V or VMware: One Domain Controller and one ConfigMgr 2012 RC1 member server – Including pre-requisites like .Net Framework, SQL 2008 and IIS – all fully automated.
Once configured, the total build time for the full ConfigMgr 2012 RC1 lab environment is about 1.5 hours (on my laptop).
Download the Hydration Kit for ConfigMgr 2012 RC1 (141 kb).
To build the lab there are three steps you need to do
- Download the necessary software
- Prepare the hydration deployment solution
- Deploy your virtual machines
Detailed instructions are further down this page…

The Task Sequence that builds the CM01 Server (Member Server with SQL, WDS, IIS and ConfigMgr 2012 RC1)
Hydration Instructions
Step 1 – Download the necessary software
On the machine (client or server) that you use to manage Hyper-V or VMware, create the C:\Downloads folder and download the following software (trial versions are ok too):
- ConfigMgr 2012 RC1
- SQL Server 2008 Enterprise x64
- SQL Server 2008 SP2 Update x64 (KB 2285068)
SQL Server 2008 SP2 CU 6 Update x64 (KB 2582285)
- SQL Server 2008 Hotfix KB 2603910
- Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise
- Sysinternals BGInfo
- MDT 2010 Update 1
- Windows AIK 2.0 (named Windows AIK for Windows 7 v3.0 on Microsoft download)
Step 2 – Prepare the Hydration environment
- On your Hyper-V or VMware management machine, make sure PowerShell is installed.
- Extract Windows AIK 2.0 (or mount the ISO using an ISO mounting tool like SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive), and install Windows AIK 2.0 with the default settings.
- Install MDT 2010 Update 1 with the default settings.
- Extract the HydrationCM2012RC1.zip file to C:. You should now have a C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\Source folder with a few folders and PowerShell scripts.
- In a PowerShell command prompt, configure Execution Policy in PowerShell, by typing the following command:
Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force - In the PowerShell command prompt, create the Hydration Deployment Share by running the following command:
C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\Source\1_CreateHydrationDeployment.ps1 - Copy the following folders from C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\Source\HydrationDS to C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS, replace any existing files.
Applications
Control
Operating Systems
Scripts - Extract the ConfigMgr 2012 RC1 installation files to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012 RC1\Source folder.
- To download the latest ConfigMgr 2012 RC1 pre-requisites, run the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012 RC1\Source\SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\Setupdl.exe application. In the path textbox, browse to C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012 RC1\PreReqs and click Download.
- Copy the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012 RC1\Source\SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\EXTADSCH.exe file to C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Configure – Extend AD for ConfigMgr 2012\Source.
- Copy the SQL Server 2008 x64 installation files to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – SQL Server 2008 x64\Source folder.
- Copy the SQL Server 2008 x64 SP2 installation files to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – SQL Server 2008 x64 SP2 (Update)\Source folder
- Copy the SQL Server 2008 SP2 CU 6 installation file to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – SQL Server 2008 SP2 CU 6\Source folder
- Copy the SQL Server 2008 Hotfix KB 2603910 installation file to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – SQL Server 2008 Hotfix (KB 2603910)\Source folder
- Copy the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012 RC1\PreReqs\dotNetFx40_Full_x86_x64.exe file to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – NET Framework 4.0\Source folder
- Extract your BGInfo installation files and copy them to C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Applications\Install – BGInfo Source
- Extract your Windows Server 2008 R2 Enterprise installation files (or mount the ISO using an ISO mounting tool like SlySoft Virtual CloneDrive), and copy them to the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationDS\Operating Systems\Windows Server 2008 R2 x64 folder
- In the PowerShell command prompt, create the Hydration Media Item by running the following command:
C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\Source\2_CreateHydrationMediaItems.ps1
- Copy the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\Source\Media001\Control folder to C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationISO\Content\Deploy, replace existing files
- In the PowerShell command prompt, update the Hydration Media Item (and create the ISO) by running the following command:
C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\Source\3_UpdateHydrationServersMedia.ps1
Step 3 – Create and deploy the virtual machines
- In your virtual environment, make sure to have a dedicated virtual network for your virtual machines (since one of them will run a DHCP Server).
- Copy the C:\HydrationCM2012RC1\HydrationISO\HydrationCM2012RC1.iso file to wherever folder you use store ISO files in your virtual environment.
- Using either Hyper-V Manager or VMware Sphere, create a virtual machine named DC01 with a 300 GB hard drive, and at least 1 GB of RAM. Configure the virtual machine to use the virtual network dedicated for the Hydration, and to boot from the HydrationCM2012RC1.iso file.
- Start the DC01 virtual machine, after booting from the iso, select the DC01 Task Sequence, and wait until the setup is complete.
- Using either Hyper-V Manager or VMware Sphere, create a virtual machine named CM01 with a 300 GB hard drive, and at least 4 GB of RAM. Configure the virtual machine to use the virtual network dedicated for the Hydration, and to boot from the HydrationCM2012RC1.iso file.
- Start the CM01 virtual machine, after booting from the iso, select the CM01 Task Sequence, and wait until the setup is complete.
Additional Notes:
If you need to change server names, IP addresses, domain names etc. in the environement, all configuration is stored in the four .ini files in the Source\Media001\Control folder.
/ Johan
Aha, changed the Server source to the EVAL version, now it's flying 😉
Thanks
/ Markus
Workstation 8 and VSphere, other iso's are good, think I have to change the server sourcefiles…
What version of vmware are you using?
Does the vm work if you boot it on the default Windows Server 2008 R2 iso?
You should configure the guest vm for "windows Server 2008 R2", wih one NIC, and a harddrive of 300 GB
/ Johan
Have some trouble to boot VMware from this iso. Build on Win7 x64.
Status: 0xc000000f
Info : The boot selection failed because arequired device is inaccesible.
Ideas ?
Wow, Great job as always Johan!
Always nice to read your blogs, you got so much good info that has probably helped many with theire problems 🙂
Looking forward to seeing you at NIC2012!
//Eirik – 99X.no
Johan has set 70GB as the first partition on both CM01 and DC01, that's why you are getting that error. Change that in the TS if you can't afford that much space.
I'm a fan of logging so I've set that as well in the CS.ini
Oupps, typo… it's KB 2603910… I've updated the article, thanks
The downloads in KB 2603910 are both for SQL Server 2008 SP2 and SQL Server 2008 R2.
The reason for not using SQL Server 2008 R2 is that there is still issues being reported on it, even though the ConfigMgr team announced support for it….
/ Johan
The KB2603910 is an SQL2008(R2) update.
SQL2008 SP2 semilar update is KB2617148
The scipt "C:HydrationCM2012RC1HydrationDSApplicationsInstall – SQL Server 2008 Hotfix (KB 2603910)Install-KB2603910.wsf" is refering to the update as an sql2008 update.
something does not match up.
The SQL server 2008 hotfix is KB 2603910, not KB 2(9)03910 as describes some places in this text.
If you do not use virtual disk of 300gb+ the deployment will fail with an error saying something with "cannot find C: drive"
Even if you dont have 300gb free space in hyper-v, you can create any size when creating the machine and edit the disk afterwards and expand to 300gb.
Hello Johan.
I cant seem to find: ?SQL Server 2008 Hotfix KB 2903910
Can you guide me or is it a wrong article numer?
-Mads