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The Hydration Kit for ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 (with Windows Server 2012 / SQL Server 2012) is available for download

NOTE: This Hydration kit has been updated, 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 SP1 infrastructure running on Windows Server 2012 and SQL Server 2012 in either Hyper-V or VMware: One Domain Controller and one ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 member server – Including pre-requisites like .NET Framework, SQL Server 2012 CU2 (or higher, this kit is using SQL Server 2012 CU3) and IIS – all fully automated.

Once configured, the total build time for the full ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 lab environment is about 3 hours (on my laptop).

Download the Hydration Kit for ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 (132 kb).  

Update June 26, 2013: Corrected an issue with the application catalog site role (HTTP Activation for NET Framework 4.5 missing).

Update August 14, 2013: Corrected an issue with OSDisk property missing from DC01 task sequence (prevented deployment on VMware machines).

Overview

To build the lab there are three steps you need to do

  1. Download the necessary software
  2. Prepare the Hydration Environment
  3. Deploy the virtual machines

Detailed instructions are further down this page… see the Step-by-Step Guide section

The CM01 task sequence, building a complete ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 site server.
The readymade applications in the hydration kit.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1 – Download the necessary software

  1. On the machine (client or server) that you use to manage Hyper-V or VMware, create the C:Downloads folder.
  2. Download the following software:
  • The Hydration Kit sample files (download)
  • BGInfo
  • MDT 2012 Update 1
  • ADK (run the setup downloader to download the full ADK)
  • SQL Server 2012
  • SQL Server 2012 CU3 (KB 2723749)
  • Windows Server 2012 (trial or full version)
  • System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP1 + PreReqs

Note #1: to download the ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 pre-requisites, run the SMSSETUPBINX64Setupdl.exe application from the ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 installation files, specify a temporary download folder and click Download. 

Running the Setupdl.exe to download the ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 PreReqs.

Note #2: If using Retail media from MSDN or TechNet, you will get prompted for a product key during deployment

Step 2 – Prepare the Hydration Environment

Create the hydration deployment share

  1. On the Windows machine that you use to manage Hyper-V or VMware, install ADK (adksetup.exe) selecting only the following components:

    Deployment Tools
    Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)

  2. Install MDT 2012 Update 1 (MicrosoftDeploymentToolkit2012_x64.msi) with the default settings.
  3. Extract the HydrationCM2012SP1.zip sample file to C:.
  4. You should now have the following folder containing a few subfolders and PowerShell scripts.

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\Source

  5. In an elevated (run as Administrator) PowerShell command prompt, configure Execution Policy in PowerShell by typing the following command:

    Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted –Force

  6. In the PowerShell command prompt, create the hydration deployment share by running the following command

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\Source\1_CreateHydrationDeploymentShare.ps1

  7. Merge the hydration kit content with the new deployment share by running the following command:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\Source\2_MergeDeploymentShareWithHydrationKit.ps1

Populate the hydration deployment share with the downloaded files

  1. Copy the BGInfo file (bginfo.exe) to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Install – BGInfo\Source

  2. Copy the ADK installation files to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Install – ADKS\ource

The ADK folder.
  1. Copy the SQL Server 2012 installation files (the content of the ISO, not the actual ISO) to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Install – SQL Server 2012\Source

  2. Copy the SQL Server 2012 CU3 installation file (SQLServer2012-KB2723749-x64.exe) to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Install – SQL Server 2012 CU3\Source

  3. Copy the ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 installation files (extract the download) to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012\Source

  4. Copy the ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 PreReqs files to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Install – ConfigMgr 2012\PreReqs

  5. Copy the ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 EXTADSCH.exe file (SMSSETUPBINX64) to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Applications\Configure – Extend AD for ConfigMgr 2012\Source

  6. Copy the Windows Server 2012 installation files (the content of the ISO, not the actual ISO) to the following folder:

    C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\DS\Operating Systems\W2012

Create the hydration ISO (MDT 2012 Update offline media item)

  1. Using Deployment Workbench (available on the start menu), expand Deployment Shares, and expand Hydration MDT 2012 Update 1.
  2. Review the various nodes. The Applications, Operating Systems and Task Sequences nodes should all have some content in them.


    The Hydration deployment share, listing the task sequences.

  3. Expand the Advanced Configuration node, and then select the Media node.
  4. In the right pane, right-click the MEDIA001 item, and select Update Media Content.
    Note: The media update will take a while to run, a perfect time for a coffee break…

After the media update you will have a big ISO (HydrationCM2012SP1.iso) in the C:HydrationCM2012SP1ISO folder. The HydrationCM2012SP1.iso should be about 12 GB in size.

The HydrationCM2012SP1.iso

Step 3 – Deploy the virtual machines

Deploying DC01

  1. Using Hyper-V Manager or VMware Sphere, create a virtual machine with the following settings:

    Name: DC01
    Hard drive: 100 GB (dynamic disk)
    Memory: 1 GB
    Network: Your lab network
    Image file (ISO): C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\ISO\HydrationCM2012SP1.iso

  2. Start the DC01 virtual machine. After booting from HydrationCM2012SP1.iso, and after WinPE has loaded, select the DC01 task sequence.
  3. Wait until the setup is complete and you see the Hydration Complete message in the final summary.
  4. Leave DC01 running while deploying the other virtual machine (CM01).

Deploying CM01

  1. Using Hyper-V Manager or VMware Sphere, create a virtual machine with the following settings:

    Name: CM01
    Hard drive: 300 GB (dynamic disk)
    Memory: 6 GB (6 GB minimum, 16 GB RAM recommended)
    Network: Your lab network
    Image file (ISO): C:\HydrationCM2012SP1\ISO\HydrationCM2012SP1.iso

  2. Start the CM01 virtual machine. After booting from HydrationCM2012SP1.iso, and after WinPE has loaded, select the CM01 task sequence.
  3. Wait until the setup is complete and you see the Hydration Complete message in the final summary.

Note: All accounts, including Administrator, have a password of P@ssw0rd.

Additional Configuration Notes:

If you need to change server names, IP addresses, domain names, installation paths etc. in the environment, the main configuration is stored in the four .ini files in the ISOContentDeployControl folder.

For SQL and ConfigMgr settings you need to update the following files in the DSApplications folder:

  • Install – ConfigMgr 2012\ConfigMgr2012Unattend.ini
  • Install – SQL Server 2012\ConfigurationFileCM2012.ini

If you change the Administrator password, and/or domain name, you also need to update the Authorize DHCP credentials in the DC01 task sequence.

/ Johan

    

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Johan Arwidmark

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Kristian
Kristian
9 years ago

janhoedt,

I had a similar issue as you, I simply want the Apps and OS's to be stored in another location.
To solve this, I created folder junctions, working fine for me.

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

You can add suspend actions to the task sequence (LTISuspend.wsf), and as far as copy paste goes, yes, you can copy between deployment shares.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your update! 2 final questions:*I'd like to put some "stops" in the task sequence. Then I can take snapshots (VMWare) of them and troubleshoot the next step instead of having to start over. Do you know howto?*Can I add your other task sequences to this task sequence, f.e. Windows 2008 (copy paste folders in between current then update share)? => I have some more MDT-questions but on Technet there is no specific MDT-forum. Any idea where I can post them?F.e. can I copy and change a task sequence (tried it but when I change it, it changes also… Read more »

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

The source files need to be in the deployment share, that's simply how MDT works.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

So I found some time to dive again int MDT and Hydration share.

I changed the creation of share to D: since I had not a lot of space on C:. I saw the copying process and wondered: isn't there a way to prevent this whole copying? I only need the sources once. I store my orginal sources somewhere else .. So why not populating all sources in a location then generate the share …?

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

Do not integrate this with HydV3. HydV3 is already using a post-deployment task sequence , and is for Hyper-V only.

This kit is for both vmware and hyper-v, and is based on full installation task sequences only. Mikael's kit, which is very elegant, simply spin up a new VM from a ref-image, and then launch the post-os-task sequence, that does the rest.

You can certainly copy task sequence actions from this hydartion task sequence, to the task sequence that Mikael is using. But don't try to integrate in other means because it will not work.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks!
One more thing: I d like to integrate this kit into the Hydration V3. Can that be done?
Note: Hydration V3: can I use my own ISO s or do I need to download the trial versions of each iso to make ot work?

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

I have added the following to the article.

Additional Configuration Notes:

If you need to change server names, IP addresses, domain names, installation paths etc. in the environment, the main configuration is stored in the four .ini files in the ISOContentDeployControl folder. You also need to update the following files in the DSApplications folder

Install – ConfigMgr 2012ConfigMgr2012Unattend.ini
Install – SQL Server 2012ConfigurationFileCM2012.ini

As far as multiple folders goes, that's simply how MDT works with offline media, you need two folders for that feature. Then I needed to have the download somewhere, hence, three folders.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks! Please do clarify 2 things for me:
-I 'm short in memory in my lab, so I would like to add the CM01 only to my own lab, therefore I need to change ip, domain name etc (would also like to call it SCCM2012) Where can I do that?
-I find it somehow confusing to have 3 folders under c:hydrationsshare: DS, ISO and sources then I need to copy the control folder to the DS if I want to deploy via network … what's the logic, why not having 1 folder with all content, that would work too?

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

Hi janhoedt,

You can absolutely build you own custom kit, that runs on an existing operating system. The kits the Microsoft provides, their hydration, and also the PDT works that way. You don't need two deployment shares though, you can just create a selection profile and a second media item in the existing deployment share.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Notes:
——–

*for reinstall (not scratching domain controller, you need to
-remove all items in ADSI edit system container which are related to SCCM2012
-remove computer object from AD (not sure if really needed)

*automated MDT-install can come in handy:
http://www.compit.se/?p=298

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks. All clear to me now. I see the Media HydrationCM2012SP1.iso isn't generated anymore. What I would like to achieve is: *make a full offline media with all software in it, probably need to make a new share then?Or can I just generate the Media again (not sure why the ISO is gone in MDT view -old one generated is still there-) *be able to boot via boot-image: working already great now *boot via PXE (only testenvironment), probably need to import iso into WDS and … that's it? *have some stops built into the task sequence, so I can snapshot… Read more »

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

It's the bootstrap.ini that controls where to find the deployment share, and that file lives on the boot image. You can have logic that uses different settings depending on network and such, but it still comes down to what the bootstrap.ini file says.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Never mind, booting with x86 iso seems to work (not sure if that was root cause).
Thanks for great input. Any idea how I can make this network install my default install method (or do I need to copy the ini-files all the time)?
Then I got both advantages: imaging via network AND via offline ISO install.
Btw, great work you're doing here, gives us admins a jumpstart in OS installs/SCCM deploy/testing!

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

Send me an email and we take this offline, you find contact info in the About section.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

But now there is a connection, still no task sequences however (1.100 is my client, 201 the MDT-server).

TCP 192.168.1.201:445 192.168.1.100:49156 ESTABLISHED

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

… did a netstat and saw there were no connections. Then I checked the ip address of the machine I was trying to install. It was not in the correct network. Now it is, but still no task sequence …. Netat -an doesn't show connection of my MDT client either (192.168.1.100).

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Nothing to configure on WDS, right? No luck untill now. Checked rights on share too.

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

… but still not task sequences visible.

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

… but still not task sequences visible.

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

After updating the bootstrap.ini file, you need to create a new boot image by updating the main deployment share (not the media item). Also verify the C:HydrationCM2012SP1DS actually is shared on the machine. It's not being used when doing offline deployments, but if you want to deploy over the network it has to be shared.

The general idea behind have a large offline ISO is that you can use it to build an infrastructure, without having a deployment server,

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Ok, probably need to use myserverHydrationCM2012SP1$ instead of deploymentshare$ 🙂

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks, already a step further!
Now the task sequence is empty (credentials I gave for share are domain admin) ….

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks … and sorry for multiple posts!
I'll try that. Note: but I can still use the hydrationiso to do offline installs, right?

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your quick reply!
So I edit the bootstrap.ini via properties deployment share … edit bootstrap.ini.


[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=SERVER01DeploymentShare$

Ok, found that.

But search for cs.ini files, didn't find any cs.ini files in deployment share …?

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

not cs.ini explicit, all the *.ini files in the C:HydrationCM2012SP1ISOContentDeployControl needs to be copied to C:HydrationCM2012SP1DSControl (except the bootstra.ini, that rather needs to be updated).

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your quick reply!
So I edit the bootstrap.ini via properties deployment share … edit bootstrap.ini.


[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=SERVER01DeploymentShare$

Ok, found that.

But search for cs.ini files, didn't find any cs.ini files in deployment share …?

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your quick reply!
So I edit the bootstrap.ini via properties deployment share … edit bootstrap.ini.


[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=SERVER01DeploymentShare$

Ok, found that.

But search for cs.ini files, didn't find any cs.ini files in deployment share …?

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your quick reply!
So I edit the bootstrap.ini via properties deployment share … edit bootstrap.ini.


[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=SERVER01DeploymentShare$

Ok, found that.

But search for cs.ini files, didn't find any cs.ini files in deployment share …?

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your quick reply!
So I edit the bootstrap.ini via properties deployment share … edit bootstrap.ini.


[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=SERVER01DeploymentShare$

Ok, found that.

But search for cs.ini files, didn't find any cs.ini files in deployment share …?

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Thanks for your quick reply!
So I edit the bootstrap.ini via properties deployment share … edit bootstrap.ini.


[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
DeployRoot=SERVER01DeploymentShare$

Ok, found that.

But search for cs.ini files, didn't find any cs.ini files in deployment share …?

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Hi,

Great work!

However, I would like to boot another vm to connect to MDT-share then show task sequences.
When I update media share, then use the Light..iso, and boot with this ISO, I don't get the choice of task sequences but the default menu.
Note: the MDT is not part of a domain, does that matter?

Please advise.
J.

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

If you want to do a network deployment instead, you have to copy the offlined media cs.ini files to the normal deployment share, and also edit the bootstrap.ini file with deployroot set to servershare name.

/ Johan

janhoedt
janhoedt
10 years ago

Hi,

Great work!

However, I would like to boot another vm to connect to MDT-share then show task sequences.
When I update media share, then use the Light..iso, and boot with this ISO, I don't get the choice of task sequences but the default menu.
Note: the MDT is not part of a domain, does that matter?

Please advise.
J.

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

James H had forgot to run the second script (2_MergeDeploymentShareWithHydrationKit.ps1) because the various .ini files that controls all settings where missing from the HydrationCM2012SP1ISOContentDeployControl folder.

After you have run the script (or copied the files manually) you need to update the media item again.

/ Johan

ekrasner
ekrasner
10 years ago

I am having the same issue as James H above

I have followed the instructions and everything builds with no errors but when I try to boot a VM from the .ISO i get
"The Deployment Wizard was cancelled or did not complete successfully. The deployment will not proceed."
I have looked at the logs but there is no errors I could see the last line simply states the above message! I have rebuilt three times and still have the error. I've tried this on Hyper-V 2012 and VMware 5. Please help!

What was the fix for this? thanks

Jake6731
Jake6731
10 years ago

Hi Johan. Please disregard my previous post. For some reason, the files that I "thought" I had copied to the DSApplications folders were not present. They are there now and my ISO file is 12 GB..

Jake6731
Jake6731
10 years ago

I believe have performed all the steps in getting this setup. However, after I perform the Update Media Content step, the ISO on my system is only 4.5 GB in size. "The HydrationCM2012SP1.iso should be about 12 GB in size." I did not notice this prior to running the two Task Sequences to install CM01 and DC01, both of which appear to have completed without error. There is no ConfigMgr or SQL installed on the CM01 server. Any idea what I may have missed?

jdoyon
jdoyon
10 years ago

Another reason ADDS seems to fail is when you do not have enough space allocated for your HD. The TS will fail to write on the D: drive when configuring ADDS. Johan correct me if i'm wrong but make sure your HD is at least 100GB when building your DC.

Just a heads up.

Jean

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

SQL server 2012 CU 3 can be downloaded from support.microsoft.com/kb/2723749. Request the SQLServer2012_RTM_CU3_2723749_11_0_2332_x64 file, and once you download it, extract it. Then you get the SQLServer2012-KB2723749-x64.exe file.

/ Johan

DanScallon
DanScallon
10 years ago

I cannot find a download for the SQL server 2012 CU 3 (SQLServer2012-KB2723749-x64.exe)
The CM01 build fails
Can you tell me where I might be able to download this executable?

chemdawg
chemdawg
10 years ago

Every time I run this, I am again impressed by all the detailed work you did for the sake of the IT community at large. THANKS!

chemdawg
chemdawg
10 years ago

Every time I run this, I am again impressed by all the detailed work you did for the sake of the IT community at large. THANKS!

Rik van Berendonk
Rik van Berendonk
10 years ago

Great stuff.
I noticed that when i used the Windows Server 2012 ISO from my Technet Pro subscription, that i would get prompted for a Windows Server Product Key during the deployment of the DC01 and the CM01 servers.
When i downloaded a trial version of Windows Server 2012 and used that as the source, the prompt would no longer arise, and the Task Sequence would just continue.
Pherhaps you could add this to the article, if people encounter the same issue..
Regards,

Larus
Larus
10 years ago

Brilliant time saver as usual, just wanted to share the changes I had to make to build CM in my own test domain.
"http://wmug.co.uk/wmug/b/larus/archive/2013/04/25/using-the-hydration-kit-for-configmgr-2012-sp1-in-your-own-test-domain.aspx"

Admin
Admin
10 years ago

The Task Sequence automates the pre-requisites, and the hydration kit has no dependency of the database.

/ Johan

iburnell
iburnell
10 years ago

Just to add to my previous comment – normally I wouldn't be setting up the MDT environment until after configmgr was installed. Therefore the setup MDT database being integrated is linking in to the CM SQL server database. So can the Hydration scripts/TS sit beside/stand-alone from the configmgr/MDT database?

iburnell
iburnell
10 years ago

Indeed – I haven't installed the Hydration kit (yet) in my lab. I was thinking practicalities of a production environment and was looking at a Powershell script to set up the IIS components correctly. Normally I would install SCCM and then install MDT 2012 and configure integration. I guess if you install MDT 2012 first you can use the TS described here to setup all these features ahead of time – such as the prerequisites opening SQL ports etc.

wizzkidd
wizzkidd
10 years ago

The Task Sequence for CM01 installs the pre-reqs before installing SCCM, you can even see that this happens from the 1st screenshot at the top of this article!?

iburnell
iburnell
10 years ago

I'd like to automate the SCCM server pre-requisites such as adding the Roles and Features (like IIS components) correctly. Do your scripts do this and if so where

Thanks


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