Deploying an existing Windows 8.1 Image to a Surface 3 or Surface Pro 3 via a ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Task Sequence Stand-alone USB media

Article
06/10/2015

Deploying an existing Windows 8.1 Image to a Surface 3 or Surface Pro 3 via a ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Task Sequence Stand-alone USB media

This process will walk you through taking your existing Windows 8.1 Image and deploy it to a Surface 3 or Surface Pro 3 with a ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Task Sequence Stand-alone USB media.

This process is written for Surface 3 and Surface Pro 3 devices, while it can be used for Surface Pro 1 and 2 devices as well, it cannot be used for Surface 1 and 2 devices as they are only RTS models.

Section A - Preparation

- Make sure that your Windows 8.1 Image (WIM) has been tested before being used in this process

- Make sure you have downloaded the Latest Surface 3 \ Surface Pro 3 drivers from "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38826"

- Make sure you have at least a 16GB USB Thumb Drive

Section B - Drivers & Boot Images

Before we create the task Sequence Media, we need to first assure that everything is set right in the Boot Images for supporting the Surface Pro Devices

This article is going to take the stance of starting you out in this section at walking you through importing the Surface 3 \ Surface Pro 3 drivers into ConfigMgr 2012

(Importing Surface 3 \ Surface Pro 3 drivers)

Perform these steps on the ConfigMgr Site Server.

Assure that you have the latest Surface Pro drivers from here: "https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=38826" and expanded into a network share with read permissions for everyone.

1) Open the ConfigMgr 2012 Console

2) Navigate to Navigate to Software Library \ Operating Systems \ Drivers

3) Right click Drivers and select Folder \ Create Folder, name the folder, example: Surface_Drivers

4) Right click Drivers and select Import Driver

5) On the Specify a location to import driver,

- Source folder click Browse and enter the UNC path to the share with the Surface Drivers in it, then click OK

- Assure "Specify the option for duplicate drivers" is set to "Import the driver and append a new category to the existing categories", click Next

6) On the Specify the details for the imported driver,

- Review the list of drivers to be imported, assure "Enable these drivers and allow computers to install them" is checked

- Click the Categories... button

- Click the Create... button

- Set the Name, example: Surface_Drivers

- Then click OK twice and then Next

7) On the Select the packages to add the imported driver,

- Click New Package...

- Set the Name, example: Surface_Drivers

- Set the Path UNC path where you want to store the drivers, click OK

- Assure "Update distribution points when finished" is checked, click Next

8) On the Select drivers to include in the boot image,

- Assure all check boxes are clear (we will add them to boot images later), click Next

9) On the Wizard will import the following drivers, click Next

10) On the Import New Driver Wizard completed successfully, click Close

11) In the ConfigMgr 2012 Console, Navigate to Software Library \ Operating Systems \ Driver Packages

- Right click the package you just created, select Distribute Content

- Add the Distribution Points \ Distribution Groups

- Verify that the distribution was successful

(Prepairing the Boot Image)

Perform these steps on the ConfigMgr Site Server.

These steps assume that you are already using the latest ADK (Example ADK 8.1 at the time of writing) boot images imported into your ConfigMgr 2012 R2 environment.

These steps are only going to be touching the Boot Image (x64) and not the Boot Image (x86) as you will want to use the Boot Image (x64) with the Surface devices.

Open the ConfigMgr 2012 Console

1) Navigate to Navigate to Software Library \ Operating Systems \ Boot Images

2) Select the "Boot Image (x64)", right click and select "Properties"

- Select the "Customization" tab, check "Enable command support (testing only)"

- Select the "Drivers" tab:

- Click the yellow star to add drivers

- Add the Surface Ethernet Adapter drivers, click Ok

- Click OK to update the boot image

3) Assure the process completes with zero failures

4) Wait until all Distribution Points are updated

Section C - Task Sequence

Before we create the task Sequence Media, we need to first create a new Task Sequence, this article will walk you through creating a base Task Sequence.

This Task Sequence will be set to "Join a workgroup" instead of "Join a domain" as this is a Task Sequence Stand-alone USB media and not assuming you have network access.

You can edit to add Applications, Software Updates, Etc.. at a later time to customize the Task Sequence further.

(Create the Task Sequence)

1) Open the ConfigMgr 2012 Console

2) Navigate to Software Library \ Operating Systems \ Operating System Images \ Task Sequences

3) Right click Task Sequences, select Create Task Sequence

- Select Install an existing image package, click Next

- Set the Name (Example: Surface Deployment)

- Click Browse to select the Boot Image (x64) you added the Surface Drivers to, click Ok and then Next

- Click Browse to select the Image package, select your existing Windows 8.1 Image, click OK

- Uncheck the "Configure task sequence for use with Bitlocker" box

- If not using a KMS Server, enter the Product Key and select the Service licensing mode

- Select "Enable the account and specify the local Administrator password" then set the password, click Next

- Select "Join a workgroup" and specify a workgroup name, example: "Surface Devices", click Next

- Leave the ConfigMgr client Installation properties blank for now, click Next

- Uncheck the "Capture user settings and files" box, click Next

- Select "Do not install any software updates", click Next

- Leave the Applications default, click Next

- Confirm the settings, click Next

- When completed creation of the task sequence, click Close

(Edit the Task Sequence)

Open the ConfigMgr 2012 Console

2) Navigate to Software Library \ Operating Systems \ Operating System Images \ Task Sequences

3) Right click the Task Sequence you just created, select Edit

- Select "Partition Disk 0 - UEFI", double click the "Windows (Primary)" partition in the list on right

- Set the "Variable" at the bottom of the Partition Properties to OSDISK, click OK

- Select "Apply Operating System", Set Destination to "Logical drive letter stored in a variable"

- Set the "Variable name" to OSDisk

- If you are using an unattended or Sysprep answer file with your existing Windows 8.1 image package

- Check the "Use an unattended or Sysprep answer file for a customer installation" box

- Click Browse, select the package and click OK

- Enter the file name

- Select "Apply Device Drivers", select "Limit driver matching to only consider drivers in selected categories:"

- Place a check mark next to the Surface drivers you created earlier

- Check the "Do unattended installation of unsigned drivers on versions of Windows where this is allowed" box

- Click Ok to apply and close the task sequence changes

Section D - Create the Task Sequence Media

Perform these steps on a ConfigMgr 2012 Remote Console, (Example your workstation), this is because most people do not have access to plug a thumb drive into the server. You will need to plug your USB thumb drive into your machine at this time.

(Create the Task Sequence Media)

1) Open the ConfigMgr 2012 Console

2) Navigate to Navigate to Software Library \ Operating Systems \ Task Sequences

3) Right Click Task Sequences, select Create Task Sequence Media

- Select "Stand-alone media", click Next

- Select "USB flash drive" and select the Drive for the USB thumb drive, click Next

- If you want to "Specify a password to protect task sequence media" enter the password or uncheck the box, click Next

- Click the Browse button to select the "Task sequence" you created earlier, click Ok

- Check the "Detect associated application dependencies and add them to this media" box, click Next

- Select the "Distribution Point" in the top list you wish to use, click the Add button and then Next

- Leave the "Customization" page default, click Next

- Confirm the settings, click Next

- When completed, click Close

Section E - Summary

You now have a ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Stand-along media that will deploy your existing Windows 8.1 Image to Surface 3 or Surface 3 Pro devices.

A reminder that this process can be also used for Surface Pro 1 and 2 devices as well but not Surface 1 or 2 devices as they are RTS models.

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Main System Center blog: https://blogs.technet.com/b/systemcenter/

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Orchestrator Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/b/orchestrator/

Operations Manager Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/momteam/

Service Manager Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/b/servicemanager

Virtual Machine Manager Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/scvmm

Microsoft Intune: https://blogs.technet.com/b/microsoftintune/

WSUS Support Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/sus/

RMS blog: https://blogs.technet.com/b/rms/

App-V Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/appv/

MED-V Team blog: https://blogs.technet.com/medv/