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A step by step for using OSD through System Center Configuration Manager 2007

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Although the steps required to deploy an OS using Configuration Manager 2007 are available in many places, I decided to create a simple, concise step by step procedure for OSD deployment using SCCM that will hopefully come in handy if you are trying to use the OSD feature in SCCM for the first time.

Preparing the Environment for Configuration Manager OSD

Step 1: Create a user account to be assigned as the Network Access Account:

Note: You can user an existing account or you can configure a new account.

1. On the Start menu, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Active Directory Users and Computers. The Active Directory Users and Computers window appears.

2. Create a new user named Network Access with a password and ensure that the password does not have to be changed at next logon.

3. Close Active Directory Users and Computers.

Note*: This account is used by the client to access the Configuration Manager Distribution point when booted under WinPE so make sure the account has the necessary permission for this action.*

Step 2: Create a Network Access Account:

1. If not already running, on the Start menu, click ConfigMgr Console. The Configuration Manager Console window appears.

2. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Site Management, expand MCM, expand Site Settings, and then click Client Agents. The list of client agents appears in the results pane.

3. In the result pane, click Computer Client Agent, and then in the Actions pane, click Properties. The Computer Client Agent Properties dialog box appears displaying general properties.

4. After Network Access Account, click Set. The Windows User Account dialog box appears prompting for the account and password to configure as the Network Access Account. In the Name box, enter the Domain\NetworkAccessAccount you created in Step 1. In the Password and Confirm password boxes, type password and then click OK.

5. The Computer Client Agent Properties dialog box appears displaying properties for the Computer Client Agent. Click OK.

Step 3: Create the Configuration Manager package that OSD will use to install the Configuration Manager client after distributing the new operating system image:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Software Distribution, and then click Packages.

2. The list of packages for the site appears in the results pane. Notice that there are no packages created at this point.

3. In the Actions pane, click New, and then click Package From Definition. The Create Package from Definition Wizard dialog box appears. Click Next.

4. The Create Package from Definition Wizard Package Definition dialog box appears allowing you to select the package definition file to use. Notice the default package definitions built into Configuration Manager 2007 include the Configuration Manager Client Upgrade package definition.

5. Under Package definition, click Configuration Manager Client Upgrade, and then click Next. The Create Package from Definition Wizard Source Files dialog box appears prompting for source file handling instructions.

6. Click Always obtain files from a source directory, and then click Next. The Create Package from Definition Wizard Source Directory dialog box appears allowing the designation of the source file directory.

7. Click Local drive on the site server, and then click Browse. The Browse For Folder dialog box appears.

8. Click C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Client, and then click OK. The Create Package from Definition Wizard Source Directory dialog box displays the configured source directory. Click Next.

9. The Create Package from Definition Wizard Summary dialog box appears indicating the wizard is ready to create the package. Click Finish.

10. In the tree pane, expand Packages, expand Microsoft Configuration Manager Client Upgrade, and then click Programs. The programs for the package appear in the results pane. Notice that there is only one program for this package, that being a silent upgrade.

11. In the tree pane, click Distribution Points. The distribution points for this package appear in the results pane. Notice that there are no distribution points assigned to this package yet.

12. In the Actions pane, click New Distribution Points. The New Distribution Points Wizard window appears. Click Next.

13. The New Distribution Points Wizard Copy Package dialog box appears displaying the list of distribution points for the package. Under Distribution points, click the DP you want to use and then click Next.

14. The New Distribution Points Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard was successfully completed. Click Close.

Step 4: Distribute the boot package:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Operating System Deployment, and then click Boot Images. The boot images for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that there are two boot images for x64 and x86 platforms.

2. In the tree pane, expand Boot Images, expand Boot image (x86), and then click Distribution Points. The distribution points for this package appear in the results pane. Notice that there are no distribution points assigned to this boot image yet.

3. In the Actions pane, click New Distribution Points. The New Distribution Points Wizard window appears. Click Next.

4. The New Distribution Points Wizard Copy Package dialog box appears displaying the list of available distribution points for the boot image.

5. Under Distribution points, click the DP you want to use and click Next.

6. The New Distribution Points Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard has completed successfully. Click Close.

Installing a Configuration Manager PXE Service Point

We need to create PXE service point in the Configuration Manager site. A PXE service point must be installed on a Windows Deployment Server (WDS). To install WDS please follow the steps below. You can have this role running on the same server or you can install it on another server and make that a site server.

Step 1: Install WDS service (For windows 2003 SP2 and later):

1. Got to Add/Remove Programs select Windows Components

2. Select Windows Deployment services and install.

For more information please click on the link http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766320.aspx#BKMK_InstallingWDS .

Note: Make sure that you don’t configure anything right now, just do the install. You also need to grant the site server computer administrative rights to the member server where you are installing the WDS services.

Step 2: Install a remote PXE service point:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Site Management, expand MCM, expand Site Settings, and then click Site Systems. If you are using different server as a PXE then in the tree pane, click Site Systems, and then in the Actions pane click New.

2. A new menu appears. Click Server. The New Site System Server Wizard General dialog box appears. In the Name box, type the member server where WDS is deployed.

3. In the Intranet FQDN box, type FQDN of the server Click Next.

4. The New Site System Server Wizard System Role Selection dialog box appears displaying the list of site system roles that can be assigned to this computer. Under Available roles, select PXE service point, and then click next.

5. A PXE Service Point Configuration message box appears indicating that specific ports will be opened up on this site system to support PXE requests. Click Yes to allow the ports to be opened on the computer.

6. The New Site System Server Wizard PXE - General dialog box appears allowing you to configure the PXE service point. Notice that the default configuration is to allow incoming PXE requests on all network adapters and to require the user to supply a password to initiate installation through the PXE service point.

7. Click to clear Require a password for computers that boot to PXE, and then click Next.

8. The New Site System Server Wizard PXE - Database dialog box appears allowing you to configure access to the database and for the required certificate configuration. Notice that the default configuration is to use the computer account to access the Configuration Manager site database to validate client identity, and to create a self-signed certificate that is valid for one year.

9. Click Next to accept the default configuration. The New Site System Server Wizard Summary dialog box appears indicating that the wizard is ready to create the new site system. Click Next.

10. The New Site System Server Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard was completed successfully. Click Close.

Step 3: Distribute the boot package to the PXE service point:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Operating System Deployment, and then click Boot Images. The list of boot images in the site appears in the results pane. Notice that there are two boot images for various platforms.

2. In the tree pane, expand Boot Images, expand Boot image (x86), and then click Distribution Points.

3. The distribution points for this package appear in the results pane. Notice that the boot has already been distributed to the distribution point (which is running on the site server). You also need to distribute it to the PXE service point.

4. In the Actions pane, click New Distribution Points. The New Distribution Points Wizard window appears. Click Next.

5. The New Distribution Points Wizard Copy Package dialog box appears displaying the list of available distribution points for the boot image. Under Distribution points, click Member\SERVER>PXEImages$, and then click Next.

6. The New Distribution Points Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard has completed successfully. 6. Click Close.

Preparing the Operating System Image for Deployment

Step 1: Capturing an image from a Reference Computer Manually:

  1. Build the reference computer. The reference computer must meet the following requirements:
    1. The computer must be a member of a workgroup.
    2. The local Administrator password must be blank.
    3. Do not require password complexity in the local system policy.
  2. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to System Center Configuration Manager / Site Database / Computer Management / Operating System Deployment / Task Sequences. Right-click Task Sequences and then click Create Task Sequence Media. The Create Task Sequence Media wizard will open. Select Capture Media. For more information, see Task Sequence Media Wizard.
  3. On the Media Type page specify the type of media you want to use for the capture media. You can specify a USB flash drive, CD, or DVD as the media type. If you specify a USB flash drive make sure the device is connected to the computer so that the necessary files can be written directly to the device.
  4. Specify the Media file by first clicking the Browse button and browsing to the location where the media file will be created, and then type the name of the media file that will be created. For CD and DVD media, the capture media .ISO file that is created will be written to the location specified. The .iso image will be copied to the media later. USB files can be written directly to the USB device.
  5. Select the boot image that should be associated with the media. Click the Browse button to specify the computer architecture to be targeted with the captured image in the Select a Boot Image dialog box. Boot images must be available on one or more distribution points. For more information on distributing boot images, see Manage Distribution Points (Operating System Deployment). To specify the distribution point that contains the specified boot image, use the drop down list of available distribution points. Click OK.

Note: The boot image selected must be of an architecture that will run on the reference computer hardware.

  1. For CD and DVD media, use an appropriate software application to create a bootable CD or bootable DVD containing the .ISO file.
  2. Boot the computer into the full operating system and insert the capture media (CD, DVD or USB flash drive).

Note: For all supported operating systems except Windows Vista and Windows Server® 2008, the sysprep folder ( %SystemDrive%\Sysprep ) must be present on the computer before you launch the capture CD.

  1. Run the Image Capture Wizard and identify the location for the captured image to be stored.

Step 2: Create the image package:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Operating System Deployment, and then click Operating System Images. The operating system images for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that there are no images yet. You need to create an operating system image from an image file previously created.

2. In the Actions pane, click Add Operating System Image. The Add Operating System Image Wizard Data Source dialog box appears allowing you to specify the image file to use.

3. In the Path box, type \<Servername>\Images\Vista.wim and then click Next.

4. In the Name box, type Windows Vista. In the Version box, type 1.0. In the Comment box, type Windows Vista image and then click Next.

5. The Add Operating System Image Wizard Summary dialog box appears indicating that the operating system image is ready to be created. Click Next.

6. The Add Operating System Image Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard completed successfully. Click Close.

Step 3: Add the image to a distribution point:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, Operating System Deployment, expand Operating System Images, and then expand Windows Vista. The Windows Vista image items appear in the tree pane.

2. In the tree pane, click Distribution Points, and then in the Actions pane, click New Distribution Points. The New Distribution Points Wizard window appears. Click Next.

3. The New Distribution Points Wizard Copy Package dialog box appears displaying the list of available distribution points for the OS image. Under Distribution points, click the DP that you want to use and then click Next.

Note: You do not need to distribute the operating system image to the PXE service point. The client will retrieve the image from the distribution point.

4. The New Distribution Points Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard has completed successfully. Click Close.

Note: This will take a little bit of time to complete.

Preparing for Bare Metal OS Deployment

You now need to prepare the site for a bare metal client deployment through PXE boot. You will begin by creating a collection that you can then advertise the operating system image installation task sequence to. You will then add the bare metal client to this collection.

Step 1: Create a bare metal system collection:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, and then click Collections. The collections in the site appear in the results pane. In the Actions pane, click New Collection.

2. The New Collection Wizard General dialog box appears allowing you to name the collection. In the Name box, type Bare Metal Systems and then click Next.

3. The New Collection Wizard Membership Rules dialog box appears allowing you to add membership rules for the collection. You will manually add the client to the collection when you create the client later in this exercise, so no membership rule is needed for our lab.

4. Click Next to not add any membership rules. A Bare Metal Systems Collection message box appears indicating that there will not be any members of the collection until a membership rule is added. Click OK.

5. The New Collection Wizard Advertisements dialog box appears displaying the advertisements targeted to this collection. Notice that currently there are no programs advertised to this collection. Later in this lab you will advertise a task sequence to the collection. Click Next.

6. The New Collection Wizard Security dialog box appears allowing you to configure security rights for the collection. Click Next to use the default security rights.

7. The collection is created. When complete, the New Collection Wizard Confirmation dialog box appears indicating that the collection was created successfully. Click Close.

8. The collections in the site appear in the results pane. Notice that the Bare Metal Systems collection now appears. You will add a manual record for the bare metal client to this collection in an upcoming procedure.

Step 2: Create a bare metal client record:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Operating System Deployment, and then click Computer Association. The computer associations for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that by default there are no computer associations.

2. In the Actions pane, click Import Computer Information. The Import Computer Information Wizard Select Source dialog box appears prompting to import systems from a file or to import a single computer.

3. Click Import single computer, and then click Next. The Import Computer Information Wizard Single Computer dialog box appears allowing you to configure properties to identify the computer being added. Notice that you must add a computer name and a MAC address or SMBIOS GUID.

4. In the Computer Name box, type Bare_Metal .The Computer Name supplied is only for display in the collection. It does not have to be what the client will be named when it is installed.

5. In the MAC address box, type the MAC address. Notice that after supplying a MAC address, the requirement for a SMBIOS GUID is no longer valid. You only have to supply one or the other, not both. Click Next.

6. The Import Computer Information Wizard Data Preview dialog box appears displaying the properties of the bare metal system to be added. Click Next.

7. The Import Computer Information Wizard Choose Target Collection dialog box appears allowing you to designate the target collection for the new system. Click Add computers to the following collection, and then click Browse.

8. The Browse Collection dialog box appears displaying all the collections in the site. Under Collections, click Bare Metal Systems, and then click OK.

9. The Import Computer Information Wizard Choose Target Collection dialog box appears displaying the designated collection to add the bare metal system to. Click Next.

10. The Import Computer Information Wizard Summary dialog box appears indicating the wizard is ready to import the single computer. Click Next.

11. The Import Computer Information Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the wizard completed successfully. Click Close.

Note: The computer associations for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that the new computer does not appear. This is because there is no association with an existing system for a user state migration. The new computer was created however.

12. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Collections, and then click Bare Metal Systems. The members of the Bare Metal Systems collection appear in the results pane. Notice that Bare Metal appears as a member of the collection.

Deploying an OS Image Using Configuration Manager 2007

Step 1: Create an image deployment task sequence:

1. In the tree pane, expand Site Database, expand Computer Management, expand Operating System Deployment, and then click Task Sequences. The task sequences for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that there are no task sequences yet. You need to create a task sequence that will allow you to deploy an operating system image.

2. In the Actions pane, click New, and then click Task Sequence. The New Task Sequence Wizard Create a New Task Sequence window appears prompting for the type of task sequence to create: to deploy an image package, build a reference system or a custom task sequence.

3. Click Next to create a task sequence that will install an existing image package. The New Task Sequence Wizard Task Sequence Information dialog box appears prompting for the name and description for the task sequence, as well as which boot image to use.

4. In the Task sequence name box, type Install Vista for PXE in the Comment box, type Installs Windows Vista image in a PXE deployment and then click Browse. The Select a Boot Image dialog box appears displaying the boot images available.

5. Click Boot image (x86) and then click OK. The New Task Sequence Wizard Task Sequence Information dialog box appears displaying the name and description of the task sequence, as well as the boot image to use. Click Next.

6. The New Task Sequence Wizard Install the Windows Operating System dialog box appears prompting for the image package, licensing, and administrator password to use. Click Browse.

7. The Select an Operating System Image dialog box appears displaying the image packages available. Click Windows Vista 1.0 en-US and then click OK.

8. The New Task Sequence Wizard Install the Windows Operating System dialog box appears displaying the image package to use. Notice that the default action is to install all images in the package. Also notice that the default configuration is to partition and format the target computer’s hard disk. That likely is required in a bare metal scenario, which we are performing.

9. Click Next to not designate a product key, not specify a licensing mode, and to disable the local administrator account on the target system. The New Task Sequence Wizard Configure the Network dialog box appears prompting whether the target system will join a workgroup or domain.

10. Click Join a domain, and then after Domain, click Browse. The Select a Domain dialog box appears displaying the available domains. Under Domains, click Domain name and then click OK.

11. The New Task Sequence Wizard Configure the Network dialog box appears displaying the domain the target client should join after installation of the Vista image. Notice that you can also configure a specific OU for the client to join. Click Set.

12. The Windows User Account dialog box appears prompting for the account and password to use to join the new computer to the domain. In the Name box, enter the account that has rights in the domain to add systems to the domain.

13. In the Password and Confirm password boxes, type the password and then click OK. The New Task Sequence Wizard Configure the Network dialog box appears displaying the domain the target client should join after installation of the Vista image as well as the account that will be used to add the client to the domain. Click Next.

14. The New Task Sequence Wizard Install the ConfigMgr client dialog box appears prompting for the package to use for the Configuration Manager client installation, which occurs after the OS image has been deployed. Click Browse. The Select a Package dialog box appears displaying the packages available.

15. Click Microsoft Configuration Manager Client Upgrade 4.0 All and then click OK. The New Task Sequence Wizard Install the ConfigMgr client dialog box appears displaying the package and program to use for the Configuration Manager client installation. Notice that the installation properties include the FSP parameter to allow the new client deployment to report deployment state messages. Click Next.

16. The New Task Sequence Wizard Configure State Migration dialog box appears prompting for configuration of the user state capture process. Since we are deploying through PXE, there is no user or computer state to capture in our scenario. Click to clear Capture user settings. Click to clear Capture network settings. Click to clear Capture Microsoft Windows settings, then click Next.

17. The New Task Sequence Wizard Include Updates in Image dialog box appears prompting for deployment of software updates. Notice that the default configuration is to not deploy software updates with the image.

18. Click Next to not deploy any software updates for our lab. The New Task Sequence Wizard Install Software Packages dialog box appears prompting for deployment of software packages after the image has been installed. This is where you’d configure to add in additional Configuration Manager packages, such as Microsoft Office 2007.

19. Click Next to not deploy any software packages in the lab environment. The New Task Sequence Wizard Summary dialog box appears indicating the wizard has been completed and is ready to create the task sequence. Click Next.

20. The task sequence is created, and then the New Task Sequence Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating that the task sequence was successfully created. Click Close.

21. The task sequences for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that there is now one task sequence in the site.

Step 2: Modify the task sequence:

1. In the results pane, click Install Vista for PXE, and then in the Actions pane, click Edit. The Install Vista for PXE Task Sequence Editor dialog box appears displaying the task sequence steps.

2. In the left pane, click Partition Disk. The Partition Disk action properties are displayed in the right pane. Under Volume, click (Primary), and then click Properties (the icon resembles a piece of paper). The Partition Properties dialog box appears displaying the default configuration of the partition action. Notice that the default action is to not perform a quick format.

3. Click Quick format, and then click OK. The Install Vista for PXE Task Sequence Editor dialog box appears displaying the task sequence steps. Click OK.

4. The task sequences for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that there is only one task sequence in the site.

Step 3: Advertise the task sequence:

1. In the results pane, click Install Vista for PXE. The task sequence properties appear at the bottom of the results pane. Click the References tab.

2. The list of packages used by this task sequence appears in the results pane. Notice that there are three packages used by this task sequence. Start Windows Explorer and verify that each of the three packages is available on the distribution point. Do not proceed until the three packages are available on the distribution point.

3. In the Actions pane of the Configuration Manager Console under Install Vista for PXE, click Advertise. The New Advertisement Wizard General dialog box appears prompting for general properties of the advertisement. Notice that the name defaults to the task sequence name.

4. After Collection, click Browse. The Browse Collection dialog box appears. Click Bare Metal Systems, and then click OK.

5. The New Advertisement Wizard General dialog box appears prompting for general properties of the advertisement. To make this task sequence available through PXE, you must configure that option.

6. Click Make this task sequence available to boot media and PXE, and then click Next. The New Advertisement Wizard Schedule dialog box appears prompting for the advertisement schedule. To make the PXE boot scenario unattended, you need to create an assignment for the task sequence.

7. If you do not make the advertisement an assignment, the task sequence will not execute automatically and you’ll be required to select the task sequence on the bare metal system – thus no longer an unattended deployment.

8. Click New (the toolbar icon resembles a starburst). The Assignment Schedule dialog box appears.

9. Click OK to create a schedule for the current date and time. The New Advertisement Wizard Schedule dialog box appears displaying the advertisement schedule. Click Next.

10. The New Advertisement Wizard Distribution Points dialog box appears prompting for how the task sequence will access any content that is required. Click Next to allow content to be downloaded when needed by the task sequence, to not allow access to remote distribution points, and require the use of protected distribution points if available. The New Advertisement Wizard Interaction dialog box appears prompting for how the user will interact with the task sequence.

11. Click Next to not allow the user to run the program as an optional program prior to the mandatory schedule and to display progress of the task sequence. The New Advertisement Wizard Security dialog box appears prompting for security rights for the task sequence.

12. Click Next to use the default security rights. The New Advertisement Wizard Summary dialog box appears indicating the wizard has been completed successfully and is ready to create the advertisement. Click Next.

13. The advertisement is created, and then the New Advertisement Wizard Wizard Completed dialog box appears indicating the advertisement was successfully created.

14. Verify that all processes were completed successfully, and then click Close. The task sequences for the site appear in the results pane. Notice that there is one task sequence in the site. Your site is now ready to deploy a new operating system image through a network boot scenario.

Installing the Image at the Target Client Computer

Step 1: Install the operating system image

1. Start the Bare Metal Client Machine.

2. The image startup is resumed. The boot image should get an IP address from the DHCP server (which is running on the site server) and then get the advertised task sequence from the management point (which is running on the site server). This will include retrieving the boot image from the WDS server (which is running on the PXE service point).

3. An Installation Progress message box appears as the Windows Vista operating system image is installed on the bare metal client computer.

4. It will take a number of minutes for the Windows Vista image to be deployed to the computer (typically around 60 minutes or so). It will automatically restart in the middle of this process. Notice that Windows PE is started and initialized to install the image. After the system reboots into Window PE, the Installation Properties message box appears displaying the progress bar for installing the image.

Eventually your image will be installed and you’ll be well on your way to rolling out images throughout your company with just a few clicks of the button.

Note: This information was originally contributed by Sudheesh Narayanaswamy, Configuration Manager Support Engineer, on the Configuration Manager Support Team blog.