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How to Provision the Endpoint Protection Client in a Disk Image in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: May 14, 2015

Applies To: System Center 2012 R2 Endpoint Protection, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Configuration Manager SP2, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager, System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection SP1, System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection, System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager SP1

You can install the Endpoint Protection client on a computer that you intend to use as a disk image source for Configuration Manager operating system deployment. This computer is typically called the reference computer. After you create the image of the operating system, you can then use Configuration Manager operating system deployment to deploy the image that can contain software packages, including Endpoint Protection, to your client computers.

Use the procedures in this topic to help you install and configure the Endpoint Protection client on a reference computer

Prerequisites for Installing the Endpoint Protection Client on the Reference Computer

The following list contains the required prerequisites for installing the Endpoint Protection client software on a reference computer.

  • You must have access to the Endpoint Protection client installation package, scepinstall.exe. This package can be found in the Client folder of the Microsoft System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation folder on the site server.

  • To ensure that the Endpoint Protection client is deployed with the configuration that is required in your organization, create an antimalware policy, and then export that policy. You can then specify the antimalware policy to use when you manually install the Endpoint Protection client. For more information, see How to Create and Deploy Antimalware Policies for Endpoint Protection in Configuration Manager.

    Note

    The Default Client Antimalware Policy cannot be exported.

  • If you want to install the Endpoint Protection client with the latest definitions, you must download these from the Microsoft Malware Protection Center.

How to Install the Endpoint Protection Client Software on the Reference Computer

You can install the Endpoint Protection client locally on the reference computer from a command prompt. To do so, you must first obtain the installation file scepinstall.exe. You can also install the client with an preconfigured antimalware policy or with an antimalware policy that you previously exported.

To install the Endpoint Protection client from a command prompt

  1. Copy scepinstall.exe from the Client folder on the System Center 2012 Configuration Manager installation media to the computer on which you want to install the Endpoint Protection client software.

  2. Open a command prompt with administrator privileges, navigate to the folder where scepinstall.exe is located, and then run the following command, adding any additional command line properties that you require:

      scepinstall.exe

    You can specify one of the following command line properties:

    Property

    Description

    /s

    Specifies that a silent installation will be performed.

    /q

    Specifies that a silent extraction of the setup files will be performed.

    /i

    Specifies that a normal installation should be performed.

    /noreplace

    Specifies that third-party antimalware software is not uninstalled during setup.

    /policy

    Specifies an antimalware policy file to be used to configure the client during installation.

    /sqmoptin

    Specifies that this client software installation is opted in to the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program.

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions in order to complete the client installation.

  4. If you downloaded the latest update definition package, copy the package to the client computer, and then double-click the definition package to install it.

    Note

    After the Endpoint Protection client installation is completed, the client automatically performs a definition update check. If this update check succeeds, you do not have to manually install the latest definition update package.

To install the client software with an antimalware policy from the command prompt

  1. Copy scepinstall.exe and the exported or preconfigured antimalware policy to the computer on which you want to install the Endpoint Protection client software.

  2. Open a command prompt with administrator privileges, navigate to the folder where scepinstall.exe and the antimalware policy are located, and then run the following command:

      scepinstall.exe /policy <full path>\<policy file>

  3. Follow the on-screen instructions in order to complete the client installation.

  4. If you downloaded the latest definition package, copy the package to the client computer, and then double-click the definition package to install it.

    Note

    After the Endpoint Protection client installation is completed, the client automatically performs a definition update check. If this update check succeeds, you do not have to manually install the latest definition update package.

Verify that the Endpoint Protection Client is Installed Correctly

After you install the Endpoint Protection client on your reference computer, verify that the client is working correctly.

To verify that the Endpoint Protection client is installed correctly

  1. On the reference computer, open System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection from the Windows notification are.

  2. On the Home tab of the System Center 2012 Endpoint Protection dialog box, verify that Real-time protection is set to On.

  3. Verify that Up to date is displayed for Virus and spyware definitions.

  4. To help make sure that your reference computer is ready for imaging, under Scan options, select Full, and then click Scan now.

How to Prepare the Endpoint Protection Client for Imaging

After you verify that the Endpoint Protection client is installed correctly on the reference computer, you can prepare the computer for imaging. Perform the following steps to prepare the Endpoint Protection client for imaging.

For more information about operating system deployment in Configuration Manager, see Operating System Deployment in Configuration Manager.

To prepare the Endpoint Protection client for imaging

  1. On the reference computer, log on as a user that has administrative privileges.

  2. Download and install PsTools from the Windows SysInternals Site on TechNet.

  3. Open an elevated command prompt, navigate to the folder in which you installed PsTools, and then type the following command

      Psexec.exe –s –i regedit.exe

    Important

    Use caution while you are running the Registry Editor in this manner; the –s option in PsExec.exe runs the Registry Editor with LocalSystem privileges.

  4. In the Registry Editor, navigate to each of the following registry keys and delete them.

    Important

    You must delete the registry keys as the last step before imaging the reference computer. The registry keys are recreated when the Endpoint Protection client starts. If you restart the reference computer, you must delete the registry keys again.

    - **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Antimalware\\InstallTime**

- **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Antimalware\\Scan\\LastScanRun**

- **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Antimalware\\Scan\\LastScanType**

- **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Antimalware\\Scan\\LastQuickScanID**

- **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Microsoft Antimalware\\Scan\\LastFullScanID**

- **HKEY\_LOCAL\_MACHINE\\SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\RemovalTools\\MRT\\GUID**

After you complete the preceding steps, you can prepare the reference computer for imaging. For more information about operating system deployment in Configuration Manager, see Operating System Deployment in Configuration Manager.

When an image that contains the Endpoint Protection client software is deployed, the Endpoint Protection client will automatically report information to the Configuration Manager site to which the computer is assigned, and policy applicable to the client computer is downloaded and applied.