Moving to Windows 10? Things for the Back Pocket...
Josh Condie - Last week, Microsoft updated it's support policy for Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 on Skylake systems. In Windows Marketing GM, Jeremy Korst's post (here), he provided the following:
- To help provide greater flexibility for customers who have longer deployment timeframes to Windows 10, the support period for Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 devices on Skylake systems will be extended by one year: from July 17, 2017 to July 17, 2018.
- Also, after July 2018, all critical Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 security updates will be addressed for Skylake systems until extended support ends for Windows 7, January 14, 2020 and Windows 8.1 on January 10, 2023.
This extension gives small businesses the time that some of them need to plan for Windows 10. I'm posting this update to help you help them accelerate this plan.
Below is a condensed collection of great Windows 10 deployment resources that can help you enable Windows 10 (even on Skylake systems), and a far better user experience. Including "up to 30x better graphics and 3x the battery life - with the unmatched security of Credential Guard utilizing silicon supported virtualization."
*from James Burrage's Technet post earlier this month (here):
Windows 10 Deployment Links
Windows 10 General Information
Windows 10 release info: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/release-info
Windows 10 Update history: https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/update-history-windows-10
Windows 10 Servicing or updating
Windows 10 Servicing options: https://technet.microsoft.com/library/mt574263(v=vs.85).aspx
Windows 10 servicing options for updates and upgrades: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt598226(v=vs.85).aspx
Windows 10 Privacy and Telemetry
Windows 10 privacy: https://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-10/windows-privacy-faq
Configure Windows 10 Telemetry settings: https://technet.microsoft.com/library/mt577208(v=vs.85).aspx
Windows 10 Deployment
Windows 10 unattend.xml reference: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn923277.aspx
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Update 2: https://blogs.technet.com/b/msdeployment/archive/2015/12/22/mdt-2013-update-2-now-available.aspx
Window 10 Group policy settings reference: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=25250
Windows 10 deployment using Configuration Manager: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/configmgrteam/2015/12/08/now-generally-available-system-center-configuration-manager-and-endpoint-protection-version-1511/
Removing Windows 10 inbox applications in MDT task sequence: https://blogs.technet.com/b/mniehaus/archive/2015/11/11/removing-windows-10-in-box-apps-during-a-task-sequence.aspx
Remove apps such as Candy Crush, twitter, etc..: https://blogs.technet.com/b/mniehaus/archive/2015/11/23/seeing-extra-apps-turn-them-off.aspx
.Net Framework 3.5 deployment considerations: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn898590(v=vs.85).aspx
.NET Framework 3.5 deployment considerations with MDT: https://blogs.technet.com/b/mniehaus/archive/2015/09/01/adding-features-including-net-3-5-to-windows-10.aspx
Microsoft Edge customization and configuration: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt270205.aspx
Windows 10 Activation
Windows 10 volume activation tips: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/askcore/2015/09/15/windows-10-volume-activation-tips/
Windows 10 KMS Host Update for Windows 10: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/3058168
Customizing the Start Menu or TaskBar in Windows 10
Windows 10 Start Layout Customization Deployment Guys Blog: https://blogs.technet.com/b/deploymentguys/archive/2016/03/07/windows-10-start-layout-customization.aspx
Manage Windows 10 start layout options: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt484194(v=vs.85).aspx
Customize Start Menu using group policy: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt431718(v=vs.85).aspx
Customize Start Menu using export/import: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt592638(v=vs.85).aspx
Customizing ICD or provisioning packages: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt484193(v=vs.85).aspx
Changes to group policy settings for start menu in Windows 10: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt484191(v=vs.85).aspx
Customizing TaskBarLinks: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/dn923245.aspx
Windows 10 Other
Locking down Windows 10: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt592641(v=vs.85).aspx
Managing Cortana in Enterprise: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt637066(v=vs.85).aspx
Intro to Configuration Service Providers(CSP): https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt683468(v=vs.85).aspx
Windows 10 Display Scaling: https://blogs.technet.microsoft.com/askcore/2015/12/08/display-scaling-in-windows-10/
Windows Store for Business
Windows Store for Business: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt606951(v=vs.85).aspx
Using Windows Store for Business with MDT 2013: https://blogs.technet.com/b/mniehaus/archive/2016/01/11/using-the-windows-store-for-business-with-mdt-2013.aspx
Windows Update for Business
Windows Update for Business: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/mt622730(v=vs.85).aspx
Videos
Windows 10: Deploying and Staying Up To Date [WIN326]: https://msftignite.com.au/sessions/session-details/1706/windows-10-deploying-and-staying-up-to-date-win326
Using the Windows Store for Business: New Capabilities for Managing Apps in the Enterprise [WIN335]: https://msftignite.com.au/sessions/session-details/1707/using-the-windows-store-for-business-new-capabilities-for-managing-apps-in-the-enterprise-win335
Upgrading to Windows 10: In Depth: https://channel9.msdn.com/events/Ignite/2015/BRK3307
Preparing Your Enterprise for Windows 10 as a Service: https://mva.microsoft.com/en-US/training-courses/preparing-your-enterprise-for-windows-10-as-a-service-11813?l=uUf1tqtQB_8505094681
Windows 10 for Mobile Devices: Provisioning Is Not Imaging: https://channel9.msdn.com/Events/Ignite/2015/BRK3301