Task Sequence Scenarios in Configuration Manager

 

Updated: May 14, 2015

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

Use the examples in this topic as a guide while you create your own operating system deployment task sequences in System Center 2012 Configuration Manager. These basic task sequence scenarios provide a framework that can be used when writing task sequences for your specific operating system deployment scenarios.

To use these examples create a custom task sequence and then use the Task Sequence editor to add task sequence groups and task sequence steps. For more information about creating and editing task sequences, see How to Manage Task Sequences in Configuration Manager.

Stand-alone Media Task Sequence Example

Use the following table as a guide as you create a task sequence to deploy an operating system using stand-alone media. The table will help you decide the general sequence for your task sequence steps and how to organize and structure those task sequence steps into logical groups. The task sequence that you create might vary from this sample and can contain more or fewer task sequence steps and groups.

Note

You must always use the Task Sequence Media Wizard to create stand-alone media.

Task Sequence Group or Step	Description
Capture File and Settings - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create a task sequence group. A task sequence group keeps similar task sequence steps together for better organization and error control.
Capture Windows Settings	Use this task sequence step to identify the Microsoft Windows settings that are captured from the existing operating system on the destination computer prior to reimaging. You can capture the computer name, user and organizational information, and the time zone settings.
Capture Network Settings	Use this task sequence step to capture network settings from the computer that receives the task sequence. You can capture the domain or workgroup membership of the computer and the network adapter setting information.
Capture User Files and Settings - (New Task Sequence Sub-Group)	Create a task sequence group within a task sequence group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to capture user state data from the existing operating system on the destination computer prior to reimaging. Similar to the initial group that you added, this sub-group keeps similar task sequence steps together for better organization and error control.
Set Local State Location	Use this task sequence step to specify a local location using the protected path task sequence variable. The user state is stored on a protected directory on the hard drive.
Capture User State	Use this task sequence step to capture the user files and settings you want to migrate to the new operating system.
Install Operating System - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create another task sequence sub-group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to install the operating system.
Reboot to Windows PE or hard disk	Use this task sequence step to specify restart options for the computer that receives this task sequence. This step will display a message to the user indicating that the computer will be restarted so that the installation can continue. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSInWinPE task sequence variable. If the associated value equals false the task sequence step will continue.
Apply Operating System	Use this task sequence step to install the operating system image onto the destination computer. This step deletes all files on that volume (with the exception of Configuration Manager-specific control files) and then applies all volume images contained in the WIM file to the corresponding sequential disk volume. You can also specify a sysprep answer file to configure which disk partition to use for the installation.
Apply Windows Settings	Use this task sequence step to configure the Windows settings configuration information for the destination computer. The windows settings you can apply are user and organizational information, product or license key information, time zone, and the local administrator password.
Apply Network Settings	Use this task sequence step to specify the network or workgroup configuration information for the destination computer. You can also specify if the computer uses a DHCP server or you can statically assign the IP address information.
Apply Driver Package	Use this task sequence step to make all device drivers in a driver package available for use by Windows setup. All necessary device drivers must be contained on the stand-alone media.
Setup Operating System - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create another task sequence sub-group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to install the Configuration Manager client.
Setup Windows and ConfigMgr	Use this task sequence step to install the Configuration Manager client software. Configuration Manager installs and registers the Configuration Manager client GUID. You can assign the necessary installation parameters in the Installation properties window.
Restore User Files and Settings - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create another task sequence sub-group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to restore the user state.
Restore User State	Use this task sequence step to initiate the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to restore the user state and settings that were captured from the Capture User State Action to the destination computer.

Install Existing Operating System Image Task Sequence Example

Use the following table as a guide as you create a task sequence that deploys an operating system using an existing operating system image. The table will help you decide the general sequence for your task sequence steps and how to organize and structure those task sequence steps into logical groups. The task sequence that you create may vary from this sample and can contain more or less task sequence steps and groups.

Important

You must always use the Create Task Sequence Wizard to create this task sequence.

When you use the Create Task Sequence Wizard to create this new task sequence some of the task sequence step names are different than what than what they would be if you manually added these task sequence steps to an existing task sequence. The following table displays the naming differences:

Create Task Sequence Wizard Task Sequence Step name	Equivalent Task Sequence Editor Step Name
Request User State Storage	Request State Store
Capture User Files and Settings	Capture User State
Release User State Storage	Release State Store
Restart in Windows PE	Reboot to Windows PE or hard disk
Partition Disk 0	Format and Partition Disk
Restore User Files and Settings	Restore User State

Task Sequence Group or Step	Description
Capture File and Settings - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create a task sequence group. A task sequence group keeps similar task sequence steps together for better organization and error control. This group contains the steps needed to capture files and settings from the operating system of a reference computer.
Capture Windows Settings	Use this task sequence step to identify the Microsoft Windows settings to capture from the reference computer. You can capture the computer name, user and organizational information and the time zone settings.
Capture Network Settings	Use this task sequence step to capture network settings from the reference computer. You can capture the domain or workgroup membership of the reference computer and the network adapter setting information.
Capture User Files and Settings - (New Task Sequence Sub-Group)	Create a task sequence group within a task sequence group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to capture user state data. Similar to the initial group that you added, this sub-group keeps similar task sequence steps together for better organization and error control.
Request User State Storage	Use this task sequence step to request access to a state migration point where the user state data is stored. You can configure this task sequence step to capture or restore the user state information.
Capture User Files and Settings	Use this task sequence step to use the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to capture the user state and settings from the reference computer that will receive the task sequence associated with this task step. You can capture the standard options or configure whish options to capture.
Release User State Storage	Use this task sequence step to notify the state migration point that the capture or restore action is complete.
Install Operating System - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create another task sequence sub-group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to install and configure the Windows PE environment.
Restart in Windows PE	Use this task sequence step to specify the restart options for the destination computer that receives this task sequence. This step will display a message to the user indicating that the computer will be restarted so that the installation can continue.. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSInWinPE task sequence variable. If the associated value equals false the task sequence step continues.
Partition Disk 0	This task sequence step specifies the actions necessary to format the hard drive on the destination computer. The default disk number is 0. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSClientCache task sequence variable. This step will run if the Configuration Manager client cache does not exist.
Apply Operating System	Use this task sequence step to install the operating system image onto the destination computer. This step applies all volume images contained in the WIM file to the corresponding sequential disk volume on the target computer after first deleting all files on that volume (with the exception of Configuration Manager-specific control files). You can specify a sysprep answer file and also configure which disk partition is used for the installation.
Apply Windows Settings	Use this task sequence step to configure the Windows settings configuration information for the destination computer. The windows settings you can apply are user and organizational information, product or license key information, time zone, and the local administrator password.
Apply Network Settings	Use this task sequence step to specify the network or workgroup configuration information for the destination computer. You can also specify if the computer uses a DHCP server or you can statically assign the IP address information.
Apply Device Drivers	Use this task sequence step to install drivers as part of the operating system deployment. You can allow Windows Setup to search all existing driver categories by selecting Consider drivers from all categories or limit which driver categories Windows Setup searches by selecting Limit driver matching to only consider drivers in selected categories. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSMediaType task sequence variable. This task sequence step runs only if the value of the variable does not equal FullMedia.
Apply Driver Package	Use this task sequence step to make all device drivers in a driver package available for use by Windows setup.
Setup Operating System - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create another task sequence sub-group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to set up the installed operating system.
Setup Windows and ConfigMgr	Use this task sequence step to install the Configuration Manager client software. Configuration Manager installs and registers the Configuration Manager client GUID. You can assign the necessary installation parameters in the Installation properties window.
Install Updates	Use this task sequence step to specify how software updates are installed on the destination computer. The destination computer is not evaluated for applicable software updates until this task sequence step runs. At that point, the destination computer is evaluated for software updates similar to any other Configuration Manager-managed client. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSMediaType task sequence variable. This task sequence step runs only if the value of the variable does not equal FullMedia..
Restore User Files and Settings - (New Task Sequence Sub-Group)	Create another task sequence sub-group. This sub-group contains the steps needed to restore the user files and settings.
Request User State Storage	Use this task sequence step to request access to a state migration point where the user state data is stored.
Restore User Files and Settings	Use this task sequence step to initiate the User State Migration Tool (USMT) to restore user state and settings to a destination computer.
Release User State Storage	Use this task sequence step to notify the state migration point that the user state dat is no longer needed.

Build and Capture Operating System Image Task Sequence Example

Use the following table as a guide as you create a task sequence that builds and captures an operating system image. The table will help you decide the general sequence for your task sequence steps and how to organize and structure those task sequence steps into logical groups. The task sequence that you create may vary from this sample and can contain more or less task sequence steps and groups.

Important

You must always use the Create Task Sequence Wizard to create this type of task sequence.

When you use the New Task Sequence Wizard to create this new task sequence some of the task sequence step names are different than what they would be if you manually added these task sequence steps to an existing task sequence. The following table displays the naming differences:

New Task Sequence Wizard Task Sequence Step name	Equivalent Task Sequence Editor Step Name
Restart in Windows PE	Reboot to Windows PE or hard disk
Partition Disk 0	Format and Partition Disk
Apply Device Drivers	Auto Apply Drivers
Install Updates	Install Software Updates
Join Workgroup	Join Domain or Workgroup
Prepare ConfigMgr Client	Prepare ConfigMgr Client for Capture
Prepare Operating System	Prepare Windows for Capture
Capture the Reference Machine	Capture Operating System Image

Task Sequence Group/Step	Reference
Build the Reference Computer - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create a task sequence group. A task sequence group keeps similar task sequence steps together for better organization and error control. This group contains the actions necessary to build a reference computer.
Restart in Windows PE	Use this task sequence step to specify the restart options for the destination computer. This step will display a message to the user that the computer will be restarted so that the installation can continue. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSInWinPE task sequence variable. If the associated value equals false the task sequence step will continue.
Partition Disk 0	Use this task sequence step to specify the actions necessary to format the hard drive on the destination computer. The default disk number is 0. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSClientCache task sequence variable. This step will run if the Configuration Manager client cache does not exist.
Apply Operating System	Use this task sequence step to install a specified operating system image on the destination computer. This step applies all volume images contained in the WIM file to the corresponding sequential disk volume on the target computer after first deleting all files on that volume (with the exception of Configuration Manager-specific control files).
Apply Windows Settings	Use this task sequence step to configure the Windows settings configuration information for the destination computer.
Apply Network Settings	Use this task sequence step to specify the network or workgroup configuration information for the destination computer.
Apply Device Drivers	You his task sequence step to match and install drivers as part of an operating system deployment. You can allow Windows Setup to search all existing driver categories by selecting Consider drivers from all categories or limit which driver categories Windows Setup searches by selecting Limit driver matching to only consider drivers in selected categories. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSMediaType task sequence variable. If the associated value does not equal FullMedia this task sequence step will run.
Setup Windows and ConfigMgr	Use this task sequence step to install the Configuration Manager client software. Configuration Manager installs and registers the Configuration Manager client GUID. You can assign the necessary installation parameters in the Installation properties window.
Install Updates	Use this task sequence step to specify how software updates are installed on the destination computer. The destination computer is not evaluated for applicable software updates until this task sequence step runs. At that point, the destination computer is evaluated for software updates similar to any other Configuration Manager-managed client. This step uses the read-only _SMSTSMediaType task sequence variable. If the associated value does not equal FullMedia this task sequence step will run.
Capture the Reference Computer - (New Task Sequence Group)	Create another a task sequence group. This group contains the necessary steps to prepare and capture a reference computer.
Join Workgroup	Use this task sequence step to specify information needed to have the destination computer join a workgroup.
Prepare ConfigMgr Client for Capture	Use this step to take the Configuration Manager client on the reference computer and prepares it for capture as part of the imaging process
Prepare Operating System	Use this task sequence step to specify the Sysprep options to use when capturing Windows settings from the reference computer. This task sequence step runs Sysprep and then reboots the computer into the Windows PE boot image specified for the task sequence.
Capture Operating System Image	Use this task sequence step to enter a specific existing network share and .WIM file to use when saving the image. This location is used as the package source location when adding an operating system image package using the Add Operating System Image Package Wizard.

See Also

Technical Reference for Deploying Operating Systems in Configuration Manager