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Microsoft TechDays Ottawa – Day 2

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The second day of TechDays Ottawa saw better weather. Day 1 had a terrible snow storm, but despite that, turn out was quite good. I don’t have numbers on how many people came out either day.

My session on Day 2 focused on Windows Server Update Services 3.0 SP2 (WSUS). The session went quite well from my side. All my demo’s worked which is always a good thing. The best part of the session was the end when people started coming up and asking questions. I like hearing how other people are using the technology I am speaking about. In my small environment (100 computers) where I am a jack of all trades, I like hearing how larger organizations are leveraging the technology. One organization was telling me how they use a disconnected a WSUS server to manage a network which has no internet connection.

I met a couple of people and spoke about MDT with them. One person has about 5000 computers they build images for in MDT and another builds images for 14000 computers which most are sent to offices in foreign countries. It was a case of the teacher becoming the student and I was able to pick their brain for a bit getting a few ideas on how to leverage MDT when I have someone else actually doing the deployments. (I build them, they deploy).

TechDays was a great event. I strongly encourage people to go out and attend when it comes around. My wish for next year is hands on labs.

Installing Windows Vista SP2 with Microsoft Deployment Toolkit using an Existing Image

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If you are like me, you already have your Vista image built and applied to your MDT installation. Now that Windows Vista SP2 has been released, you are wondering how best to deploy it. With MDT you have several ways to do it.

You could apply your image to a computer, install the service pack and recapture the image. You can do a fresh install from a Vista with SP2 media, add your apps and capture. I decided on a third way of doing it. Add the service pack to the applications. Call the executable and run the update in silent mode.

In my screenshot below, you see how I added the application as part of my MDT install. 

MDT - Microsoft Deployment Tookit Screenshot

I call the the command – Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe /quiet /norestart /nodialog

Add the application install as task sequence in your deployment or check it off with your litetouch install and away you go. It runs the update on the computer as it is deploying and now you have a machine, running Windows Vista SP2 right off the hop.

Eventually down the road, I plan to rebuild my image and capture it. But for now, this works fine for me.

Windows Vista SP2 – How To Update Existing WIM Files

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I am looking at updating my Vista images to SP2 today. I have existing WIM files I use for my deployments using MDT.

I was wondering, can I service these images offline. Meaning, can I add Vista SP2 to my WIM file without having to boot them, add the service pack and then re-sysprep and capture the image file.

 The answer is no according to TechNet. Their instructions is to bring the WIM file online. Then install Windows Vista SP2. Finally, sysprep the image again and recapture. Once the image is recaptured, re-import the image into MDT.

The full instructions for installing SP2 for Vista can be found on TechNet at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd335037.aspx#Scen4

I was really hoping for an offline method for updating, but this will give me a chance to freshen the image as well with newer versions of some of the other applications.