SCCM 2012 OSD Apply Driver Packages without importing them to the Database

[IT-Hilger]

Hi Everybody,

 

this thread is for those who want the old SCCM 2007 driver management back.

Normally you have to import every driver to the database first, put them into a driver package, and then deploy them during OSD.

In SCCM 2007 you could easily create a Driver Package from your Driver Source Folder and apply this Driver Package during OSD.

This way of Driver Management was much easier and more reliable than the new way in SCCM 2012.

 

But luckily there is still a method to prevent importing drivers into database and directly distribute driver packages to your clients.

 

Step 1

Download drivers for your brands and models.

Put them into seperate folders - one folder for one model - like you did in SCCM 2007

 

 

Step 2

Create a Package for each model and operating system. Then distribute this packages to your DP.

 

 

 

Step 3

Create a Step "Set Task Sequence Variable" under your Auto Apply Drivers Group (after the Apply Operating System Step) in your Task Sequence.

 

Task Sequence Variable: winrootdir

Task Sequence Value: D:\

 

Condition: If Folder "D:\Windows" exists

 

I created a second step after this with Drive Letter E:\. Because on some Notebooks the Systemroot is E:\ during OSD.

 

 

 

Step 4

Create TS Steps for each model to apply the driver package.

 

Type: Run Command Line

Command line:

DISM.exe /Image:%winrootdir% /Add-Driver /Driver:.\ /Recurse

Package: Choose the corresponding package you created in step 2

 

Success codes: Add 2 and 50

Condition: WMI Query (here an example for Dell Latitude E7240)

select * from win32_computersystem where Model like "Latitude E7240%"

 

 

 

Repeat the steps above for each computer model you want to image.

With this way of applying drivers we have 0 problems in our environment. Very easy and reliable.

 

BR

Achim

 

If you have questions - feel free to contact me http://ithilger.de/kontakt

[kman-dk]

Hi Achim,

 

This is interesting, I think i might try it out. Thanks for sharing.

 

/kman

[edr1986]

Works great in Windows 7!

[Jeff K]

I am trying and seeming to be having some issue. i have followed what you did and wondering if I am missing a step? i made just a simple task sequence and seem to be erroring out due to drivers for the nic card. now it is just a regular installation of Windows 7 no fancy setup just straight from the DVD. here is my task sequence. i have checked drives and since i preserve the drive letter it is the C drive i believe i am looking for.

 

[Garrett804]

It looks like your WMI Query is wrong Jeff. You are calling for a ComputerSystemProduct version when what you should be doing is calling for the "Model" of "ComputerSystem"

[Jaybone]

Kinda - he's right, as far as he goes. Lenovo does it their own way, different from everyone else.

 

Dell, HP, and anything else I've ever run across uses Model to store something meaningful for comparison - "Optiplex 7010," etc.

 

Lenovo, however, uses Model for a specific version of a model.

E.g. my X1 Carbon has "3444CUU" in there, but I need to look in ComputerSystemProduct's Version to get "ThinkPad X1 Carbon." Same for our M9x's and every other recent Lenovo I've worked with.

[Jeff K]

Be great if this worked, wondering if it is offline image or an online image at this point.

[RichMawdsley]

Why would you want to do this? Reinventing the wheel.

[Iroqouiz]

Why would you want to do this? Reinventing the wheel.

 

You save a ton of disk space if you have many and large driver packages.

[Jaybone]

 

You save a ton of disk space if you have many and large driver packages.

 

Also prevents auto-detection from picking the wrong driver because it thinks it's better.

 

Example: Lenovo T440 driver package has a chipset driver that gets auto-picked because it's "better" when deploying to Dell Optiplex 7010s. Except that the "better" driver causes a BSOD on the 7010 units. We can get around that with category filtering, but that means that either we need to have separate task sequences for the different models, or we have to edit the TS to enable/disable the appropriate category before deployment. Using WMI filters like this, everything just works.