using vNext in a LAB - Part 6. Deploying Windows 7 Enterprise

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In Part 1. of this series we Installed vNext.

In Part 2., we then Configured vNext to use the New AD Site as a boundary and Configured Discovery Methods in vNext.

In Part 3, we installed the Reporting Point Role along with some additional roles and configured them.

In Part 4 we configured the client Agents and deployed the vNext Client.

In Part 5 we deployed an Application to All Users.

 

Now we will learn how to Deploy Windows 7 Enterprise using vNext. As we will be using PXE boot, we need to get our server ready to support this, so we will add the Windows Deployment Service which is required.

 

 

 

Step 1. Add and configure Windows Deployment Services

 

Perform the following on the vNext server as SMSadmin

 

Start Server Manager and click on Add Roles

 

 

When the Add Roles wizard appears, click next

 

 

Select Windows Deployment Services and click next

 

 

click next at the overview

 

 

accept the defaults for Role Services

 

 

Click install at the confirmation screen and review the results

 

 

click Close.

 

 

Step 2. Configure Windows Deployment Services

 

Click on Start, Administrative Tools, Windows Deployment Services to start the WDS console. Expand the + beside Servers. You will see a yellow exclamation mark meaning that the WDS service is not yet configured.

 

 

right click on it and choose Configure Server

 

 

click next and change the path of Remote Installation Folder Location to suit your environment eg: D:\RemoteInstall

 

 

set the PXE response setting to Respond to All client computers...

 

 

de-select Add images to the server now

 

 

and click Finish.

 

Windows Deployment Services is now configured

 

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Step 3. Add the PXE Service Point Role

 

In the Wunderbar, click on Administration and select Site Roles, right click it and choose Create Roles.

 

 

When the New Site Role Wizard appears, click on Browse and select our vNext server,

 

 

As we will use data migration at some point, select the State Migration Point role in addition to the PXE Service Point role, Answer yes when prompted

 

 

configure the State Migration Point by clicking on the yellow starburst

 

 

enable Unknown Computer Support and take note of the notice

 

 

leave the PXE database settings as they are

 

 

click next through the summary and review the confirmation once done

 

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Step 4. Add the Windows 7 Enterprise Install Image

 

In the Wunderbar, select Software Library and expand Operating Systems, right click Operating System Installers and choose add operating system install package

 

 

browse to the network share we you have previosly copied the contents of the Windows 7 Enterprise DVD

 

 

fill in some details about the image

 

 

and click through to the confirmation screen

 

 

Once completed we need to distribute the image to our DP's, so click on Distribute content in the Action pane

 

 

Click on the drop down menu Add, then select distribution point

 

 

select only the vnext dp as this is an image file (and not a boot image)

 

 

click ok

 

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Step 5. Distribute the Boot image to DP's

 

Select boot images in the left navigational pane, select the X86 boot image and on the right, right click on the Distribute Content.

 

 

click on the Add drop down menu, select Distribution Point

 

 

as this is a boot image, select both the normal and PXE dp's

 

 

Click OK and OK again.

 

 

Step 6. Update the Boot image with command support

 

Select boot images in the left navigational pane, and on the right, right click on the X86 boot image and choose properties.

 

 

click on the Windows PE tab and place a checkmark in Enable command support, and optionally select a background for your Windows PE boot image by browsing to a picture

 

 

Click apply and answer Yes when prompted

 

 

and continue through with the wizard until you are done

 

 

 

Note: Repeat the above process for the X64 boot image otherwise you may get your PXE clients getting a Contacting Server: 192.168.3.10.... ...... problem later on. (check the SMSPXE.log file for errors after a PXE boot attempt - and you'll probably see Warning: Matching Processor Architecture boot image (6) not found)

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Step 7. Create the Configmgr Client from Definition Package

 

In Software Library, right click on Packages and choose Import

 

 

Click Next at the Welcome wizard, and select Configuration Manager Client Upgrade from the list

 

 

select always obtain files from a source directory

 

 

enter the client directory of your site server typically \\server\sms_xxx\client where xxx is the sitecode

 

 

click next at the summary and review the confirmation of wizard completion

 

 

click close to finish.

 

Now don't forget to Update the Client from Definition Package to the Distribution Points, in Software Library, click on Packages, right click on your Configuration Manager Client Upgrade package and choose Distribute Content

 

 

click on the Drop down Add menu, select Distribution Point

 

 

select only the normal DP and click ok