When deploying Windows 10 operating system using SCCM (OSD), you will need to monitor SCCM task sequence progress. This allows us to track task sequence start, end time and most importantly errors (if any). Our post will show 4 different ways to monitor SCCM task sequences. Each of them has its own benefits and drawbacks. Monitor SCCM Task Sequence Using the Console You can view the progress of a task sequence using the SCCM console. This method is simple and easy but permit to see the status of only one machine at the time. If your deployment staff don’t have access to the console or view deployment status, this option is not for you. Open the SCCM Console Go to Monitoring / Deployments Search and right-click the deployment linked to your Windows 10 task sequence On the menu, select View Status In the Deployment Status screen, select the In Progress tab for a running … Read More
In-place OS upgrade for SCCM site server
The latest releases of SCCM Current Branch(1702 and 1706) bring a new round of requirements. With SCCM 1702, it’s required to run site servers on a Windows Server higher than 2008 R2. Now with SCCM 1706, some of the new features like Manage Microsoft Surface driver updates, requires that all Software Update Point (WSUS) runs on Windows Server 2016. We can assume that we’ll see more of those new features requiring Windows Server 2016 in the future. In this post, we will detail how to do an in-place OS upgrade from Windows Server 2012 R2 to Windows Server 2016, on an SCCM primary site with SQL installed locally. Prerequisites SCCM Current branch minimum level 1602 See our latest post to upgrade SCCM to 1706 here Minimum versions for SQL server, if installed on the site server : 2012 SP2 and up 2014 SP1 and up 2016 RTM and up See KB here for … Read More
How to add Latest Windows 7 Convenience Update in a SCCM Image
For this post, we will be talking about how to do a SCCM Windows 7 convenience rollup image creation. A lot of companies still use Windows 7 and have not yet migrated to Windows 10. So, in the spirit of still having Windows 7, I thought I would write up a post to help fellow administrators. You may have seen that a few weeks ago, Microsoft released a new convenience rollup for Windows 7 SP1. This convenience rollup is meant to make our lives easier when deploying fresh instances of Windows 7. As stated on the Technet article, it contains all the security and non-security fixes released since Service Pack 1, up to April 2016. Officially, the convenience update is released to help us administrators catch up our deployments of Windows 7 faster, have us have a Windows 7 release that’s consistent with the latest code levels, support benefits and so … Read More
Step-by-Step SCCM 1610 Upgrade Guide
The third upgrade for SCCM Current Branch is now available. This post is a complete step-by-step SCCM 1610 upgrade guide. If you’re looking for a complete SCCM installation guide, see our blog series which covers it all. You can’t install this upgrade if you are running SCCM 2012. You need to be at least at SCCM 1511. Installing SCCM upgrades is very important to your infrastructure. It adds new feature and fixes lots of issues, which some of them are important. New Update and Servicing Model If you’re not familiar with the new SCCM servicing model, read our New Update and Servicing section of the 1602 upgrade post which explain it all. Similar to SCCM 1606, if you need to make a new SCCM installation, you can’t install SCCM 1610 directly. You need to install SCCM 1511 (or 1606) first and then apply SCCM 1610 from the console. SCCM 1606 is the baseline version if you’re … Read More
Upgrade Windows 10 using SCCM Servicing Plans
With the introduction of new Windows 10 service branches, you will need to upgrade your Windows 10 devices at a much faster pace. Hopefully, SCCM Current Branch (1511 and higher) has built-in features to help you fulfill this task. You can choose between Upgrade Task Sequence or the new Windows Servicing feature. This post will describe how to use SCCM Windows 10 servicing plans to upgrade Windows 10 devices. If you are running SCCM 1511 we recommend using the Upgrade Task Sequence over servicing plans. SCCM 1511 has an issue that makes all Windows 10 languages and editions to be downloaded to the device when the ADR runs. This is fixed in SCCM 1602, using a new filter you can exclude unwanted languages and editions. If you are running SCCM 1602 or later, it’s really a matter of preference of which process to use. Each one has their own advantages, the … Read More
Upgrade Windows 10 using SCCM Task Sequence
With the introduction of new Windows 10 service branches, you will need to upgrade your Windows 10 devices at a much faster pace. Hopefully, SCCM Current Branch (1511 and higher) has built-in features to help you fulfill this task. You can choose between Upgrade Task Sequence or the new Windows Servicing feature. This post will describe how to upgrade Windows 10 using SCCM Upgrade Task Sequence. If you are running SCCM 1511 we recommend to use the Upgrade Task Sequence over the new servicing features. There is an issue in SCCM 1511 that make all Windows 10 languages and editions to be downloaded to the device when the ADR runs. This is fixed in SCCM 1602, using a new filter you can exclude unwanted languages and editions. If you are running SCCM 1602 or later, it’s really a matter of preference of which process to use. Each one has their … Read More
How to install Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS)
One of the challenges faced by workstation administrators, is to manage the local administrator account in large environment. One of the options was to use Group Policy Preferences, but that was before KB2962486 removed the possibility to set password using Group Policy Preferences. Since then, Microsoft as come up with a solution : Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS). Here’s the benefits of using LAPS : Unique password for local administrator per computer Password available from Active Directory, if needed to use local administrator account Remotly change the local administrator password Ability to use a custom administrator account Limitation : Only the local administrator account can be managed or a custom local account as administrator. In this post, we will detail how to install Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) to manage the local administrator password on a Windows 10 computer. High-level steps to install Local Administrator Password Solution (LAPS) On management computers … Read More
Refreshing a Windows 7 Computer to Windows 10 using USMT and SCCM
Since SCCM 1511, you can use the new upgrade task sequence to easily upgrade a Windows 7 computer to Windows 10. But what if you want to upgrade a computer from a 32-bits operating system to Windows 10 64-bits ? You can’t use the upgrade task sequence for this specific scenario. Another reason would be that your company decided to use the wipe and reload option in your Windows 10 migration project. In those cases you will need to use USMT to capture data and settings from the users profiles before applying the new operating system. This post will describe how to upgrade a 32-bits computer to Windows 10 64-bits using USMT and SCCM. This post will be using hard-links without using a State Migration Point. Continue reading if you are not familiar with those terms, we will explain it later. Since you’re at the step of deploying Windows 10, we assume that you already … Read More
Managing Office 365 Updates with SCCM
SCCM Office 365 updates management is finally integrated to the standard software update process (since the release of SCCM 1602). Prior to this release it was announced as a new features, but it was not completely managed. It was necessary to add Office 365 updates to WSUS manually in order to manage them trough SCCM software update afterward. It’s now manageable natively with the release of SCCM 1602. The integration of Office 365 Updates to SCCM will ease overall management of updates with these key features : Centralized management Standard Software Update Ability to use Automatic Deployment Rules Easier distribution to branch offices with Software Update packages Applications can run while updating Before this integration, Office 365 Updates needed to : Manually downloaded Manually distributed or to create a package than distribution on Distribution Point Application need to be shut down before the update This post will explain how to natively manage Office 365 desktop client … Read More
Step-by-Step SCCM 1602 Upgrade Guide
The first upgrade for SCCM Current Branch (1511) is now available. This post is a complete step-by-step SCCM 1602 upgrade guide. If you’re looking for a complete SCCM 1511 installation guide, see our blog series which covers it all. Installing SCCM upgrades is very important to your infrastructure. It adds new feature and fixes lots of issues, which some of them are important. New Update and Servicing Since SCCM 1511, Microsoft now release update pack differently than services packs and cumulative updates. Downloading and updating is made directly from the console. If you need to make a new SCCM installation, you can’t install SCCM 1602 directly. You need to install SCCM 1511 first and then apply SCCM 1602 from the console. SCCM 1511 is still the baseline version if you’re starting from scratch. The update process seem quite easy but don’t get confused. Yes, it’s easy to apply, but these updates needs to be planned as … Read More