I’m new to Windows deployments, and I need some help. I’ve gotten as far as setting up a new system from a Windows 11 image downloaded from MS, configuring it/installing software, and then running sysprep. I made a WinPE boot thumbdrive, but I’m stuck at capturing the Windows image part. Part of my problem is that I’m trying to make this in a VM. Is that more trouble than it’s worth?
Is there an easier way to do this? I’ve seen people saying I can use Linux tools like Clonezilla, which sounds good to me, since I’m very comfortable with Linux-- but I read that might cause problems. One thing mentioned was licensing.
I would be deploying these images 100% onto Lenovo machines that we purchase from CDW, so I’m not sure how licensing would work. Is the license tied to the MAC? Will they auto-register once I boot them with the new image?
Thanks for anyone that takes the time to help me understand this :)
Really depends on your scale and needs, but when we were in the process of transitioning from Ivanti to Intune we had a gap between them. I set up a FOG project server and a couple remote nodes and that worked really well as an interim solution. I actually started using it at home even though I don’t really need imaging too often.
I just learned about FOG. I’ll look into it.
Everyone suggesting WDS or MDT is overlooking something very important- both are being phased out, and have limited or no support for Win 11.
If you are building a new workflow, you should not build on these tools. You should build on something supported going forward.
Thick/captured WIMs are generally not recommended anyway due to their higher maintenance needs. What are you trying to do in the first place? There are probably better approaches to solve that instead of capturing an image.
I’m trying to save myself some time. I have a few boxes to setup per week. They are all either Lenovo ThinkCentres or Lenovo laptops. They all need uodates, a few things uninstalled, and a minimum set of things installed, including: Office365, Adobe Reader, OoenVPN, a remote desktop connection, etc. Some of the software requires manual registry edits.
What’s your endpoint management/MDM? It sounds like your org has about 500 PCs, which means you definitely need something to manage them after deployment. That’s where I would start.
If you don’t have an MDM, you need to push upper management that you do. Intune or PDQ are probably right for your size. Each comes with strings and complications, but they will save you a significant amount of time and money in the long run
Yeah… We don’t use any endpoint management. We probably have closer to 150 PCs, but we are growing. I am half the IT dept and I’ve been here about 6 months. This is my first IT job, so I’m learning as I go, and the other guy did the same. I will definitely look into implementing Intune.
Just to add more confusion, we are removing MDT from all customers and replacing with intune using the already created json templates we have plus then also deploying chocolatey with intune then calling powershell from intune to install other software. I’d say only 20% of our customers have on-premise AD the other 80% are all Microsoft Business Premium licensed unless over 300 staff, and that’s why we have been transitioning customers to only that for the last few years.
MDT is the right tool for AD on premises though so don’t be dissuaded from that, just more, you should know.
Can I ask why chocolatey and not just installed via policy/company portal? I’m not our Intune guy so I don’t know much about the limitations.
Oh because if an application doesn’t exist natively in azure, ie not a MS Store app, then you can only deploy by uploading the msi which of course is one version. At an MSP with thousands of devices in dozens if not a hundred tenancies, and new software versions being released daily, you need something that will update all that.
Chocolatey is just for the poorer customers, a best effort, immybot for soe management though if the customer is full. Whenever Microsoft finishes getting their own repository fixed though, using winget could be the new chocolatey. Right now it doesn’t do patching or at least it didn’t 12 months ago. It could install and report but not update.
So thinking of solution life cycle you want something that doesn’t need tons of manual innervation, and you can use PDQ or chocolatey or immybot or whatever. Microsoft can handle its first party software suites and rmm deployment but 3rd party at this stage is just not good enough.
Hope that helps