Cliff Hobbs at myITforum.com

[Win7] Windows 7 Useful Links including Deployment

From the ASKCORE blog:

Below is a list of useful links when it comes to Deployment (MDT 2010 and SCCM), USMT 4.0, Activation, Application Compatibility, and Boot to VHD on several Microsoft related websites. These links can change from time to time, but are a good start for getting your environment ready for Windows 7 or other deployments

General Links

77 Windows 7 Tips (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.10.77windows.aspx)

New Shortcut Keys in Windows 7 (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/2009.10.77windows.aspx)

Existing Shortcut Keys from Vista (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Keyboard-shortcuts)

Deployment

Windows 7 Deployment (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349337(WS.10).aspx)

Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd349343(WS.10).aspx)

Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 Direct Download Link (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=696dd665-9f76-4177-a811-39c26d3b3b34&displaylang=en)

MDT Solution Accelerator Home Page (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/solutionaccelerators/dd407791.aspx)

MDT 2010 Direct Download Link (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3BD8561F-77AC-4400-A0C1-FE871C461A89&displaylang=en)

Windows Deployment Services Getting Started Guide (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc771670(WS.10).aspx)

Microsoft Support Core Team Blog (http://blogs.technet.com/askcore)

Deployment Blog Sites

http://blogs.technet.com/deploymentguys

http://blogs.technet.com/mniehaus

System Center Useful Links

Operating System Deployment in Configuration Manager (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632767.aspx)

Overview of Operating System Deployment (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb694101.aspx)

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 OSD Comparision Matrix (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/configmgr/bb684467.aspx)

Operating System Deployment Task Sequence Variables (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632442.aspx)

The Configuration Manager Support Team Blog : A step by step for using ... (http://blogs.technet.com/configurationmgr/archive/2009/07/27/a-step-by-step-for-using-osd-through-system-center-configuration-manager-2007.aspx)

Troubleshooting Operating System Deployment (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb632813.aspx)

Configuration Manager Operating System Deployment Forum (http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/configmgrosd/threads)

USMT 4.0

User State Migration Tool 4.0 User’s Guide (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560801(WS.10).aspx)

What Does USMT Migrate? (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560792(WS.10).aspx)

USMT Best Practices (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd560764(WS.10).aspx)

How to Use Hard Links for User State Migration (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee344267.aspx)

Step-by-Step: Basic Windows Migration using USMT for IT Professionals (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd883247(WS.10).aspx)

Activation

Windows Volume Activation (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd197314.aspx)

Volume License Key Management Portal (http://www.microsoft.com/licensing/existing-customers/product-activation.aspx)

KMS 2008 R2 Update – KB968912 (http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/968912)

Boot to VHD

Add Native-Boot Virtual Hard Disk to the Boot Menu (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd799299(WS.10).aspx)

Step-By-Step Guide (Tested with Windows 7 Enterprise, for a “Corp” image and a “Personal” image)

Open Diskpart on the Windows 7 Enterprise Machine, you can also do this from within Disk Management (diskmgmt.msc) but the steps below are 100% Diskpart and Command line driven for automation purposes.

***This cannot be done in Windows 7 (Any Home Version, Professional) or any previous operating systems, as they do not support Boot to VHD

CREATE VDISK FILE=C:\VHD\Win7Corp.vhd MAXIMUM=75000 TYPE=EXPANDABLE

***Note the 75000 will create a Dynamically Expanding 75gb VHD file, it is recommended if you do this to go ahead and create a FIXED Size instead of Dynamically expanding so that you don’t accidently over commit the Physical disk. If you remove the TYPE=EXPANDABLE, it will default to FIXED.

SELECT VDISK FILE=C:\VHD\Win7Corp.vhd

ATTACH VDISK

SELECT VDISK FILE=C:\VHD\Win7Corp.vhd

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

FORMAT FS=NTFS LABEL="Win 7 Corp VHD" QUICK

ASSIGN LETTER=Y:

*** Must Have Windows Automated Installation Toolkit Installed on the system

Open Deployment Tools Command Prompt - Elevated

IMAGEX /Apply z:\win7x64\sources\install.wim 1 Y:\

SELECT VDISK FILE=C:\VHD\Win7Corp.vhd

DETACH VDISK

Modify the BCD Database via Elevated Command Prompt

bcdedit /copy {default} /D "Win 7 Corp Load"

bcdedit /set <GUID> device vhd=[C:]\VHD\Win7Corp.vhd

*** You will get the <GUID> during the bcdedit /copy step

bcdedit /set <GUID> osdevice vhd=[C:]\VHD\Win7Corp.vhd

Reboot the System and you will see "Windows 7" and "Win 7 Corp Load" on the Boot Manager Window

Application Compatibility

Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=24da89e9-b581-47b0-b45e-492dd6da2971&displaylang=en)

Windows 7 Application Compatibility Demo Video (http://edge.technet.com/Media/Be-ready-for-Windows-7-Application-Compatibility/)

Stock Viewer / Application Compatibility Test (http://blogs.msdn.com/cjacks/archive/2008/01/03/stock-viewer-shim-demo-application.aspx)

Managing Shims in an Enterprise (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd837648(WS.10).aspx)

Assessment and Planning Toolkit (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=67240b76-3148-4e49-943d-4d9ea7f77730&displaylang=en)

Thanks to the following people for their contributions:

Scott McArthur (Sr. Support Escalation Engineer)

Kevin Ledman (Sr. Support Escalation Engineer)

Scott Goad (Support Escalation Engineer)

Clint Koenig (Support Escalation Engineer)

Author:

Tanner Slayton
Sr. Support Escalation Engineer
Microsoft Corporation

http://blogs.technet.com/askcore/archive/2009/12/08/windows-7-useful-links.aspx

Read the complete post at http://wmug.co.uk/blogs/cliffs_blog/archive/2009/12/08/win7-windows-7-useful-links-including-deployment.aspx