Chris Nackers Blog

USMT Custom XML the Free and Easy Way

Ned has a great post I found this week over on the Directory Services Team Blog.  Working with USMT XML files can be frustrating and you always wonder if your syntax is correct.  Ned has a nice walkthrough on to use Visual Studio Express (free) to verify your syntax. 

Be sure to read the full post here.

Here is a snippet:

Ned here again. XML is used to configure all aspects of USMT 4.0 migration and is especially important when customizing. Unfortunately most IT staffers are not familiar with XML – why should they be? It’s barely used within Windows and is mainly an applications-specific file store. Maybe you noticed that group policy ADMX files are XML – did you care, since you were using the GP editor to make changes?

Unfortunately, there’s no USMT XML editor. What’s more, XML follows programming conventions– tags must be closed; nesting must be complete; rules are case-sensitive. And any mistake in the XML will cause the migration to fail or skip crucial steps.

XML, like any programming file format, has rules. This means that there are tools that can examine that file and see if the rules are being broken – programmers are not super human. One such tool is Visual Studio 2008 Express. It has an excellent suite of XML authoring and validation options – and it’s free :).

Let’s come up with a scenario that requires custom XML, create our file, and then validate it.

Windows Live Writer Backup V3.0.0.6

I had previously blogged on this great little tool.  Had to reinstall this today and noticed the version was updated on CodePlex.  I highly recommend this tool if you use Windows Live Writer.

Download this tool here.

Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3 supports Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

Read the original post here over on The Configuration Manager Team Blog.

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System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3 now supports the Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 operating systems for client installation.  The Configuration Manager console and branch distribution point are supported on these platforms. Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 is supported for all core and feature-specific site system roles.

The following software update is required to add Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 to the Supported Platforms list:

• KB 2489044 - Update rollup for System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 to add support for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1 clients
• KB 977203 - User state migration is unsuccessful on a SCCM 2007 SP1 client or on a SCCM 2007 SP2 client

Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 and Windows PE 3.1

If you want to use WinPE 3.1 with ConfigMgr and SP2, then this is a must read. At this point, I wouldn’t recommend upgrading to WinPE 3.1 unless you have a MAJOR driving reason. 

Read the original post here over on the Configuration Manager Team Blog.

===================================================

[Today's post is provided by Chaohao Xu.]

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 SP1 is released and can be downloaded from the following location:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=0aee2b4b-494b-4adc-b174-33bc62f02c5d

You don't have to upgrade to Windows PE 3.1 to deploy Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1. But if you want to upgrade to Windows PE 3.1, this post provides information about how you can do this with your existing Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 site. We also list some known issues that you might encounter when you use Configuration Manager operating system deployment with Windows PE 3.1.

Upgrade Steps:

1. Use the following instructions to upgrade to Windows PE 3.1: from http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=139690.
2. Add a boot image based on Windows PE 3.1:
   1. In the Configuration Manager console, navigate to Computer Management -> Operating System Deployment -> Boot Images -> Add Boot Images.
   2. Specify the UNC path for the Windows PE 3.1 .wim file and select the image from the WIM file.
   3. Use the wizard to create the x86 and x64 boot images.
3. Update the source of the default boot image to Windows PE 3.1 by running the ExportDefaultBootImage() WMI method:
   1. WMI Namespace is root\sms\site_<site_code>
   2. WMI Object is SMS_BootImagePackage
   3. WMI Method is ExportDefaultBootImage
   4. Parameters:
      • Architecture (x86 or x64)
      • ExportImagePath (\\<site _server>\sms_<site_code>\OSD\boot\i386 or \\site_server>\sms_<site_code>\OSD\boot\x64)
      • ImageIndex (1)
        
4. Update the distribution points for the default boot images.

Known Issues:

1. Configuration Manager does not support using Windows PE 3.0 as a boot image after Windows PE 3.1 is upgraded. This means any boot images, including the default boot images, that are based on Windows PE 3.0 cannot be updated in Admin UI anymore. In this scenario, you will see the following error because the Windows PE 3.0 images are not compatible with the optional component (OC) and language packs from Windows PE 3.1:
   

   To resolve this problem, update all the boot images to use Windows PE 3.1.

2. Task sequence fails when trying to apply drivers. You might see the following errors logged if task sequence fails to apply drivers.
   Failed to find the certificate context.. Cannot find object or property. (Error: 80092004; Source: Windows)
   Failed to initialize the online driver catlog.  Code 0x80092004
   Failed to auto provision drivers.  Code 0x80092004
   Failed to run the action: Apply Device Drivers. Cannot find object or property. (Error: 80092004; Source: Windows)

   This problem is caused by the Configuration Manager 2007 client generating an embedded NULL character into the friendly name for the certificate that is related to the driver apply. To resolve this issue, see KB977203 and run CCMCertFix.exe either before you run the task sequence or add it as a step in the task sequence.

--Chaohao Xu

Configuration Manager Support Announcements for March 2011

New post over on the Configuration Manager Team Blog!

[Today's post comes from Harini Muralidharan]

We are announcing support changes for the following releases.  Please look for these changes to be reflected in the Supported Configuration pages within a few months.

Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3 supports Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1:

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2, R2 and R3 now supports the Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 operating systems for client installation.  The Configuration Manager console and branch distribution point are supported on these platforms. Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 is supported for all core and feature-specific site system roles.

The following software update is required to add Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 to the Supported Platforms list:

• KB 2489044 - Update rollup for System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 to add support for Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 and Windows 7 SP1 clients
• KB 977203 - User state migration is unsuccessful on a SCCM 2007 SP1 client or on a SCCM 2007 SP2 client

Microsoft Application Virtualization 4.6 SP1 is now supported on Configuration Manager 2007 R2 with Configuration Manager 2007 SP2

System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R2 with System Center Configuration Manager SP2 now supports Microsoft Application Virtualization (App-V) 4.6 SP1 Desktop Client and Client for Remote Desktop Services. This client release enables support for Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1.

The following are the limitations and workaround to import App-V packages using Configuration Manager.

Configuration Manager fails to import App-V packages when there is more than one XML in the package folder. App-V Sequencer 4.6 SP1 creates the file Report.xml when creating an App-V package. Configuration Manager expects to find only one xml file in the package folder and will fail when it identifies more than one XML file in the folder. To work around this problem delete the file report.xml manually from the package folder before you import the App-V package.

No software updates are required.

Configuration Manager 2007  SP2, R2 and R3 supports WinPE 3.1

System Center Configuration Manager SP2, R2 and R3 now supports WinPE 3.1 as the boot image used with operating system deployment. WinPE 3.1 is shipped with Windows 7 SP1 as a Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) supplement.

Steps to upgrade to WinPE 3.1 within the existing Configuration Manager Environment and known limitations with Win PE 3.1 can be found here http://blogs.technet.com/b/configmgrteam/archive/2011/03/24/configuration-manager-2007-sp2-and-windows-pe-3-1.aspx

No software updates are required.

--Harini Muralidharan

MMS 2011–Wrap Up

I’m back from MMS 2011 and back to the grind. My session with Michael Niehaus (BE31) on MDT 2010 Integration with ConfigMgr went well and we received great feedback.  It was also fun to participate in the Deployment Gameshow when Michael needed a partner in crime on stage.  There was a lot of great content and I can’t wait to get my hands on the DVD to review some of the sessions and watch a few that I didn’t have the opportunity to attend.

It was also great to see old faces and meet plenty of new faces as well. I had a number of people coming up to me that knew me from the myITforum community, and it’s great to see that people are finding value in the community.

I think I picked up about 100 new twitter followers (@chrisnack) due to my coverage of sessions using the MMS Twitter hashtags. #MMS2011 and #MMSxxxx (session ID), for example #MMSBE31.

http://twitter.com/#!/search/mms2011

I’ve also taken a break from blogging this month with everything I had going on and trying to get ready to present at MMS 2011, so no worries, I’ll be back at it soon enough  

Keith Garner called me out in one of his sessions, so I owe a blog post for his session (BE32), I’ll try to get that up in the next few weeks. 

http://twitter.com/#!/search?q=%23mmsbe32

USMT 4.0 and unconditionalExclude

Was recently working on a custom.xml for a client with USMT 4.0 and was struggling with getting my exclusions to work.  My syntax appeared to be correct, however it wasn’t excluding the music file extensions I had created like it was supposed to.  It was excluding them on the drive, but not on the desktop where I had placed some files to test.

After some searching, I came across this great blog post:

http://blogs.technet.com/b/askds/archive/2010/03/03/usmt-4-0-and-custom-exclusion-troubleshooting.aspx

After reading through that post, I realized I had the incorrect syntax in my custom.xml.  My context was set to context=”System” instead of context=”UserAndSystem”, doh!  After making that change and testing, I finally got the behavior I was expecting.  Mind the details!

So be sure to read the above link for the following issues.

Common cause 1: Your XML uses exclude and not unconditionalExclude

Common cause 2: You have set unconditionalExclude in the wrong context

Common cause 3: You have not correctly provided the case for unconditionalExclude

MMS 2011–Microsoft Deployment Toolkit Related Sessions

MMS 2011 is approaching fast.  I am co-presenting with Michael Niehaus on MDT 2010 integration with ConfigMgr. 

BE31 MDT 2010 Update 1 Integration with ConfigMgr: Quick Start

This session will cover the setup and configuration of MDT 2010 Update 1 with ConfigMgr.  We'll cover the installation, creation of your first MDT integrated Task Sequence and creation of your first MDT boot image.  We'll also cover the necessary changes to successfully deploy Windows 7 and how to modify your boot images to add extra files.  This session will also compare a MDT integrated Task Sequence to a default ConfigMgr Task Sequence and explain the differences and why you need all those Task Sequence steps.

View the session details here.

Michael also has the following sessions:

BC07 What’s New and What’s Coming from the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit
Speaker(s): Jeremy Chapman, Keith Garner, Michael Niehaus, Mike Lewis

Although MDT 2010 Update 1 shipped last summer, our developers have not been resting. Last Nov we released an MDT add-in to convert the starting computer into a virtual machine as part of an automated deployment called “P2V Migration for Software Assurance.” We are working on up-leveling the story to manage end-to-end desktop migration projects with something currently called “Deployment Manager.” This demo and architecture-packed session is presented by the solution architects and developers.

BE01 Troubleshooting Windows 7 Deployments: In Depth
Speaker(s): Michael Niehaus

In this session, we will explore a set of common issues encountered during the Windows 7 deployment process, digging as deeply as possible into the root causes and understanding how to troubleshoot similar issues.

BC06 Windows Deployment Live Game Show
Speaker(s): Chris Jackson, Jeremy Chapman, Johan Arwidmark, Keith Garner, Michael Niehaus

MMS can be a long week of technical sessions. This year we're looking to shake things up with a 400-level game show session with deployment experts from Microsoft and leading deployment partners. All questions will be new and submitted without the knowledge of the contestants in the low-to-high 400-level range, and put to our panel of deployment experts.

Take a break from textbook technical content and experience fun technical content - join us to be a member of our live studio audience - and maybe enjoy a beer to celebrate the end of the show!