Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) build 8443

The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), build 8443, is now available on the Microsoft Download Center. This update requires the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 10, version 1607, available on the Microsoft Hardware Dev Center (adksetup.exe file version 10.1.14393.0).

You may notice that we are not tagging this release with a year or update version. To better align with the current branches of Windows 10 and Configuration Manager, and to simplify the branding and release process, we are now just referring to it as the “Microsoft Deployment Toolkit”, using the build number to distinguish each release. This is not necessarily a “current branch” of MDT; we are committed to updating MDT as needed with revisions to Windows, the Windows ADK, and Configuration Manager.

Here is a summary of the significant changes in this build of MDT:

  • Supported configuration updates
    • Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1607
    • Windows 10, version 1607
    • Windows Server 2016
    • Configuration Manager, version 1606
  • Quality updates
    • Deployment Wizard scaling on high DPI devices
    • Johan’s “uber bug” for computer replace scenario
    • Multiple fixes for the Windows 10 in-place upgrade scenario
    • Several fixes to Configure ADDS step
    • Removed imagex/ocsetup dependencies, rely solely on DISM
    • Includes the latest Configuration Manager task sequence binaries (version 1606)

Don’t Deploy Exchange Server 2016 on Windows Server 2016 For Now Due to Stability Issues

Since the release of Exchange Server 2016 Cumulative Update 3 (CU3), which added support for installing Exchange 2016 onto Windows Server 2016 servers, there’s been a series of reports in support forums and blog comments about errors that customers are seeing.

Now Microsoft has acknowledged that there is in fact a known issue, and there is no current workaround for it.

If you attempt to run Microsoft Exchange 2016 CU3 on Windows Server 2016, you will experience errors in the IIS host process W3WP.exe. There is no workaround at this time. You should postpone deployment of Exchange 2016 CU3 on Windows Server 2016 until a supported fix is available.

That’s all the detail that has been publicly released by Microsoft at this time, but the guidance is clear. You should deploy Exchange 2016 only on Windows Server 2012 R2 until further notice.

Source: https://exchangeserverpro.com/dont-deploy-exchange-server-2016-windows-server-2016-now-due-stability-issues/

Keeping WSUS Happy using PowerShell

Some time ago i found a great WSUS cleanup script. I used this at my demo lab and customer sites. WSUS need a little help Winking smile

  • Someone need to deny all patches that are superseeded, this does not happen automatically.
  • Someone needs to cleanup old content, computers, patches and such, this does not happen automatically.
  • Someone needs to care for the database, this does not happen automatically.

https://github.com/DeploymentBunny/Files/tree/master/Tools/Invoke-WSUSMaint

image

The script will do the following

Connect to a database

you might need to change this in the script.

#For Windows Internal Database, use $WSUSDB = ‘\\.\pipe\MICROSOFT##WID\tsql\query’
#For SQL Express, use $WSUSDB = ‘\\.\pipe\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS\sql\query’

Get the Superseeded Updates

Here is the Posh that fixes that:

$SuperSeededUpdates = Get-WsusUpdate -Approval AnyExceptDeclined -Classification All -Status Any | Where-Object -Property UpdatesSupersedingThisUpdate -NE -Value ‘None’ -Verbose
$SuperSeededUpdates | Deny-WsusUpdate –Verbose

Cleanup WSUS

We run each step sepratly, however, you can change that and run everything in one line…

Cleanup the DB

Last part runs sqlcmd using a .SQL file from MSFT Gallery, and yes, you can download and install the PowerShell tools for SQL and use that instead. Most of your customers dont have thoose tools installed, so sqlcmd.exe it is

Source: https://deploymentbunny.com/2016/02/03/working-in-the-datacenter-keeping-wsus-happy-using-powershell/

Setup MDT 2013 (Update 2) to encrypt Windows 10 devices (Laptops) automaticlly

This  will show you how to configure your environment for BitLocker, the disk volume encryption built into Windows 10 Enterprise and Windows 10 Pro, using MDT. BitLocker in Windows 10 has two requirements in regard to an operating system deployment:

  • A protector, which can either be stored in the Trusted Platform Module (TPM) chip, or stored as a password.
  • To configure your environment for BitLocker, you will need to do the following:
  1. Configure Active Directory for BitLocker.
  2. Download the various BitLocker scripts and tools.
  3. Configure the rules (CustomSettings.ini) for BitLocker.

Configure Active Directory for BitLocker

To enable BitLocker to store the recovery key and TPM information in Active Directory, you need to create a Group Policy for it in Active Directory. For this section, we are running Windows Server 2012 R2, so you do not need to extend the Schema. You do, however, need to set the appropriate permissions in Active Directory.

Note
Depending on the Active Directory Schema version, you might need to update the Schema before you can store BitLocker information in Active Directory.

In Windows Server 2012 R2 (as well as in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows Server 2012), you have access to the BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities features, which will help you manage BitLocker. When you install the features, the BitLocker Active Directory Recovery Password Viewer is included, and it extends Active Directory Users and Computers with BitLocker Recovery information.

figure 2

Figure 2. The BitLocker Recovery information on a computer object in the contoso.com domain.

Add the BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities

The BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities are added as features via Server Manager (or Windows PowerShell):

  1. On DC01, log on as CONTOSO\Administrator, and, using Server Manager, click Add roles and features.
  2. On the Before you begin page, click Next.
  3. On the Select installation type page, select Role-based or feature-based installation, and click Next.
  4. On the Select destination server page, select DC01.contoso.com and click Next.
  5. On the Select server roles page, click Next.
  6. On the Select features page, expand Remote Server Administration Tools, expand Feature Administration Tools, select the following features, and then click Next:
    1. BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities
    2. BitLocker Drive Encryption Tools
    3. BitLocker Recovery Password Viewer
  7. On the Confirm installation selections page, click Install and then click Close.

figure 3

Figure 3. Selecting the BitLocker Drive Encryption Administration Utilities.

Create the BitLocker Group Policy

Following these steps, you enable the backup of BitLocker and TPM recovery information to Active Directory. You also enable the policy for the TPM validation profile.

  1. On DC01, using Group Policy Management, right-click the Contoso organizational unit (OU), and select Create a GPO in this domain, and Link it here.
  2. Assign the name BitLocker Policy to the new Group Policy.
  3. Expand the Contoso OU, right-click the BitLocker Policy, and select Edit. Configure the following policy settings:

    Computer Configuration / Policies / Administrative Templates / Windows Components / BitLocker Drive Encryption / Operating System Drives

    1. Enable the Choose how BitLocker-protected operating system drives can be recovered policy, and configure the following settings:
      1. Allow data recovery agent (default)
      2. Save BitLocker recovery information to Active Directory Domain Services (default)
      3. Do not enable BitLocker until recovery information is stored in AD DS for operating system drives (Do Not Enable This Winking smile)
    2. Enable the Configure TPM platform validation profile for BIOS-based firmware configurations policy.
    3. Enable the Configure TPM platform validation profile for native UEFI firmware configurations policy.

      Computer Configuration / Policies / Administrative Templates / System / Trusted Platform Module Services

    4. Enable the Turn on TPM backup to Active Directory Domain Services policy.

(Don’t forget to disable Secure Boot & Enable the secure boot again after deployment is succes vol!!)

Set permissions in Active Directory for BitLocker

In addition to the Group Policy created previously, you need to configure permissions in Active Directory to be able to store the TPM recovery information. In these steps, we assume you have downloaded the Add-TPMSelfWriteACE.vbs script from Microsoft to C:\Setup\Scripts on DC01.

  1. On DC01, start an elevated PowerShell prompt (run as Administrator).
  2. Configure the permissions by running the following command:
    cscript C:\Setup\Scripts\Add-TPMSelfWriteACE.vbs
    

figure 4

Figure 4. Running the Add-TPMSelfWriteACE.vbs script on DC01.

Add BIOS configuration tools from Dell, HP, and Lenovo

If you want to automate enabling the TPM chip as part of the deployment process, you need to download the vendor tools and add them to your task sequences, either directly or in a script wrapper.

Add tools from Dell

The Dell tools are available via the Dell Client Configuration Toolkit (CCTK). The executable file from Dell is named cctk.exe. Here is a sample command to enable TPM and set a BIOS password using the cctk.exe tool:

cctk.exe --tpm=on --valsetuppwd=Password1234
Add tools from HP

The HP tools are part of HP System Software Manager. The executable file from HP is named BiosConfigUtility.exe. This utility uses a configuration file for the BIOS settings. Here is a sample command to enable TPM and set a BIOS password using the BiosConfigUtility.exe tool:

BIOSConfigUtility.EXE /SetConfig:TPMEnable.REPSET /NewAdminPassword:Password1234

And the sample content of the TPMEnable.REPSET file:

English
Activate Embedded Security On Next Boot
*Enable
Embedded Security Activation Policy
*No prompts
F1 to Boot
Allow user to reject
Embedded Security Device Availability
*Available
Add tools from Lenovo

The Lenovo tools are a set of VBScripts available as part of the Lenovo BIOS Setup using Windows Management Instrumentation Deployment Guide. Lenovo also provides a separate download of the scripts. Here is a sample command to enable TPM using the Lenovo tools:

cscript.exe SetConfig.vbs SecurityChip Active

CustomSettings.ini

[Default]
SkipBitLocker=YES

[LAPTOP]
TaskSequenceID=LAPTOP
MachineObjectOU=OU=Bitlocker,OU=LAPTOPS,OU=Clients,DC=wardvissers,DC=local
BDEKeyLocation=\\mdt01.wardvissers.local\Bitlocker$

Source

Free ebook: Deploying Windows 10: Automating deployment by using System Center Configuration Manager

We’re happy to announce the release of our newest free ebook, Deploying Windows 10: Automating deployment by using System Center Configuration Manager (ISBN 9781509301867), by Andre Della Monica, Russ Rimmerman, Alessandro Cesarini, and Victor Silveira.

5282.9781509301867_6F8A5B58

This ebook is also available for download at the Microsoft Virtual Academy (MVA).

Get a head start deploying Windows 10—with tips and best practices from experts in the field. This guide shows you how to deploy Windows 10 in an automated way without impacting end users by leveraging System Center Configuration Manager, which is the most used product to deploy Microsoft operating systems in the industry today.

Important notice about certificate expiration for Exchange 2013 Hybrid customers

If you’re running Exchange 2013 and you’ve configured a hybrid deployment with Office 365, this post contains important information that might impact you. Please evaluate this information and take any necessary action before April 15, 2016.

On April 15 2016, the Office 365 TLS certificate will be renewed. This certificate is used by Office 365 to provide TLS encryption between Office 365 and external SMTP servers. The new certificate, which will help improve the security of mail sent to and from Office 365, will be issued by a new Certificate Authority and it will have a new Issuer and Subject.

This change has the potential to stop hybrid mailflow between Office 365 and your on-premises Exchange servers if one of the following conditions applies to you:

  • Your on-premises Exchange servers are running Exchange 2013 Cumulative Update 8 (CU8) or lower.
  • You’ve upgraded the Exchange 2013 servers that handle hybrid mailflow to Exchange 2013 CU9 or higher. However, since upgrading to CU9, you HAVE NOTre-run the Hybrid Configuration wizard (either from the Exchange Admin Center or via the direct download link).

If one of the previous conditions applies to your organization, hybrid mailflow between Office 365 and your organization will stop working after April 15, 2016unless you complete the steps below.

Note: This only affects hybrid mailflow. Regular mailflow and TLS encryption is NOT affected.

How to keep hybrid mail flowing (MUST be completed before 4/15/2016)
Let the new Hybrid Configuration wizard do it for you

You can use the latest Hybrid Configuration wizard (HCW) to configure your Exchange 2013 servers to work with the new TLS certificate. Just follow these steps:

  1. If the Exchange 2013 servers handling hybrid mailflow are running Exchange 2013 CU8 or lower, follow the instructions in Updates for Exchange 2013 to install the latest cumulative update on at least one server.
  2. After you install the latest cumulative update, download the new HCW application and run the wizard following the instructions here .

Note: For information on which releases of Exchange are supported with Office 365, see Hybrid deployment prerequisites.

Manual update

If you can’t upgrade Exchange 2013 to latest cumulative update right now (although we would like to remind you of our support policy), you can manually configure your servers to work with the new TLS certificate. On each Exchange 2013 server that’s used for hybrid mailflow, open the Exchange Management Shell, and run the following commands:

$rc=Get-ReceiveConnector |where {$_.TlsDomainCapabilities -like “*<I>*”}

Set-ReceiveConnector -Identity $rc.Identity -TlsDomainCapabilities “mail.protection.outlook.com:AcceptCloudServicesMail

http://blogs.technet.com/b/exchange/archive/2016/02/19/important-notice-about-certificate-expiration-for-exchange-2013-hybrid-customers.aspx

Download Office 2016 with Click-to-Run for Office 365 products by using the Office Deployment Tool

There are two different versions of the Office Deployment Tool available – one for Office 2013 and a different one for Office 2016. Each Office Deployment Tool works only with that specific version of Office. You can download them from the Microsoft Download Center by using the following links:

Configuration.xml

<Configuration>
  <Add SourcePath=”d:\2016\” OfficeClientEdition=”32″ Branch=”Current”>
    <Product ID=”O365ProPlusRetail”>
      <Language ID=”en-us” />
      <Language ID=”nl-nl” />
    </Product>
    <Product ID=”VisioProRetail”>
      <Language ID=”en-us” />
      <Language ID=”nl-nl” />
    </Product>
  </Add>

  <!–  <Updates Enabled=”TRUE” Branch=”Current” /> –>

  <Display Level=”Full” AcceptEULA=”TRUE” />
 
  <Logging Name=”OfficeSetup.txt” Path=”%temp%” />

  <Property Name=”AUTOACTIVATE” Value=”1″ />

</Configuration>

Download

D:\2016\setup.exe /download d:\2016\configuration.xml

Install / Configure Office 365 (2016)

D:\2016\setup.exe /configure d:\2016\configuration.xml

Source: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/jj219424.aspx

MDT 2013 Update 2 (6.3.8330) Released

The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2013 Update 2 (6.3.8330) is now available on the Microsoft Download Center. This update requires the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 10, available on the Microsoft Hardware Dev Center. (Note that there are known issues with the v1511 release of the Windows 10 ADK and System Center Configuration Manager; these issues do not directly affect MDT although may still impact ZTI or UDI scenarios.)

MDT 2013 Update 2 is primarily a quality release; there are no new major features. The following is a summary of the significant changes in this update:

  • Security- and cryptographic-related improvements:
    • Relaxed permissions on newly created deployment shares (still secure by default, but now also functional by default)
    • Creating deployment shares via Windows PowerShell adds same default permissions
    • Updated hash algorithm usage from SHA1 to SHA256
  • Includes the latest Configuration Manager task sequence binaries
  • Enhanced user experience for Windows 10 in-place upgrade task sequence
  • Enhanced split WIM functionality
  • Fixed OSDJoinAccount account usage in UDI scenario
  • Fixed issues with installation of Windows 10 language packs
  • Various accessibility improvements
  • Monitoring correctly displays progress for all scenarios including upgrade
  • Improvements to smsts.log verbosity

There are no other new release notes or significant known issues. See the previous post for more information as much of it is still applicable (other than the fix list above).

See the following post on How to get help with MDT.

Frequently Asked Questions

In anticipation of some questions that you may have about this release (or MDT in general):

Q: Should I expect a release of MDT with every new Windows 10 and/or Configuration Manager build release?

No. We shipped multiple MDT releases this year due to the timing of Windows 10 and Configuration Manager releases, but do not intend to keep that same cadence going forward.

Q: What branches of Windows 10 does MDT support?

MDT supports both the current branch of Windows 10 as well as the long-term servicing branch.

Q: What branches of System Center Configuration Manager does MDT support?

For ZTI and UDI scenarios MDT 2013 Update 2 supports the current branch of System Center Configuration Manager (currently version 1511) for an integrated solution for deploying Windows 10 current branch as well as prior Windows versions.

Q: When is the next planned release of MDT?

We do not currently have a timeframe. We will release any tactical changes as needed which may be required to support new builds of Windows 10 or Configuration Manager, but do not currently expect this to be needed.

Q: Is this the last release of MDT?

No, we will continue to iterate and invest in the product.

Q: Why is it still “MDT 2013” when the year is almost 2016?

Two primary reasons. First, we have only made minor changes to MDT which in our opinion does not constitute a major version revision. Second, per the MDT support lifecycle, a new major version will drop support for MDT2012 Update 1 which still supports legacy platforms.

Source

Skype for Business 2015 Planning Tool

The Skype for Business Team released Skype for Business 2015 Planning Tool. This tool asks you a series of questions about your organization and the features that you are interested in. The planning tool will then use your answers to recommend a topology based on the tested Skype for Business 2015 user model.
Your organization may have a different user model. If so, you should adjust the recommended topology as necessary to fit your organization’s needs.
What’s in the Planning Tool for Skype for Business 2015?

  • The Planning Tool now allow user to have up to 10 sites, including central site and disaster recovery site
  • The Planning Tool offers capacity guidance for Skype for Business Server 2015 new and updated features listed below.
  • You can answer the questions about these features in the Planning Tool, and then the suggested topology will contain information for those features, e.g hardware, network, DNS, certificate, IP, etc, according to the Skype for Business 2015 user model.
    • Persistent Chat
    • Archiving with Exchange integration
    • Mobility
    • Multi-view Video
    • SQL AlwaysOn
    • High Availability and Disaster Recovery
    • Office Web Apps
    • Exchange Mailbox
  • Skype for Business Server Planning Tool 2015 allows you to specify IPv6 IP addresses
  • Planning Tool identifies the IP conflicts across sites in the suggest topology. You can then choose to show or hide IP conflict in the topology
  • Planning Tool offers more user-friendly FQDN/IP/Port editing dialog
  • Planning Tool updates the suggested hardware requirements, DNS, and certificates with Skype for Business Server 2015 changes
  • Planning Tool updates the planning steps and deployment steps with Skype for Business Server 2015 changes
  • Planning Tool offers better support for accessibility requirements
  • Skype for Business Server Planning Tool 2015 offers improved export of Visio and Excel files. An exported Visio file matches the suggested topology diagram in the Planning Tool as well
  • Planning Tool no longer supports the following features:
    • Virtualized server design
    • Export the Planning Tool file to Topology Builder

Get it: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=50357

Source

Windows 10 ADK update build 10586

The latest Windows 10 ADK update, build 10586, was silently released a few days ago (Thanks deploymentresearch for the download link). In this post you learn about what’s changed.

Download link: http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/8/B/38BBCA6A-ADC9-4245-BCD8-DAA136F63C8B/adk/adksetup.exe

Warning: Do NOT upgrade your ConfigMgr 2012 R2 SP1 or MDT 2013 Update 1 environments to this build yet. For ConfigMgr, even though it seems to fix the x64 UEFI / PXE and Powershell/.NET issue, which is great, the new ADK does break Computer Refresh scenarios (Bare metal works). The error code is 0x80220014. Research and discussions with the product teams in progress… MDT 2013 Update 1 yet to be validated, but error comments on twitter does not give me a warm and fuzzy feeling.

4fbe7042-d2fd-416e-a7b3-d3458a49aeec

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