Creating the perfect and fully automated reference image for Windows operating systems

A perfect reference image for Windows is fast to deploy, contains all security updates and all other necessary patches and possibly also applications like Office and least but not last is fully automated to achieve the best possible stability and to avoid the potential of manual errors. This guide is intended to show you how to build the perfect reference image ever made!

NOTE: I have also posted this guide to TechNet Wiki where you find an improved version of this article (although the steps in the article found below is still valid): TechNet Wiki: HOW TO: Create the perfect and fully automated reference image for Windows operating systems

There is no need to invent the wheel again as this can be achieved very easy in Microsoft Deployment Toolkit. Start by downloading Microsoft Deployment Toolkit and in the components section make sure to download and install Windows Automated Installation Kit. Start Deployment Workbench and off we go!

Note: This guide applies to everyone regardless if you are deploying Window using SCCM, MDT or any third party deployment solution.

1. In Deployment workbench create a new share for creating the reference image so start by creating a new one and name it like “Reference image build and capture share” or something of your choice.

2. Add the OS install files (repeat for each OS you want to build for) into the operating systems folder. Always include the setup files so never install just a WIM file at this stage.

3. Create a task sequence based on the Standard client task sequence (repeat for each OS you want to build image for).

4. For each task sequence edit the task sequence to enable the existing but disabled “Windows Update” step(s).

5. Edit the rules of the share by right clicking it and choosing Properties. The rules (customsettings.ini) should look like below. Replace the variables BackupShare and BackupDir with whatever the share name and directory to store the images are.

[Settings]
Priority=Default
Properties=MyCustomProperty

[Default]
OSInstall=Y
SkipAppsOnUpgrade=YES
SkipCapture=YES
DoCapture=YES
SkipAdminPassword=YES
SkipProductKey=YES
SkipUserData=YES
SkipTimeZone=YES
SkipFinalSummary=YES
SkipSummary=YES
SkipLocaleSelection=YES
SkipDomainMembership=YES
SkipComputerName=YES
SkipBitlocker=YES
SkipApplications=YES
ComputerBackupLocation=NETWORK
BackupShare=\\server\share
BackupDir=Captures

6. Modify the bootstrap.ini to look like the below information. Replace the variables according to what applies to your configuration.

[Settings]
Priority=Default

[Default]
SkipBDDWelcome=YES
DeployRoot=\\server\share
UserDomain=CONTOSO.COM
UserID=username
UserPassword=password

7. Now add to the Rules (customsettings.ini) a section named like below. This sets that the Windows Update step will point to your WSUS server, where you are in control of everything that is released by Microsoft and thereby staying 100% in control of what is in your image.

WSUSServer=http://nameofwsusserver

8. To make sure that you get a separate name for each operating system you are building a reference image for edit each task sequence to contain a Task Sequence Variable named for instance:

BackupFile=Windows7Enterprisex64.wim

9. Update the deployment share to get boot ISO which you use to boot your virtual machine and start the build process.

Remember to always build the reference image on a virtual machine to avoid potential problems related to hardware.

You could also add the Office as an application in the Deployment Workbench and to all task sequences that require it to make sure that you have a rapid deployment image ready to go.

Done! Happy deploying!

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