Help with MDT

[Sir Asvald]

Hello All. I'm currently starting to use MDT for deploying Windows 10, Server 2012R2/2016 over the network. The MDT server is a 2012 R2 Datacenter. I'd like to get some help on how I can get the PCs to join the domain and also deploy applications such as Office 365, Chrome and the other basic software. I'm currently using WDS but I need MDT to deploy and install software as well.

 

Thank you

[Jarsky]

Have you installed the ADK? 

And setup your deployment share in the Deployment Workbench? 

 

Since you  have WDS already, you can import the Operating systems from your WDS server in Deployment Workbench. 

You can then create your new applications in Deployment Workbench for deploying your application (e.g Chrome).

You then create a task under task sequences to deploy the application (or driver)

 

To join the domain, you need to edit the Ruleset on the deployment share properties. 

Right click Deployment Share > Properties > Rules 

 

add something like:

; JOIN DOMAIN
JoinDomain=contoso.local
DomainAdmin=svc_MDT
DomainAdminDomain=contoso.local
DomainAdminPassword=passwordofaccount
MachineObjectOU=OU=Computers,OU=Desktops,DC=contoso,DC=local
; END DOMAIN JOIN

You can see more detail here from someone: http://renshollanders.nl/2015/04/mdt-put-the-domain-join-where-it-belongs/

 

You'll probably also want to go into Windows PE, and disable the 'create iso' option, so that you can create the wim images that you can then import your boot image back into WDS to handle your netboot deployment via PXE. Just run an update on the deployment share to generate the images. 

 

Also dont forget to setup your permissions on the deploy share 

 

Edit: You could also do the domain join stuff in your unattended.xml after you import it back into WDS

[jake9000]

For your apps you just need the install files for the application and you need to know an unattended/silent install switch. 

For chrome you will want to get Chrome for Enterprise and install it with msiexec /q /l GoogleChrome.msi in your MDT task sequence. 

For O365 you want to get the Office Deployment Tool, create an xml file from config.office.com, and then add setup.exe /configure mysettings.xml as part of the task sequence. 

For these apps you are also going to want to set up group policy so you can manage updates.

 

https://cloud.google.com/chrome-enterprise/browser/download/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/overview-of-the-office-2016-deployment-tool

 

Couple things you need to understand. Windows Deployment Services is the actual image installer that does all of the heavy lifting. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is a set of tools that you will use to create your reference image that WDS will use to install your new computer. 

 

 

For actually using the MDT, you really really really really need to read the official documentation. It is a complex tool that does a lot of things for you. Make sure you know what it's doing under the hood or it will just blow up your WDS. 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/deploy-windows-mdt/deploy-windows-10-with-the-microsoft-deployment-toolkit 

 

And I don't wanna be a meanie but you really have to learn how to find this stuff yourself if you want to make it in the IT field. Plus, you are a paying o365 subscriber (I assume) and are entitled to support directly from Microsoft in regards to that. 

[Sir Asvald]

4 hours ago, jake9000 said:

For your apps you just need the install files for the application and you need to know an unattended/silent install switch. 

For chrome you will want to get Chrome for Enterprise and install it with msiexec /q /l GoogleChrome.msi in your MDT task sequence. 

For O365 you want to get the Office Deployment Tool, create an xml file from config.office.com, and then add setup.exe /configure mysettings.xml as part of the task sequence. 

For these apps you are also going to want to set up group policy so you can manage updates.

 

https://cloud.google.com/chrome-enterprise/browser/download/

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/deployoffice/overview-of-the-office-2016-deployment-tool

 

Couple things you need to understand. Windows Deployment Services is the actual image installer that does all of the heavy lifting. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is a set of tools that you will use to create your reference image that WDS will use to install your new computer. 

 

 

For actually using the MDT, you really really really really need to read the official documentation. It is a complex tool that does a lot of things for you. Make sure you know what it's doing under the hood or it will just blow up your WDS. 

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/deployment/deploy-windows-mdt/deploy-windows-10-with-the-microsoft-deployment-toolkit 

 

And I don't wanna be a meanie but you really have to learn how to find this stuff yourself if you want to make it in the IT field. Plus, you are a paying o365 subscriber (I assume) and are entitled to support directly from Microsoft in regards to that. 

Thanks for the help.

 

But I am already in the IT field. I do know myself around Windows server, how to setup domain. I manage my own home network. It's just MDT is the first thing I've ever tried to use. I need to learn it because I need we use it at work, my boss told me to go and learn how to use it. Since I've only started a month and a half ago, I no admin rights to access the servers. So I'm learning using my home lab.