Words of Warning – take note!

This document is for SCCM Administrators only.

In order to use PXE network booting to image machines, both x86 and x64 images need to be made available to the PXE enabled Distribution Points.

Boot Image creation

These steps should be done only when necessary (i.e. when a new Task Sequence is released and new boot media required for driver updates, or the Management Point used for deployments is changing)

  • Make sure you have DaRT installed before doing any of this!
    • For Windows PE based on Windows 10
    • Your Host PC will need to be Windows 10 to be able to install Microsoft DaRT 10.
  • For this to work with Win 10 1809, you need to be using versions as follows:
    • Windows 10 Host PC:
      • SCCM Console Installed
      • MDT Toolkit installed, with Integration into ConfigMgr on host done
      • OS Version 10.0.17134
      • ADK Version 10.1.17763.1
      • DaRT 10 installed
    • DSCFGMAN1
      • ADK Version 10.1.17763.1
    • MDT integration into your ConfigMgr console

NOTE: the MDT Boot Image created always matches the ADK installed on DSCFGMAN1, and ignores any different version you may have uploaded to the SCCM console separately

based on the architecture, date and if appropriate the relevant Task Sequence it will be used for.

  • Use the background in the ‘BootImages’ folder called "STEP_00.bmp" from the MDT images for the background

 

  • Give the boot Image a name and version
    • Name like ‘SCCM MDT Production x86’ – including the architecture
    • Version in the format ‘YYMMDD’ like ‘171120’ and if appropriate the TS name to be used with

 

  • Chose the architecture (this image shows 32bit)
  • Chose at least 64mb scratch space

 

  • Tick "Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT)".
    If you don’t have this option, you need to cancel, install DaRT, and start from the beginning again.

  • Tick ‘use a custom background bitmap file’ and point to the folder you are saving the image in, at the copy of the background image
  • Tick the ‘enable command support (f8)’

 

  • … all done!

  • Go back into the image properties.
    • ‘Customisation’ – check the ‘Windows PE Scratch Space’ is the correct amount selected during creation (i.e., 64mb)
    • ‘Data Source’ – tick ‘Enable binary differential replication’.
    • Save – ‘you have made changes that require you to update distribution points with a new version of this package. Do you want Configuration Manager to update the distribution points now?’
      – Select ‘Yes’
    • Image will then be updated/altered.
    • Make sure HTA is enabled for the boot image. 

Add the required extra drivers to the boot images:

  • Go into each new ‘Boot Image’ properties
  • Drivers
  • * icon
  • Untick ‘hide drivers that are not in a storage or network class (for boot images)’ – as some are SCSIAdapter drivers which are actually required in the boot image.
  • Only select signed drivers
  • Add in the relevant boot image drivers
    • They should all be in a driver package for simplicity so you can see which ones are to be added

Making new boot image available as default

You must be very careful and take note of the specific order of configuration in the bullet-points below, otherwise you will run into difficulties with PXE booting computers to use OSD.

To update/replace the current PXE images you must do the following:

  • Find ALL existing PXE-enabled Boot Images, and edit the Properties of them
    • Go to ‘Data Source’
    • Untick ‘Deploy this boot image from the PXE-enabled distribution point’
    • Save your changes
  • Repeat for all other PXE-enabled Boot Images
  • the x86 version
    • Deploy the x86 Boot Image to the Distribution Points.
    • Edit the properties of the new x86 Boot Image
    • Go to ‘Data Source’
    • Tick ‘Deploy this boot image from the PXE-enabled distribution point’
    • Save your changes
  • the x64 version
    • Deploy the x64 Boot Image to the Distribution Points.
    • Edit the properties of the new x86 Boot Image
    • Go to ‘Data Source’
    • Tick ‘Deploy this boot image from the PXE-enabled distribution point’
    • Save your changes
  • You can check the image has been distributed for PXE use by looking at these folders
  • Wait until the folders above are populated, and then move on
  • Update Task Sequences to use the new boot images:
    • X86 first
    • X64 second
  • Try PXE-booting.
    You should check that the image file being downloaded (bottom of the PXE boot screen) does in-fact relate to the new x64 image, and not the x86 one, or any old images.

 

Troubleshooting Notes

If the ‘Customise’ and ‘Drivers’ tabs are missing after updating the ADK/MDT installation, then it is possible that the server needs rebooting (or at least the WMI service restarting).

This powershell code may help:

$SiteCode = "LDS"

$PackageID = "LDS00FA3"

$BootImage = Get-WmiObject -Namespace "root\SMS\site_$($SiteCode)" -Class SMS_BootImagePackage -Filter "PackageID = '$($PackageID)'" -ErrorAction Stop

$BootImage.ReloadImageProperties()