MBR2. GPT Mikes Tech Blog. In Configuration Manager Dynamic Drivers BIOS Management with Total Control Part 1, I talked about the requirements for the various scenarios when coming up with a solution for driver and BIOS management. I also gave a glimpse of what the Task Sequence steps look like once the solution is in place. In Part 2, I am going to show what it takes to get the solution step up and running at first glance it looks complicated, but it is actually pretty easy, especially if you download the templates below. Video summary Before getting started, there are a few assumptions 1. Software-update-collections-based-on-server-operating-systems_thumb.png' alt='Configmgr Software Updates Best Practice' title='Configmgr Software Updates Best Practice' />Configuration Manager is already running Current Branch. Windows ADK is Windows 1. In this post we will see Deploying Software Updates Using Configuration Manager, Deploying Software Updates using SCCM 2012,Software Updates. Before installing, check if your site is ready for the update Open the SCCM console Go to Administration Cloud Services Updates and Servicing. Were proud to announce the release of ConfigMgr OSD FrontEnd version 1. Download More information about ConfigMgr OSD FrontEnd is available on the. In this post we will look at the steps on how to deploy software updates using SCCM 2012 R2. Deploying the software updates for the computer. Related posts Free practice exam for 70246 Monitoring and Operating a Private Cloud with System Center 2012 Bug in Server Manager for Windows Server 2012. Configmgr Software Updates Best Practice' title='Configmgr Software Updates Best Practice' />Creators Update 1. MBR2. GPT3. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit MDT 8. Configuration Manager. A MDT Toolkit package is available in Configuration Manager. A MDT database is setup and configured. If you do not already have MDT installed and configured, please see this excellent guide at windows noob. MDT 8. 44. 3 release How can I deploy Windows 1. MDT 2. 01. 3 Update 2 integrated with System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch https www. For setting up the MDT database, see Use the MDT database to stage Windows 1. Starting off, there will be a one time modification of the MDT database, extending the database to include some custom fields that we are going to define. Add the following columns to the dbo. Settings table TARGETBIOSDATE, FLASHBIOSCMD, BIOSPACKAGE, W1. X6. 4DRIVERPACKAGE, W7. X6. 4DRIVERPACKAGE. If you manage 3. 2 bit operating systems, you can add columns for those as well. Also, as of now, there should not be a need for a build specific Windows 1. BIOS stepping this is where you need to apply one or more BIOS versions to get to the latest version. Some older models require this and additional BIOSPACKAGE columns can be created to support this. This is not going to be covered in this blog, but if there is enough interest I will cover it in a future blog. There is already a great blog called How to extend the MDT 2. MDT 8. 44. 3 and can be used as a reference. Be sure to refresh the views after adding the columns. Create BIOS Packages and Driver Packages for each makemodel. If you do not already have them for each of the models you support or if you want to get the updated releases, then check out the Driver Automation Tool the awesome guys over at SCConfig. Mgr have created. This is a great tool and will save you a ton of time. Define each makemodel in the MDT database. I do not cover Lenovo systems in this blog, so if you manage those systems then check out The Deployment Bunnys blog Modelalias User Exit for Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2. On the Details tab, scroll down to the bottom where the custom properties are listed and enter the Package IDs, Target BIOS Date and Flash BIOS command. The Target BIOS date is that that shows up in WMI for the BIOS version also seen in msinfo. YYYYMMDD format. For the Custom Settings and the Task Sequences, feel free to save some time and download them here Dynamic BIOS and Drivers Blog. Disclaimer                                                                                                                                                                                 Your use of these example Task Sequences is at your sole risk. This information is provided as is, without any warranty, whether express or implied, of accuracy, completeness, fitness for a particular purpose, title or non infringement. I shall not be liable for any damages you may sustain by using these examples, whether direct, indirect, special, incidental or consequential. Create the following custom settings file and add it to an existing reference settings package or create a new one feel free to replace SQL connection with a webservice of your choice. PriorityCSettings,MMSettings,Default. PropertiesTARGETBIOSDATE,FLASHBIOSCMD,BIOSPACKAGE,W7. X6. 4DRIVERPACKAGE,W1. X6. 4DRIVERPACKAGE. NetlibDBNMPNTW. SQLShareDeployment. Share. TableComputer. Settings. ParametersUUID, Asset. Tag, Serial. Number, Mac. Address. Parameter. ConditionOR. NetlibDBNMPNTW. SQLShareDeployment. Share. TableMake. Model. Settings. ParametersMake, Model. Parameter. ConditionAND. The following section is for a Wipe n Load Task Sequence. Create a MDT Gather step in the Task Sequence that uses the custom settings created above. This gather step will get the above entries that have been populated in the MDT database. NOTE Be sure to suspend Bit. Locker before flashing the BIOS in order to prevent being prompted for the recovery key. Also, if BIOS passwords are used, they will either need to be turned off or passed to the flash BIOS command line. Create the Update BIOS Group with the following steps and conditions 8. Set the BIOSUpdate Task Sequence variable. This variable will determine if a BIOS update is necessary based on the BIOS release date and also if TARGETBIOSDATE, FLASHBIOSCMD and BIOSPACKAGE exist. Create a Flash BIOS group. The conditions on this group are if BIOSUPDATE is TRUE and Is. On. Battery is False. Since many BIOS update utilities require AC, we do not even want to try to update the BIOS if it is running on battery. The Is. On. Battery variable is set by the MDT Gather step. It also should be checked as part of pre flight checks, but by also keeping it in the Update BIOS group, we keep it modular and this group can be used in a Software Distribution Task Sequence to update the bios existing clients. Set BIOS Variables is where part of the magic happens and is a Set Dynamic Variables Task Sequence step. This is where we set the following variables OSDDownload. Destination. Location. Type, OSDDownload. Continue. Download. On. Error, OSDDownload. Download. Packages and OSDDownload. Destination. Variable. I talked about these variables in my Hacking the Task Sequence 2. Midwest Management Summit and they may lead to a future blog post. But for now, just understand that they work with the Download Package Content step executable. We are downloading the package found in the BIOSPACKAGE variable and we are going to store the download location in a base variable called BIOS. Since there is only one package, the location will get stored in the variable BIOS0. DISCLAIMER Although these Task Sequence variables are not read only meaning they do not start with an, they are not publicly documented, which translates to use at your own risk. The Download BIOS step is a Run Command Line step that calls OSDDownload. Content. exe. This exe is tied to the Download Package Content Task Sequence step and will consume and use the variables set in the previous step. This step is also part of the magic as it will do a dynamic content location request for the package and then download it to the TS Cache. Update Directly after the Download BIOS step, it is important to insert a Reset Variables step. Since the variables are being set outside of the Download Package Content step, the variables do not get deleted. Resetting them to blank will allow any subsequent Download Package Content steps outside of this process to work normally if inserted into the Task Sequence. The Flash BIOS step is another Run Command Line step that executes the command stored in the FLASHBIOSCMD variable. It also sets the working directory to the location where the BIOS package was downloaded BIOS0. Use Continue on error or define the exit return codes so the Task Sequence does not fail. Config. Mgr OSD Front. End Version 1. 2. System Center Config. Mgr. Were proud to announce the release of Config. Mgr OSD Front. End version 1. Download. More information about Config. Mgr OSD Front. End is available on the following page, including download link and release notes Config. Mgr OSD Front. End. Whats new. Below is a list of enhancements and new features made available in this release Config. Mgr OSD Front. End now supports running a single command while the splash screen is shown and before the frontend loads. While this prestart command may only seem to support a single command being executed, its designed to support executing Power. Shell that could be leveraged to run additional commands inside a Power. Shell script file. When the splash screen is shown, a new functionality is added to this phase of loading the frontend. While loading, the frontend will now wait for an active network connection for any Wi. Fi or Ethernet adapter. In previous versions, you could not use Config. Mgr OSD Front. End as a prestart command for USB boot media. This has now been fixed, and the error that occurred when clicking the Apply button is now gone, and the frontend is now capable of logging correctly. Config. Mgr OSD Front. End and Config. Mgr Web. Service version information is now shown in the flyout menu. In addition to the check running after the splash screen is shown whether the Config. Mgr Web. Service is reachable, another check is introduced in this version that validates the minimum required version of Config. Mgr Web. Service is being used. Serial. Number property from WMI is now shown in the details panel expandable under the Computer tab. A bug to the control showing the operation details above the progressbar has been addressed. Some messages were cut off due to insufficient space set for the control. The check that runs to verify that Config. Mgr Web. Service is reachable, used to have a timeout of 2 seconds. This timeout has been increased to 1. Dependencies. Config. Mgr OSD Front. End 1. Config. Mgr Web. Service 1. You can download Config. Mgr Web. Service from below Config. Mgr Web. Service 1. Documentation and usage. Embedded in the download package for Config. Mgr OSD Front. End is a PDF file called Config. Mgr OSD Front. End 1. Documentation. This file contains all the information regarding how to get started, detailed explanation of how to use the frontend and some tips and tricks. Principal Consultant and Enterprise Mobility MVP since 2. Nickolaj has been in the IT industry for the past 1. Enterprise Mobility and Security, Windows devices and deployments including automation. Currently working for True. Sec as a Principal Consultant. Awarded as Power. Shell Hero in 2. 01. Creator of Config. Dell Windows Server 2003 R2 X64 Iso. Mgr Prerequisites Tool, Config. Mgr OSD Front. End, Config. Mgr Web. Service to name a few. Frequent speaker at conferences and user groups.