Task Sequence Fails in Configuration Manager if Software Updates Require Multiple Reboots

 

If a Configuration Manager Task Sequence that leverages the Install Software Updates step installs a software update that triggers multiple reboots, after successfully running the Install Software Updates task, the task sequence can fail with the following error message:

“Task Sequence environment not found”
To resolve this issue, we recommend that you apply any updates that require dual restarts by using the usual Software Updates feature of Configuration Manager instead of using task sequences. The following software updates were reported as requiring multiple restarts. This article will be updated as more updates are reported.
2862330

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2862330/ )

MS13-081: Description of the security update for 2862330: October 8, 2013

2771431

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2771431)

A servicing stack update is available for Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012

2871777

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2871777)

A servicing stack update is available for Windows RT, Windows 8, and Windows Server 2012: September 2013

2821895

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2821895)

A servicing stack update is available for Windows RT and Windows 8: June 2013

2545698

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2545698/ )

Text in some core fonts appears blurred in Internet Explorer 9 on a computer that is running Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, or Windows Server 2008 R2

2529073

(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2529073/ )

Binary files in some USB drivers are not updated after you install Windows 7 SP1 or Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1

Read the full article: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2894518

 

 

New Platform Support in ConfigMgr 2012 R2

When Microsoft releases ConfigMgr 2012 R2 available on October 18th, along with all the other products, it will come with support for the following new platforms:

Site server and site system support will be added for the following operating systems:

  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter

Client support will be added for the following operating systems:

  •  Windows 8.1 Pro
  • Windows 8.1 Enterprise
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard
  • Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter

Download the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8.1

The Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) is a collection of tools that you can use to customize, assess, and deploy Windows operating systems to new computers.

Supported Operating System

To install the Windows ADK, your computer must be running one of the following operating systems:

• Windows 8.1
• Windows 8
• Windows 7
• Windows Server 2012 R2
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows Server 2008 R2

Direct Download Link: http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/A/E/6AEA92B0-A412-4622-983E-5B305D2EBE56/adk/adksetup.exe

Download Windows Driver Kit for WIndows 8.1

The Windows Driver Kit (WDK) includes the tools and documentation you need to develop drivers. Windows Driver Kit (WDK) 8.1 is integrated into Microsoft Visual Studio 2012 (Professional, Premium, and Ultimate) to provide you with a complete set of tools to develop, build, package, test, and debug drivers.

Direct Download Link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=317353

Windows 8.1 RTM app samples

This sample pack includes all the app code examples developed and updated for Windows 8.1 RTM. These samples should only be used with the released version of Windows 8.1 and Visual Studio 2013 RC. The sample pack provides a convenient way to download all the samples at once. The samples in this sample pack are available in C#, C++, and JavaScript

Direct download link: http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=322042

Serialized Editing of Data Objects in ConfigMgr2012 (SEDO)

A few facts about SEDO

  • 30 minute timeout for the lock – so if I am not active the lock goes away after 30 minutes.
  • Another admin want to edit the object, in this case a task sequence I can press “Retry Edit” and if the first admin have been inactive more than five minutes then control is transferred to the Admin requesting to edit it. But in difference to SCCM 2007, there will not be conflict as I as the first admin cannot save the changes I make so there are no conflicts created.
  • Admin UI crash can cause Locks

When the UI crashes and causes locks, you can easily unlock or locate the Locks

run sql mangement studio against your DB

Show locks: select * from SEDO_LockState where LockStateID <> 0

Delete locks:  delete from SEDO_LockState where id=’PLACE ID FROM ABOVE HERE’

After installing IE10, sysprep fail with error: SYSPRP LaunchDll:Could not load DLL C:WindowsSysWOW64iesysprep.dll[gle=0x000000c1]

This took me quite some time to figure out.

When running a build and capture task sequece from ConfigMgr, it won’t give any errors

Even after the image is captured and ready for re-deployment, the error appears when trying to run Setup Windows and Configmgr from a deployment task sequence. It would just break/stop right in the middel of that process, leaving your with pretty mush a useless deployment

Solution:

Set permission for group Administrators ( Full Control ) to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepCleanup

Value Name

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-5B56E42A0F80}

Value Data

C:WindowsSysWOW64iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE

replace with

C:WindowsSystem32iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE

Set permission for group Administrators ( Full Control ) to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepGeneralize

Value Name

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-CE53C91AB9A1}

Value Data

C:WindowsSysWOW64iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Generalize_IE

replace with

C:WindowsSystem32iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE

Set permission for group Administrators ( Full Control ) to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepSpecialize

Value Name

{EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-676C338DC1DA}

Value Data

C:WindowsSysWOW64iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE

replace with

C:WindowsSystem32iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE

setting this from a batch file:

IEhotfix.cmd:

regini -m \%computername% iesysprep.dll.txt  reg add HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepCleanup /v {EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-5B56E42A0F80} /t REG_SZ /d “C:WindowsSystem32iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE” /f  reg add HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepGeneralize /v {EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-CE53C91AB9A1} /t REG_SZ /d “C:WindowsSystem32iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE” /f  reg add HKLMSOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepSpecialize /v {EC9FE15D-99DD-4FB9-90D5-676C338DC1DA} /t REG_SZ /d “C:WindowsSystem32iesysprep.dll,Sysprep_Cleanup_IE” /f

iesysprep.dll.txt

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepCleanup [1] HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepGeneralize [1] HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionSetupSysprepSpecialize [1]

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Preview Now Available

MDT 2013 Preview includes:

  • Support for the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK) for Windows 8.1 Preview. (The Windows ADK for Windows 8.1 Preview is available on the Microsoft Download Center.)´
  • Support for deployment of Windows 8.1 Preview and Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview, as well as Windows 7 and Windows 8 families of operating systems.
  • Support for zero-touch integration (ZTI) with System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Preview.

Dont forget to sign up for the Client Management program on Connect in the MDT group.

 

http://connect.microsoft.com/ConfigurationManagervnext/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?DownloadID=50082