MDT (Microsoft Deployment Toolkit) it's a great tool that can reduce lot of times for the Deployment Tasks in every IT Pro.

Probably you will have Deploy a Windows Image with MDT.

But the process it's more complex when we have to do with the User Data.

It's your responsibility after Deploy a new Windows Image in a User PC to restore his/her Profile in the new PC/Workstation or when upgrade Windows OS version.

To reduce the time and avoid calls from users to complaints that has lost files the you can use the USMT (User State Migration Tool) with the MDT

Today i would explain step by step how can use these tools together and reduce the Deployment time.

 

Create a share Folder to save the User Profiles

First of all you must create a share folder in your Fileserver to save any User Profile that you want to Capture

• So create a folder name like userprofiles
• Share the folder as userprofiles$
• Give permissions in the same user which has give permissions in the Deploymentshare$ folder

 

Modify the CustomSettings.ini

To achieve the USMT with the MDT you must do some configurations in the CustomSettings.ini.

• Right click in the Deployment Share and select Properties

 

• Go in the Tab Rules
• Add the following lines to enable the USMT and  some automation
  • SkipUserdata=YES
  • UserDataLocation=Network
  • UDShare=\\FLSRV01\UserStateCapture$
  • UDDIR=%OSDComputername%
• Click OK
• Note that the rest settings in the Custosettings.ini depends on the requirements of every IT Professional.

 

• Right Click in MDT Deployment Share and select the Update Deployment Share

 

• Keep the Optimize the boot image updating process and follow the steps until finish the update.
• If you are using WDS be sure that you will Replace the BootImage file LiteTouchPE_x64.wim

 

 

Create a Task Sequence to save the User Profile

After you have create the share folder with the appropriate permissions it's time to create a new Task Sequence to capture the User Profile

• Open MDT
• Expand the Deployment Share
• Right click in Task Sequence and select New Task Sequence
• Type the Task Sequence ID and the Name. Click Next

 

• Select the Standard Client Replace Task Sequence
• Click Next

 

• Find the Summary of your Options.

 

• Click Next and Finish

 

 

Create a Task Sequence to Deploy the Windows Image including the User Profile

Now it's time to create the Task Sequence that you will deploy the New Windows image including the User Profile

• Right click in the Task Sequence and select New Task Sequence
• Type the Task Sequence ID and the Name that you prefer. Click Next
• Select Standard Client task Sequence. Click Next

 

• Select the Windows OS that you prefer. Click Next

 

• Select Don't specify a product key at this time. Click Next

 

• Type whatever you prefer. Click Next

 

• Select Don't specify an Administrator password at this time. Click Next

 

• See in Summary all your options. 
• Click Next and Finish.

 

 

How to Capture the User State

Now you are ready to Capture the User State from every Workstation/Laptop that you prefer.

• If you are using WDS then the only that you should do is to start the Workstation\Laptop from your Network.
• Then the MDT Wizard will start.
• Select the Task Sequence that you have create for the USMT.
• My Task Sequence is the User State as you can see.
• Click Next and Begin.

 

• I have configure the CustomeSettings.ini to has only these steps.
• Base on your requirements you can do your configuration in the customesettings.ini.
• When finish the USMT process you can go in the share folder that you create for the User Profiles and verify that a new folder has been created.
• In case that the Task Sequence finish successful but it's not created a folder with the User Profile then the most common issue that the wrong configuration of the Customsettings.ini.
• For example it takes me 2 hours to identify why the folder it's not created  while the Task sequence finish successful.
• The problem was that i had 2 lines in different location with the entry UserDatalocation=None and Userdatalocation=Network.
• Because the UserdataLocation=None was first replace the Userdatalocation=Network and nothing happened

 

How to Deploy the Windows image including the User Profile

This is the last step that you must perform while Deploy the Windows Image in the Workstations.

• Boot the Workstation\Laptop from the Windows Image
• Wait to start the MDT Wizard.
• Select the Task Sequence that you created in the paragraph Create a Task Sequence to Deploy the Windows Image including the User Profile. Click Next

 

• Type the Computer Name that you prefer. Click Next

 

• Leave the option Don't move user data and settings. Click Next

 

• Select the specify a location and type the UNC of the folder which created with the User Profile. Click Next.

• Leave the option Don't capture the image of this computer. Click Next

 

• Click Begin

 

• Wait until finish the Deployment.
• After finish the deployment go in the folder C:\Users and you will see that has restore all the User Profiles from previous Workstation.

 

User State Migration Tools it's a very powerful  tool that can use it in your environment when you have to do a multiple deployments of Windows Image while users need his/her files.

Have a nice weekend !!

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