This is the third article in a series of articles in which I write about my experiences managing Windows 10 with ConfigMgr 2012 R2. In the first article, I reviewed steps for installing Windows 10 ADK and creating new boot images in ConfigMgr. In the second article, I reviewed the steps for upgrading MDT 2013 integrated with ConfigMgr 2012 R2 to MDT 2013 Update 2. In this article, I will show you how to add DaRT 10, which is available in the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 2015 to ConfigMgr 2012 R2. The same steps will apply to ConfigMgr current branch. There are many benefits to integrating MDT with ConfigMgr. One of many such benefits is using the Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset (DaRT) and the MDT monitoring capabilities for remoting into WinPE. With MDT integration, you can follow your deployments in real time, and with DaRT, you can remote into WinPE during deployment, and view real-time monitoring data from any script or app that can read open data (Odata) feeds  In this example, my site server is named SCCMPRI1.

 

Setup Monitoring for ConfigMgr

In the previous article, recall that we enabled monitoring for our deployment share and noted the settings. We now need to configure the CustomSettings.ini file in our Settings package, which we created with the MDT Task Sequence.

1. In SCCMPRI1, use file explorer and navigate to the directory to which you saved your settings package

2. Edit the CustomSettings.ini file with Notepad and add the entry highlighted below:

EventService=http://SCCMPRI1:9800

Recall that this uses same settings specified in the deployment workbench monitoring tab

3. Save your file, and update the Distribution Points for the Settings Package

 

Configure DaRT 10 Integration with ConfigMgr

1. Right-click and select Run as Administrator to run the DaRT 10 Installer (MSDaRT100.msi). Use the default settings. You can get to this installer by mounting the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP 2015) ISO to access the DaRT 10 files.

 

2. Specify the install folder, or use defaults

3. click Next and Finish

NOTE: If you encounter this error with the prompt for the mythical Windows Server 2015 , it’s likely because you didn’t run the installer with elevated privileges.

4. Locate the installation directory at C:\Program Files\Microsoft DaRT\v10

5. Copy the Toolsx64.cab and Toolsx86.cab files to architecture specific folders under C:\Program Files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Templates\Distribution\Tools\x64 and C:\Program Files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Templates\Distribution\Tools\x86 respectively.

6. Now use the MDT Wizard to create a new ConfigMgr boot image. Select Create Boot Image using MDT

7. Specify the package source location and click Next

8. Enter general settings, and click Next

9. Specify the boot image architecture of your choice, and click Next

10. In the components screen select the MDAC/ADO support, and DaRT options.

11. Click Next and Finish to complete the creation of a MDT boot image.

12. Configure the new boot image where required, distribute to your Distribution Points, and modify your task sequence to use the new boot image.

Let’s now deploy the task sequence and see DaRT in action:

 

and once the task sequence runs the Gather action, you will see the machine in Monitoring node

 

with attendant DaRT remote options

I can now use the DaRT Remote Connection Viewer to monitor the status of my installation

And after it runs to completion, I have a Windows 10 installed and ready for use.

 

This concludes the 3-part series in which I write about my experiences managing Windows 10 with ConfigMgr 2012 R2. These steps will also apply to later ConfigMgr releases. I hope you find this instructive.

 

Cheers!