This isn’t PDQ Deploy package, but if you are using PDQ you probably don’t have SCCM. Microsoft Deployment Toolkit is enables you to deploy default and custom Windows images over network and PXE boot. MDT is a standalone feature that can be enabled on Windows Server machine or installed on any Windows 10 machine that will act as deployment server.
I suggest reading MDT documentation before configuring MDT in your environment.
In this repository’s folder you’ll find three most important files for unattanded Windows installation:
- Bootstrap.ini
- CustomSetings.ini
- Unattend.xml
Since .ini files don’t work when they have inline comments in them, I have listed switches I used in my implementation and their explanations. Unattend.xml file has inline comment where you have to change or input some custom settings.
Bootstrap.ini
| Switch | Explanation |
|---|---|
| TaskSequenceID | In my implementation I have used single default Task Sequence. I you use single TS, type TS’s ID as this switch’s value |
| DeployRoot | UNC path to DeploymentShare folder |
| UserDataLocation | Used for current user’s data backup. I didn’t use this |
| UserDomain | Service account’s used for accessing Deployment Share domain. Your domain |
| UserID | Service account to access Deployment Share |
| UserPassword | Service accounts password |
| OSInstall | Install OS. YES, of course |
| UserLocale | Here type chosen language code for Region |
| UILanguage | Here type chosen language code for UI Language |
| KeyboardLocale | Here type chosen language code for default system keyboard |
| KeyboardLocalePE | Here type chosen language code for default system keyboard in Windows PE |
| DomainAdmin | Service account to add computer do domain |
| DomainAdminDomain | Service account’s domain. Your domain |
| DomainAdminPassword | Service account’s password |
| JoinDomain | FQDN of domain |
| TimeZone | Here type chosen time zone code for computer’s time |
| TimeZoneName | Symbolic name of chosen time zone |
| SkipBDDWelcome | Skip MDT Welcome screen |
| _SMSTSOrgName | String that will be shown during TS execution |
CustomSettings.ini
| Switch | Explanation |
|---|---|
| TaskSequenceID | In my implementation I have used single default Task Sequence. I you use single TS, type TS’s ID as this switch’s value |
| UserDataLocation | Used for current user’s data backup. I didn’t use this |
| UserDomain | Service account’s used for accessing Deployment Share domain. Your domain |
| UserID | Service account to access Deployment Share |
| UserPassword | Service accounts password |
| OSInstall | Install OS. YES, of course |
| UserLocale | Here type chosen language code for Region |
| UILanguage | Here type chosen language code for UI Language |
| KeyboardLocale | Here type chosen language code for default system keyboard |
| KeyboardLocalePE | Here type chosen language code for default system keyboard in Windows PE |
| DomainAdmin | Service account to add computer do domain |
| DomainAdminDomain | Service account’s domain. Your domain |
| DomainAdminPassword | Service account’s password |
| JoinDomain | FQDN of domain |
| DomainOUsN | Canonical path of Active Direcotry OU’s where you store computer accounts. List OU which you want to be shown in dropdown to add computer in |
| TimeZone | Here type chosen time zone code for computer’s time |
| TimeZoneName | Symbolic name of chosen time zone |
| SkipBDDWelcome | Skip MDT Welcome screen |
| SkipApplications | Skip application installation. You don’t need this if you don’t have SCCM configured |
| SkipSummary | Skip deployment summary |
| SkipUserData | Skip restoring user data |
| SkipComputerName | Skip wizard where you type computer’s name and choose OU |
| SkipDomainMembership | Skip wizard where you add computer to domain |
| SkipTaskSequence | Skip TS wizard. YES if you use single default TS |
| SkipLocaleSelection | Skip Region and UI language selection. |
| SkipTimeZone | Skip Time Zone Selection |
| SkipAppsOnUpgrade | Skip application upgrade. You don’t need this if you don’t have SCCM configured |
| SkipCapture | Skip creating current system image from connected computer |
| SkipAdminPassword | Skip setting admin password for default local admin user |
| SkipProductKey | Skip prompt for entering Windows Serial Key |
| SkipBitLocker | Skip BitLocker activation |
| _SMSTSOrgName | String that will be shown during TS execution |
| SkipFinalSummary | Skip deployment summary |
| SkipComputerBackup | Skip file backup from connected computer |
| ComputerBackupLocaton | Location of file backup, if you don’t skip computer backup |
| SkipDeploymentType | Skip Deployment type selection. You don’t need this if you will user MDT for inital OS installs, and re-installs |
| DeploymentType | MDT have multiple Deployment types. Different processes are executed based on selected DeploymentType. NEWCOMPUTER is for initial OS installs and re-installs |
| EventService | URL to monitoring website. You have to enable monitoring in MDT Console. |
You probably noticed that some switches are used in both Bootstrap.ini and CustomSettings.ini. Bootstrap.ini and CustomSettings.ini are interchangeable. Difference between the two is that for every change to Bootstrap.ini you have to rebuild DeploymentShare, and settings are saved in boot.wim file. Computer reads CustomSettings.ini on every PXE boot, which means that you can dynamically change settings between computers, or test changes. In other words, settings saved in Bootstrap.ini are permanent and changes saved in CustomSettings.ini are dynamic.
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