ZENworks provides an optimal solution for deploying Windows 10 using the ZENworks imaging engine.

The Windows 10 can be deployed using any of the following methods:

• Deployment via Linux Imaging Distro
• Deployment via WinPE Imaging Distro
• Deployment via MDT (Microsoft Deployment Toolkit)

Preparation of ZCM for deploying Windows 10 through ZENworks imaging

ZCM versions – To support Windows 10 in a ZCM infrastructure, you need to use at least ZENworks 11.4.1 or a later version.

NOTE:

• The latest version of ZCM available is 2020 Update 1.
• Upgrading to the latest version is highly recommended, as it provides better features of the imaging solution.
• Upgrade all the Primary Servers and Satellites to the latest available version of ZCM.

Support Matrix:

Firmware Interface

• BIOS (32 and 64-bit architecture).
• UEFI (32 bit supported only through WinPE Distro (ZENworks and third-party) and 64-bit architecture).

Disk Types

• Basic Disks
• Solid State Drive
• Advanced Format Drives

Disk Partition Type

For devices with legacy BIOS - MBR partition layout and UEFI BIOS - GPT partition layout.

Mode of Deployment through Linux imaging distro

• PXE mode
• Boot CD
• ZEN Partition
• ZEN USB

Mode of Deployment through WinPE distro

• PXE mode
• WinPE Boot CD and USB

Mode of Deployment through MDT

• PXE mode
• CD/USB using WinPE ISO

The path for the saved images in an imaging server

• Windows: %ZENWORKS_HOME%\work\content-repo\images\
• Linux: /var/opt/novell/zenworks/content-repo/images/     

NOTE:

• If required, you can create sub-folders inside the “images” folder to store the image files.

Prerequisites for taking an Image on Windows 10

• Ensure that the file system is clean by running the “chkdsk” /f command.
• Press Y when the “chkdsk” program asks for a file system check during the next boot.
• After the disk checking is complete, ensure that there are no errors in the drive and log in to Windows.
• Run the “chkdsk” command, (without the /f switch) from the command prompt and ensure that there are no errors.
• Proceed to take the image of the device.

Taking a Base Image of the Device

A base image is an image of partitions and data on a source device’s hard disks. Normally, such an image is prepared with the intent to completely replace the contents of a target device’s hard disks.

You can take an image of an existing device and use it to image a similar device or use it as a backup image for re-imaging the original device.

If you want to copy a Virtual machine/physical hardware machine, or during the image restoration on a new device, or if you want the restored managed device to generate its own GUID and register as a new object in ZENworks Control Center, before taking the image, do the following:

After installing ZENworks Agent on the device, ensure that the device has been rebooted at least once and run the below commands

• Run zac cc
• zac fsg -d
• ziswin -w
• sysprep (optional)

Windows 10 deployment using Linux imaging distro

Following are the methods in which you can deploy Windows 10 using Linux imaging distro:

Using bundles (Both registered and unregistered devices)

• Linux Imaging Script Bundle

The Linux imaging scripts are used for scripting actions to take place in the Linux distro on devices that support imaging operations.

• ZENworks Image bundle

ZENworks Images allows you to specify ZENworks images that should be restored on a computer.

• Multicast Image set bundle

Multicast Image Sets allow you to specify sets of imaging operations that should be distributed simultaneously to multiple machines.

Through manual mode (Both registered and unregistered devices)

• Distro Command mode

Windows 10 deployment using WinPE distro

Following are the methods in which you can deploy Windows 10 using WinPE distro:

Through bundles (Both registered and unregistered devices)

• Multicast Image Set

The Multicast Image Sets allow you to specify sets of imaging operations that should be distributed simultaneously to multiple machines.

• Third-Party Image

The third-Party Images allow you to specify the third-party images that should be restored on a computer.

• WinPE Imaging Script

The WinPE imaging scripts are used for scripting actions to take place in the WinPE environment on devices that support imaging operations.

• ZENworks Image bundle

ZENworks Images allows you to specify ZENworks images that should be restored on a computer.

Through manual mode (Both registered and unregistered devices)

• Distro Command mode

Windows 10 deployment using MDT

Following are the methods in which you can deploy Windows 10 using MDT,

Through bundles (Both registered and unregistered devices)

MDT Deployment

The MDT Deployment bundles allow you to deploy Windows operating system using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.

Commands used to take image/restore the image in Linux distro/WinPE distro

Take image to proxy server/local network share

• img -mp <image_name>.zmg

Where -mp stands for make proxy and <image_name> is the custom image name followed with .zmg format.

• img -ml mountpoint/<image_name>.zmg

Where -ml stands for make local and <image_name> is the custom image name followed with .zmg format.

Restore image to proxy server/local network share

• img -rp <image_name>.zmg

Where -rp stands for restore proxy and <image_name> is the custom image name followed with .zmg format.

• img -rl mountpoint/<image_name>.zmg

Where -rl stands for restore local and <image_name> is the custom image name followed with .zmg format.

Pre-Requisites to access Linux distro/WinPE distro

Primary Server

• Install the latest ZENworks version on a server.

NOTE:

• When ZENworks is installed on a server, novell-pbserv (Preboot Service) makes all Primary Servers an Imaging Server.
• Also, novell-proxydhcp (Proxy DHCP Service) is installed but it will not be enabled by default. For PXE devices to be able to communicate with Preboot Services, this must be started on at least one server on each network segment.
• For PXE to work, the firewall should be either turned off or configured to pass the DHCP traffic.

Satellite Server

• A Satellite Server is a managed device that can perform certain roles that a ZENworks Primary Server normally performs.
• The satellite Server can be any managed device (server or workstation).
• To access the Linux distro from a Satellite Server, the imaging role has to be configured on any of the managed devices.
• The imaging role installs the Imaging Services and adds the Imaging role to the device.
• Enable the novell-proxydhcp for the imaging services to get active.

To access WinPE distro, perform the following additional steps:

• You need to have a separate Windows 10 device, where WADK is configured.
• Once WADK is configured, open ZCC in the WADK machine and upload the WIM.

To upload a WIM

1. Open ZCC-->Configuration-->Device Management-->Preboot services-->Third party settings.
2. Browse 32-bit WIM and upload the same.
3. Browse 64-bit WIM and upload the same.
4. Click on Apply-->OK.
5. Once third-party imaging settings are uploaded, it will be available for the WinPE imaging operations.

Windows 10 deployment via Linux distro/WinPE distro

Creating/restoring image using Linux Distro

Manual imaging (GUI/Command mode)

• Boot device using PXE (You can also boot from Boot CD/ZEN USB/ZEN Partition).

• Press <CTRL><ALT> to display the imaging menu.

• Select, ''Start ZENworks Imaging Maintenance'' to start the Linux Imaging Environment.

• Select <F5> or Menu Option, Make Image to start.

• Select ''Server'' or ''local'' destination.

• If the “Select for more Options” is selected, the required partitions can be selected.
• The number of partitions differs according to the selected boot mode (BIOS/UEFI).

NOTE: MRP (Microsoft Reserve Partition) type cannot be saved.

In the following menu, a custom description can be stored in the image, 

• Clicking ''Next'' will start the imaging process.

• Depending on the image size and network speed, the process may take some time to complete.
• Follow the above steps to restore the image.

Alternatively, you can take/restore the image directly from the distro using the command prompt.

Creating/restoring image using WinPE Distro

Manual imaging (GUI/Command mode)

• Boot device using PXE (You can also boot from WinPE BootCD).

• Press <CTRL><ALT> to display the imaging menu.

• Select ''WinPE Maintenance Mode'' from the imaging boot menu.

• Select the network credentials to be used for accessing the device that has .wim or (.gho) files. This option is displayed only for the Windows Imaging Format (.wim) and Ghost Imaging Format (.gho).
• Now proceed to take the image.

• Depending on the image size and network speed, the process may take some time to complete.
• Follow the above steps to restore the image.

Alternatively, you can take/restore the image directly from the distro using the command prompt.

Take Image/restore image (Auto Imaging) Using ZENworks Control Center via Linux distro/WinPE distro

• Install Windows 10 on the physical hardware or virtual machines where the agent must be installed.
• Install the ZENworks agent on the device.
• After installing the agent, run the pre-take image tasks on windows 10 OS.
• To take the image, go to the ZCC page-->Create bundles with take image action and assign it to the device. Here, you can even define hardware rules and assign the bundle.
• Now, you can boot into either PXE/Boot CD/ZEN USB/ZEN Partition in the case of Linux distro and PXE/WinPE BootCD/USB in the case of WinPE distro.
• Once the device is rebooted to appropriate mode, the bundle is assigned automatically using the preboot server and it executes the defined take image action.
• It will take a minimal amount of time to take the image and for the process to be completed.
• Once the take image process is completed, the image can be found in the server path/network path whichever is selected.

To restore the image, follow the same steps on the same device/different device where the image must be restored.

Windows 10 deployment using MDT

The MDT Deployment bundle supports the deployment of the Windows operating system using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT).

Prerequisites for deploying Windows 10 using MDT:

• Install WADK on any of the Windows 10 devices.
• Now install MDT and configure the MDT.
• Once MDT is configured, now open ZCC and upload the Lite Touch WIM 32 bit and 64-bit lite touch WIM) created using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.

Currently, only PXE Auto mode and Manual PXE mode is supported as the boot mechanism for MDT Deployment.

On PXE boot, when the device queries for imaging work, the MDT Deployment environment is booted based on the architecture of the device:

BIOS Devices

• All BIOS Virtual Machines will boot only 32-bit MDT WIM (This is even applicable to WinPE Distro loading).
• 32-bit BIOS hardware will boot the 32-bit MDT WIM.
• 64-bit BIOS hardware will boot the 64-bit MDT WIM.
• For a 64-bit BIOS hardware, if the applied MDT bundle contains only a 32-bit MDT WIM, it will boot the 32-bit WIM.

UEFI Devices

• 32-bit UEFI devices (hardware and virtual machines) will boot the 32-bit MDT WIM.
• 64-bit UEFI devices (hardware and virtual machines) will boot the 64-bit MDT WIM.

To configure an MDT deployment bundle and assign devices to the bundle

• Open ZCC-->Select bundles-->Preboot bundles-->MDT Deployment bundle.
• Select the MDT WIM image that must be used in this imaging bundle, based on whether it is a 32-bit or 64-bit file, upload the WIM image in the relevant section.
• MDT deployment can be automated using either CustomSettings.ini, BootStrap.ini, or both based on requirements. Using these files, you can achieve Lite Touch Deployment to Zero Touch Deployment.
• To upload MDT settings, select the Upload MDT settings check box. After selecting the checkbox, click the browse icon and upload CustomSettings.ini, BootStrap.ini, or both settings.
• Review the configuration and then complete the bundle creation.
• Then assign the bundle to the device and proceed for Windows 10 deployment.
• Boot the device where Windows 10 must be deployed via PXE.
• MDT bundle gets assigned and Windows 10 will be deployed as per the assignment.