Back to Part 1: Overview and Windows 7 Image Customization

Creating an MDT Application to Install AMD Catalyst Control Center

Next, let’s create an application package to install the AMD Catalyst Control Center. To do this, we need to download the latest from http://www.hp.com/support/moonshot/1500chassis-software-download:

Run the .exe to extract to a directory (cancel installation after extraction). For my environment, I’ll use ‘C:\imageprep\14.301.1001-140915a-176768C-HP-WHQL’ this is just a temporary directory that we’ll import into MDT:

In the MDT console, right click Applications and click New Application:

Select Application with Source Files:

Type AMD for the Publisher and Catalyst Control Center for the Application Name:

Type the path to the temporary folder (‘C:\imageprep\14.301.1001-140915a-176768C-HP-WHQL’) and click Move the files:

Click Next:

Type ‘Setup.exe -noui –install -output’ in the Command line field (unattended installation parameters for AMD Catalyst Control Center).

Click Next, Next, Finish. You should now see the AMD Catalyst Control Center application loaded (along with any others you had previously created). Now would be the appropriate time to add any additional applications such as the Citrix XenDesktop VDA, PVS Target Device Software, Microsoft Office, Adobe applications, etc.

Creating MDT Applications to Disable Windows Firewall and Enable Remote Desktop

Let’s repeat this process two more times to create a Disable Windows Firewall and Enable Remote Desktop applications. Use ‘Application without source files’ option when creating these. Custom commands line for each shown below:

Disable Windows Firewall

powershell -executionpolicy bypass “netsh advfirewall set allprofiles state off”

Enable Remote Desktop

powershell “(Get-WmiObject -Class “Win32_TerminalServiceSetting” -Namespace root\cimv2\terminalservices).SetAllowTsConnections(1);(Get-WmiObject -class “””Win32_TSGeneralSetting””” -Namespace root\cimv2\terminalservices -Filter “””TerminalName=’RDP-tcp'”””).SetUserAuthenticationRequired(1)”

Review the applications once they have been created:

Creating the Windows 7 x64 for Moonshot Task Sequence

Next, let’s create a task sequence to install Windows 7 to a Moonshot cartridge. Right click Task Sequences and click New Task Sequence:

For the Task Sequence ID use ‘DEPLOY-MOONSHOT’ we’ll use this field in a later step, so be sure to remember this field. The Task Sequence Name and comments are not as important:

Select Standard Client Task Sequence:

Select the Moonshot WIM image:

Complete the rest of the prompts in the wizard:

Double click the new Moonshot Task Sequence and go to the Task Sequence tab. Expand State Restore and select Custom Tasks:

Click the Add button and navigate to General –> Install Application:

Select Single Application and browse to select the AMD Catalyst Control Center. Optionally, you can change the Name of the task to keep it straight in a complex task sequence. Repeat this process to add the Disable Windows Firewall and Enable Remote Desktop applications.

Review once all have been added:

One of my favorite built-in tasks to MDT is the Windows Update pre-application and post-application steps. These tasks are disabled by default. If desired, enable these to have the Moonshot nodes automatically pull Windows updates during the task sequence:

Configuring CustomSettings.ini and WinPE LiteTouch Media

Add any additional applications as appropriate. When completed, click Apply or OK to save changes to the task sequence. Next, we’ll modify the CustomSettings.ini file to set the Moonshot task sequence as the default and to disable prompting for which task sequence to select. This is necessary as the Moonshot systems are headless, so you won’t be able to select specific tasks sequences in WinPE. Right click on the Deployment Share and click Properties.

If you used the same CustomSettings.ini settings as in my blog post, we need to change SkipTaskSequence from No to Yes. Also, we’ll add a new line called TaskSequenceID (be sure to use the Task Sequence ID you set previously). Click OK when finished. Here’s an example:

SkipTaskSequence=YES

TaskSequenceID=DEPLOY-MOONSHOT

Next, we’ll need to generate the LiteTouch WinPE files to use in WDS. Right click the Deployment Share and select Update Deployment Share:

Leave defaults and click Next, and Next.

Ensure there are no errors and click Finish:

Continue to Part 3: Installing and Configuring Windows Deployment Services and Install Demo

If you have any questions, comments, or feedback, feel free to comment below, message me on twitter or send me an e-mail.

Thanks!
–@youngtech