What's New in Windows Deployment

https://technet.microsoft.com/it-it/library/ee441252%28v=ws.10%29.aspx

Pubblicato: settembre 2009

Si applica a: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2

What are the major changes?

New versions of Windows Deployment Services, the Windows Automated Installation Kit
(Windows AIK), and the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) are available to assist in the
deployment of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. Each of these tools includes new
features that improve the process of deploying Windows.

The following list describes the different Windows deployment technologies and the major changes
for deployment in this release:

Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) is a solution accelerator that collects many
Microsoft deployment technologies together into a single means of automating installations.
Using MDT, you can automate Windows operating-system installations by using Zero Touch
Installation (ZTI) or Lite Touch Installation (LTI) processes. The deployment of Windows
can be completely automated by using the ZTI method, or require a minimum of interaction
at the targeted computer by using the LTI method. ZTI uses Microsoft System Center
Configuration Manager 2007 or Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 with the
Operating System Deployment Feature Pack.

For more information about MDT, see Microsoft Deployment Toolkit

(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=160877).

Windows Deployment Services

Windows Deployment Services is a server role that was included with

Windows Server 2008; it has been updated for Windows Server 2008 R2. This version
contains new multicast features and driver-provisioning functionality. With driver
provisioning, you can deploy driver packages (along with a Windows image) to client
computers based on the hardware of the client, and add driver packages to boot images.

This version also enables you to deploy virtual hard disk (VHD) images by using an
unattended installation. For complete list of the differences in each version of Windows
Deployment Services, see Windows Deployment Services: What's New
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=140114). For more information about the changes
in Windows Server 2008 R2, see Windows Deployment Services
(http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=141973).
Windows Automated Installation Kit

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is a collection of tools and
 documentation that enable you to customize your own Windows deployment environment.
This collection of tools includes all of the Windows Setup configuration options, imaging
tools, Windows Preinstallation Environment customizations, and processes and guidance.
The Windows AIK is ideal for highly customized deployment environments and provides
extensive control and flexibility.

Who will be interested in this feature?

The following groups might be interested in these changes:

IT generalists

IT specialists
Anyone responsible for deploying Windows 7 operating systems

What new functionality does the Windows Automated

Installation Kit provide?
The following sections describe the major changes in the Windows Automated Installation Kit
(Windows AIK). For additional information about the Windows AIK, see Windows Automated
Installation Kit for Windows 7 (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=141410).

Deployment Image Servicing and Management tool

Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) is a command-line tool used to service
Windows images. You can use it to install, uninstall, configure, and update Windows features,
packages, drivers and international settings. DISM commands can also be used for servicing a
running operating system. You can use DISM to:

Add or remove 32-bit and 64-bit device drivers.

Add or remove language packs.

Enable or disable Windows features.
Add and configure updates.

Why is this change important?

DISM replaces many of the tools in previous releases of the Windows AIK, including Package
Manager (Pkgmgr.exe), the International Settings Configuration Tool (Intlcfg.exe), and the
Windows PE command-line tool (PEimg.exe). DISM provides the same functionality that Package
Manager provided and includes additional functionality when used with Windows 7 and Windows
Server 2008 R2.

DISM is installed with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. It can be used to service
Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows 7, Windows Vista with Service
Pack 1 (SP1), or Windows Preinstallation Environment images.

How should I prepare for this change?

Because DISM consolidates many tools that were included in previous versions of the
Windows AIK, any scripts or other tools that make calls to Package Manager should be updated to
make calls to DISM instead.

What existing functionality is changing?

The following tools are deprecated in this release of the Windows AIK. If you have an existing automated
environment that uses these tools, you will need to modify the environment to use DISM to deploy
Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2.

Nota
Some of these tools are not available with this release of the Windows AIK. If you intend to deploy
previous versions of Windows that require these tools, you must use the version of the
Windows AIK that included these tools.

Intlcfg.exe. The International Settings Configuration Tool (Intlcfg.exe) is used to change the
language and locale, fonts, and input settings of a Windows image. In Windows 7 and
Windows Server 2008 R2, the functionality of this tool is included as part of the DISM
tools. This release of the Windows AIK includes the Intlcfg.exe tool to enable the
configuration of Microsoft Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 installations only.

PEimg.exe. This command-line tool is used for creating and modifying Windows PE
images. The functionality of this tool is included as part of the DISM tools. This tool is not
available with this release of the Windows AIK.
Pkgmgr.exe. Package Manager is used to install, remove, or update packages on an offline
Windows image. The functionality of this tool is included as part of the DISM tools.
Package Manager is included in all Windows installations, and you can continue to use
existing scripts that call Package Manager. However, we recommend for all Windows 7
installations that you update your environment to support DISM.
PostReflect.exe. PostReflect.exe is used to reflect all boot-critical device drivers out of the
driver store in an offline image. The functionality of this tool is built into the Sysprep tool.
This tool is not available with this release of the Windows AIK.
VSP1CLN.exe. The Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 Files Removal Tool (VSP1CLN.exe) is
used to remove the files that are archived after Microsoft Windows Vista SP1 is applied to a
Microsoft Windows Vista RTM image. This tool is no longer required and is not available
with this release of the Windows AIK.

User State Migration Tool 4.0

The Windows User State Migration Tool (USMT) 4.0 is now installed as part of the Windows AIK.
You can use USMT 4.0 to streamline and simplify user-profile migration during large deployments
of Microsoft Windows Vista, Windows 7, and Windows Server 2008 R2 operating systems. USMT
captures user accounts, user files, operating system settings, and application settings, and then
migrates them to a new Windows installation. You can use USMT for both side-by-side and wipe-
and-load migrations.

The most significant new feature of USMT 4.0 is the hard-link migration store. The hard-link
migration store is for use in computer-refresh scenarios only. The hard-link migration store enables
you to perform an in-place migration where all user state is maintained on the computer while the
old operating system is removed and the new operating system is installed. This scenario drastically
improves migration performance, significantly reduces hard-disk utilization, and reduces
deployment costs.

New Windows default disk-partition structure

The default Windows installation now includes support for a separate system partition. In default
installations, Windows Setup creates two partitions on a hard disk. You can use one partition for
recovery tools, to enable BitLocker Drive Encryption, or for other features. You use the second
partition to install the operating system.

The system partition, which hosts the boot manager and related files, will no longer have a drive
letter by default. You can manually add a drive letter during installation by using the Microsoft-
Windows-Setup\DiskConfiguration\Disk\ModifyPartitions\ModifyPartition\Letter setting.

Deploy virtual hard disks with native boot

In Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, a virtual hard disk (VHD) can be used as the running
operating system on designated hardware without any other parent operating system, virtual
computer, or hypervisor. A hypervisor is a layer of software below the operating system that runs
virtual machines. Disk management tools, the DiskPart tool, and the Disk Management Microsoft
Management Console (MMC), can be used to create a bootable .vhd file. A generalized image file
(.wim) can then be deployed to the VHD, and the .vhd file can be copied to multiple computers. The
boot manager can be configured to boot the .wim file from the VHD.

Which editions include this feature?

These features are included in the Windows 7 version of the Windows AIK. DISM is available in all
editions of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

Native boot support for VHDs is available in these Windows editions:

Windows 7 Enterprise

Windows 7 Ultimate
Windows Server 2008 R2