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An Introduction to the 70-682 Exam and Deployment Fundamentals

The 70-682 Exam, officially known as the "Upgrading to Windows 7 and Configuring Windows 7," was a key certification for IT professionals during the lifecycle of the Windows 7 operating system. It was designed to validate the skills and knowledge required for planning and executing large-scale deployments and migrations to Windows 7. This exam was part of the Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS) and Microsoft Certified IT Professional (MCITP) certification tracks. It signified a professional's capability to handle complex enterprise environments, making it a valuable credential for desktop support engineers, system administrators, and deployment specialists. Passing the 70-682 Exam demonstrated proficiency with a suite of powerful deployment tools and technologies. 

These included the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK), the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT), System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM), and the User State Migration Tool (USMT). The exam focused heavily on practical application, requiring candidates to understand how to build deployment strategies, create and manage system images, migrate user data, and handle application compatibility. While the technologies have evolved, the core principles tested in the 70-682 Exam remain fundamental to modern operating system deployment. 

This certification emerged at a time when many organizations were migrating from Windows XP, a massive undertaking that required meticulous planning and robust deployment methodologies. The skills validated by the 70-682 Exam were directly aimed at addressing the challenges of these large-scale projects. Therefore, preparing for this exam involved not just learning about individual tools, but also understanding how to orchestrate them into a cohesive deployment solution that minimized user downtime and ensured a smooth transition to the new operating system, a skill set that continues to be highly relevant today.

Core Deployment Strategies Explored in the 70-682 Exam

A central theme of the 70-682 Exam was the understanding and application of different operating system deployment strategies. The exam required candidates to differentiate between high-touch, lite-touch, and zero-touch installation methods and to know when each was appropriate. The high-touch with retail media method, involving manual installation from a DVD or USB on each machine, was suitable only for very small environments. It was slow, not easily repeatable, and prone to inconsistency, but it served as a baseline for understanding the need for more advanced methods. The Lite-Touch Installation (LTI) strategy was a major focus of the 70-682 Exam. This approach required limited interaction from a technician to initiate the deployment process. LTI typically leveraged tools like the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and Windows Deployment Services (WDS). A technician could boot a client computer from the network, select a deployment task sequence, and the rest of the process would be largely automated. This method provided a balance between automation and control, making it a popular choice for medium-sized businesses and for creating reference images. The most advanced strategy covered was the Zero-Touch Installation (ZTI). This method, as the name implies, aimed for complete automation with no technician intervention required at the client machine. ZTI was the gold standard for large enterprise environments and relied on powerful management solutions like System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). The 70-682 Exam tested the ability to configure SCCM for operating system deployment, integrating it with other tools to create a fully automated solution for deploying Windows 7 to thousands of computers efficiently and consistently.

Understanding the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK)

The Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) was a foundational component for anyone preparing for the 70-682 Exam. The WAIK was a collection of tools and documentation that supported the configuration and deployment of Windows operating systems. It was the toolbox from which many other deployment solutions, including MDT and SCCM, drew their core components. A deep understanding of the tools within the WAIK was essential for customizing and troubleshooting deployments. Mastery of these tools was a prerequisite for tackling the more complex scenarios presented in the exam. One of the most critical tools in the WAIK was the Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM). This tool was used to create and manage unattended installation answer files, commonly known as unattend.xml. These XML files contained settings that automated the responses to the prompts that would normally appear during a manual Windows installation, such as language selection, disk partitioning, and product key entry. The 70-682 Exam required candidates to be proficient in creating and modifying these answer files to achieve customized and automated installations. Other key WAIK tools included ImageX (later replaced by DISM), which was a command-line tool for capturing, modifying, and applying WIM (Windows Imaging Format) images. The User State Migration Tool (USMT) for migrating user files and settings, and the Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE), a lightweight version of Windows used to boot computers for deployment or recovery purposes, were also integral parts of the WAIK. The 70-682 Exam tested not just what these tools were, but how they worked together in a deployment process.

The Role of Windows Imaging Format (WIM)

The Windows Imaging Format (WIM) is a file-based disk imaging format that was introduced with Windows Vista and was a central concept in the 70-682 Exam. Unlike sector-based imaging formats that copy a disk sector by sector, the WIM format captures files and folders. This file-based approach provided several significant advantages. It allowed for a single WIM file to contain multiple images, typically for different editions of Windows, using a single-instancing technology where duplicate files were stored only once, resulting in a much smaller image file size. The non-destructive nature of WIM images was another key benefit tested in the 70-682 Exam. An image could be applied to a partition without destroying the other partitions on the disk. Furthermore, WIM images could be mounted and serviced offline. This meant that a deployment technician could mount a WIM file as a folder in their file system and then add or remove files, drivers, and software updates directly to the image without having to boot it. This capability, managed by the ImageX or DISM command-line tools, was crucial for maintaining and updating deployment images over time. Understanding the difference between a thin image and a thick image was also important for the 70-682 Exam. A thin image contains only the base operating system, with applications and customizations applied during the deployment process via a task sequence. A thick image, on the other hand, has the operating system and all standard corporate applications pre-installed. While a thick image could lead to faster deployments, it was much larger and harder to maintain. The exam required candidates to weigh the pros and cons of each approach for different deployment scenarios.

Introduction to Windows Deployment Services (WDS)

Windows Deployment Services (WDS) was the successor to Remote Installation Services (RIS) and played a pivotal role in the network-based deployment strategies covered by the 70-682 Exam. WDS is a server role in Windows Server that allows for the network-based installation of Windows operating systems. It is particularly important for Lite-Touch and Zero-Touch installations, as it provides the mechanism for client computers to boot from the network and receive the necessary deployment files. WDS worked in conjunction with PXE (Preboot Execution Environment), DHCP, and Active Directory. The 70-682 Exam required a thorough understanding of how to install, configure, and manage WDS. This included configuring the PXE server component to respond to client requests, adding boot images (WinPE) and install images (WIM files) to the WDS server, and managing device drivers. For client computers to boot from the network, the DHCP server had to be configured to point them to the WDS server. WDS also had a multicast deployment feature, which allowed a single image to be deployed to multiple computers simultaneously, significantly reducing network bandwidth consumption in large-scale deployments. While WDS could be used as a standalone deployment solution for basic installations, its true power, as highlighted in the 70-682 Exam, was realized when it was integrated with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT). In an MDT environment, WDS was primarily used to boot the client into the MDT's customized WinPE environment. From there, the MDT task sequence would take over the rest of the deployment process, providing a much richer and more customizable deployment experience than WDS could offer on its own.

Planning a Windows 7 Migration Project

A significant portion of the 70-682 Exam was dedicated to the planning phase of a migration project. The exam stressed that a successful deployment is built on a foundation of careful planning and assessment. This process began with an inventory of the existing hardware and software environment. It was critical to determine which computers met the minimum hardware requirements for Windows 7 and which applications were currently in use across the organization. This inventory phase was crucial for identifying potential compatibility issues early in the project. The Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) was a key tool for this phase. The ACT helped administrators collect an inventory of applications, analyze them for potential compatibility issues with Windows 7, and test mitigation strategies. The 70-682 Exam required candidates to know how to use the ACT to gather data and make informed decisions about application remediation. This could involve upgrading the application, applying a compatibility fix (shim), or using a virtualization technology like MED-V to run the legacy application. Another critical planning element was user state migration. The exam emphasized the importance of capturing users' files, documents, and settings from their old computers and restoring them to their new Windows 7 machines to ensure a seamless transition. The User State Migration Tool (USMT) was the primary tool for this purpose. Planning for a migration involved defining what user data needed to be captured, configuring the USMT's XML files to control the migration process, and deciding on a storage location for the captured data, such as a network share or a state migration point in SCCM.

Building the Deployment Environment

Preparing for the 70-682 Exam required hands-on experience in building a complete deployment environment from scratch. This involved setting up the necessary server infrastructure to support the chosen deployment strategy. At a minimum, this would include a server running Active Directory, DNS, and DHCP. For network-based deployments, a Windows Deployment Services (WDS) server was also essential. This foundational infrastructure provided the necessary services for client authentication, name resolution, IP address assignment, and network booting. On top of this infrastructure, the core deployment tools had to be installed and configured. This meant installing the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK) to get access to tools like Windows SIM and DISM. For a Lite-Touch environment, the next step was to install the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) and create a deployment share. The 70-682 Exam tested the ability to configure this deployment share, which involved importing the operating system source files, adding applications and drivers, and creating the task sequences that would orchestrate the deployment. For a Zero-Touch environment, the setup was more complex, requiring the installation and configuration of System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). This involved setting up SCCM sites and site roles, such as the management point, distribution point, and state migration point. The WDS role had to be integrated with SCCM to enable PXE-initiated deployments. The 70-682 Exam required a deep understanding of this complex integration and the ability to troubleshoot issues that could arise between the different components of the deployment infrastructure.

Introduction to Task Sequences

Task sequences are the heart of automated deployment with MDT and SCCM, and they were a central topic in the 70-682 Exam. A task sequence is a series of steps or actions that are executed in a specific order on a client computer to perform a task, such as deploying an operating system. These sequences are highly customizable and provide a powerful framework for automating even the most complex deployment scenarios. The exam required candidates to be able to create, modify, and troubleshoot task sequences for various deployment scenarios, including new computer installations, upgrades, and computer replacements. In the context of the 70-682 Exam, a typical OS deployment task sequence included steps for partitioning the hard drive, applying the operating system image, injecting drivers, installing the configuration manager client, installing applications, and restoring user data. Task sequences also included logic, such as conditional statements (if/then), that allowed the sequence to behave differently based on variables like the computer model or the deployment scenario. This flexibility was key to creating a single task sequence that could handle a variety of hardware and deployment needs. Understanding the flow of a task sequence was crucial. The process started in the Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE), where the initial steps like disk formatting and image application occurred. The computer would then reboot into the newly installed operating system, and the task sequence would automatically continue, running in the full OS to complete the remaining steps like application installation and final configuration. The ability to read and interpret the logs generated by the task sequence engine (smsts.log) was an essential troubleshooting skill for the 70-682 Exam.

Exploring the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT)

The Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) was a cornerstone of the technologies tested in the 70-682 Exam. MDT is a free solution accelerator from Microsoft that provides a unified collection of tools, processes, and guidance for automating desktop and server deployments. It is not a standalone deployment product but rather a framework that brings together and enhances the tools found in the Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). MDT's primary goal is to simplify and accelerate the deployment process, making it more consistent and repeatable. MDT is most closely associated with the Lite-Touch Installation (LTI) strategy, which was a major focus of the 70-682 Exam. In an LTI scenario, a technician initiates the deployment, but the majority of the process is automated by MDT. This is managed through a central console called the Deployment Workbench. From this console, administrators can manage all the components of their deployment solution, including operating system images, device drivers, applications, and the task sequences that bring them all together. A thorough understanding of the Deployment Workbench was essential for the exam. While MDT is often used for LTI, the 70-682 Exam also highlighted its role in creating the reference images that would be used in a Zero-Touch Installation (ZTI) with System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). Building a clean, fully patched, and standardized reference image is a critical first step in any large-scale deployment. MDT provides a controlled, automated environment for building these "gold" images, ensuring that all deployments start from a consistent and trusted source. This image creation process was a key skill tested on the exam.

The Architecture of MDT and Deployment Shares

To succeed on the 70-682 Exam, a deep understanding of the MDT architecture was required. At the heart of MDT is the concept of a deployment share. This is simply a network file share that contains all the necessary content for a deployment. When you create a deployment share using the Deployment Workbench, MDT builds a specific folder structure to organize the content. This includes folders for operating systems, applications, device drivers, packages (like language packs and security updates), and task sequences. The Deployment Workbench is the graphical user interface used to manage the contents of one or more deployment shares. The 70-682 Exam required candidates to be proficient in using this tool to import OS source files, add applications, manage drivers, and create task sequences. One of the key actions performed from the Deployment Workbench is updating the deployment share. This process generates the customized boot images (both x86 and x64) that will be used to start the deployment process on client machines. These boot images are essentially Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) images that have been customized by MDT. They contain the necessary scripts and tools to connect to the deployment share, authenticate, and begin the task sequence process. For network booting, these boot images are added to Windows Deployment Services (WDS). For deployments from media, the Workbench can be used to generate ISO files or USB drive content that contains these boot images and, optionally, the entire content of the deployment share for offline deployments. Understanding this entire workflow was critical for the 70-682 Exam.

Managing Operating Systems and Drivers

A fundamental task for any deployment administrator, and a key skill tested on the 70-682 Exam, is the management of operating system images and device drivers within MDT. The Deployment Workbench provides a structured way to handle these components. Operating systems can be imported from the original source files (the full DVD/ISO content), from custom WIM files, or from images captured by WDS. Once imported, they are listed in the Operating Systems node and can be selected in a task sequence for deployment. Driver management is one of MDT's most powerful features. The 70-682 Exam emphasized the importance of having the correct drivers available during deployment to ensure that all hardware components function correctly in the new operating system. MDT allows you to import drivers into the Out-of-Box Drivers node of the Deployment Workbench. A best practice, and a concept often tested, is to create a folder structure within this node to organize drivers by manufacturer and model. This makes managing a large number of drivers much more efficient. MDT uses a process called dynamic driver injection to ensure that only the necessary drivers are installed on a given computer. During the deployment, the task sequence can query the computer's hardware using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) to determine its make and model. It can then use this information to inject only the drivers that match that specific model from the organized folder structure in the deployment share. The 70-682 Exam required an understanding of how to configure task sequences and selection profiles to manage this driver injection process effectively.

Application Management and Deployment in MDT

Deploying an operating system is only part of the job; getting the right applications onto the user's machine is equally important. The 70-682 Exam covered application management within MDT in detail. The Deployment Workbench allows administrators to add applications that can be installed as part of a task sequence. Each application entry in the Workbench requires a source path for the installation files and a quiet or unattended installation command. This ensures that the application can be installed without any user interaction during the automated deployment. The exam required an understanding of how to determine the correct silent install switches for various types of installers, such as MSI packages (which typically use msiexec /i application.msi /qn) and EXE-based installers (which have varied and often vendor-specific switches). Getting these command lines right was crucial for a fully automated deployment. Once added to MDT, applications can be selected during a Lite-Touch deployment from a list presented by the MDT wizard, or they can be pre-programmed into a task sequence to be installed automatically. MDT also provides the ability to group applications into bundles. This is useful for installing suites of software or for deploying a standard set of applications to a specific department. For example, you could create a "Finance Department" application bundle that includes accounting software and specific spreadsheet add-ins. The 70-682 Exam tested the ability to use these features to create a flexible and organized application deployment strategy that meets the needs of different user groups within an organization.

Customizing Deployments with Task Sequences

Task sequences were the engine of MDT deployments, and the 70-682 Exam demanded a thorough understanding of how to create and customize them. MDT comes with several pre-defined task sequence templates for common scenarios, such as the "Standard Client Task Sequence," which is used for deploying a new operating system. While these templates provide a solid starting point, the real power of MDT lies in the ability to customize them. Candidates were expected to know how to add, remove, and reorder steps within a task sequence to meet specific requirements. A task sequence is organized into groups and steps. For example, the "Preinstall" group contains steps that run in WinPE, while the "State Restore" group has steps for restoring user data and installing applications in the full operating system. The 70-682 Exam might present a scenario and ask you to determine where in the task sequence a particular custom action should be placed. For instance, a step to apply a custom security template would typically be placed in the "Post-install" group before applications are installed. Beyond just adding built-in steps, task sequences can be extended with custom scripts (VBScript or PowerShell). This allows for virtually unlimited customization. You could add a script to set specific registry keys, configure a proprietary piece of software, or dynamically name the computer based on its serial number. The 70-682 Exam tested the understanding of how to integrate these scripts into a task sequence and how to use task sequence variables to pass information between steps, enabling a truly dynamic and automated deployment process.

The MDT Database and Deployment Automation

To further automate Lite-Touch deployments and reduce the number of wizard screens a technician needs to click through, MDT can be integrated with a SQL Server database. This was an advanced topic on the 70-682 Exam that demonstrated a deeper level of expertise. The MDT database can be used to pre-stage information about computers and their corresponding deployment settings. By storing information in the database, MDT can automatically populate or even skip the wizard pages, moving closer to a "Zero-Touch" experience even without SCCM. The database can store information based on a computer's MAC address, serial number, UUID, or asset tag. For each computer entry, you can specify details such as the computer name, the task sequence to be executed, applications to be installed, and administrative credentials. When the deployment process starts, MDT queries the database using the computer's identifying information and automatically applies the settings it finds. The 70-682 Exam required an understanding of how to set up this database integration and populate it with computer-specific data. The MDT database can also be used to assign settings based on roles. For example, you could create a role for "Marketing Laptops" and define a standard set of applications and configuration settings for that role. When a computer is assigned that role in the database, it automatically receives all the associated settings. This role-based configuration is a powerful way to standardize deployments for different departments or user types, and it was a key concept for advanced automation scenarios on the 70-682 Exam.

Configuring the bootstrap.ini and customsettings.ini Files

The behavior of the MDT deployment process is controlled by a set of rules defined in two key files: bootstrap.ini and customsettings.ini. A deep understanding of these files and the properties that can be set within them was absolutely essential for the 70-682 Exam. The bootstrap.ini file contains the minimal information needed for the WinPE environment to connect to the deployment share. This includes the network path to the deployment share and the credentials needed to access it. These settings are compiled into the boot image when the deployment share is updated. The customsettings.ini file is the main rules engine for the deployment. It is processed after WinPE has connected to the deployment share and is used to control almost every aspect of the task sequence. This file uses a simple INI format with sections and properties. For example, you can set the OSInstall=Y property to automate the OS installation screen or set SkipAdminPassword=YES to bypass the page for setting the local administrator password. The 70-682 Exam often presented scenarios that required candidates to choose the correct property to achieve a specific automation goal. The customsettings.ini file is also dynamic. It can have different sections for different situations, based on variables like the computer's make and model or its default gateway (to identify its physical location). This allows for highly targeted configurations. For example, you could have a section for Dell laptops that sets specific driver paths and another for computers at a specific branch office that sets the local time zone. The ability to write and interpret these dynamic rules was a hallmark of an expert MDT administrator and a key skill for the 70-682 Exam.

Creating and Deploying Reference Images with MDT

As mentioned earlier, one of the primary use cases for MDT, and a key topic on the 70-682 Exam, is the creation of reference images. A reference image is a clean, fully patched, and standardized build of an operating system, often with a few core applications like the Microsoft Office suite already installed. This image serves as the master or "gold" template for all subsequent deployments. Building this image in a repeatable, automated fashion using MDT is a crucial best practice. To do this, you would create a "Build and Capture" task sequence in MDT. This special type of task sequence is designed to be run on a virtual machine. It installs the operating system from the original source files, applies all the latest Windows updates (often by connecting to a WSUS server), installs any core applications you specify, and then, as a final step, runs the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep) to generalize the image. After Sysprep, the task sequence automatically captures the state of the virtual machine's hard drive into a new WIM file. This captured WIM file is your reference image. It can then be imported back into MDT (or into SCCM) and used in a standard deployment task sequence. The 70-682 Exam emphasized the benefits of this approach. It ensures that every deployment starts from a known, consistent, and up-to-date baseline, which significantly reduces the time it takes to deploy a new computer and minimizes the number of post-deployment updates required. The ability to describe and execute this entire build and capture process was a critical competency for the exam.

Introduction to System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM)

For large enterprise environments, the ultimate goal is a Zero-Touch Installation (ZTI), and the tool that enabled this for the 70-682 Exam was System Center Configuration Manager (SCCM). SCCM, part of the Microsoft System Center suite, is a comprehensive management solution for managing large groups of computers. While it has many capabilities, including software distribution, update management, and hardware inventory, its Operating System Deployment (OSD) feature set was a major focus of the exam. SCCM takes the automation concepts from MDT to the next level, enabling fully automated, large-scale deployments. Unlike MDT, which is a free toolkit, SCCM is a full enterprise product with a complex infrastructure of site servers and site roles. The 70-682 Exam required a high-level understanding of this infrastructure and the key roles involved in OSD. These include the Management Point, which facilitates communication between clients and the site server, and the Distribution Point, which stores the content (like OS images and application packages) that needs to be delivered to clients. The State Migration Point is another key role, used to store user data during a computer replacement scenario. The power of SCCM for OSD lies in its integration with the client agent. Once the SCCM client is installed on a machine, administrators have full control over it, allowing them to initiate deployments remotely without any user or technician intervention. This capability to "push" an operating system to a machine is what truly defines a Zero-Touch Installation. The 70-682 Exam tested the ability to configure and use these powerful features to manage the entire lifecycle of a desktop operating system.

Integrating MDT with SCCM for Enhanced OSD

While SCCM has its own powerful OSD capabilities, the 70-682 Exam highlighted the significant benefits of integrating it with the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT). When you integrate MDT with SCCM, it adds a wealth of additional functionality and simplifies the OSD process. The integration adds new task sequence templates to the SCCM console and provides a wizard for creating a "MDT Boot Image," which is a more feature-rich WinPE image than the default SCCM boot image. The primary advantage of this integration, and a key concept for the 70-682 Exam, is that it brings the dynamic configuration capabilities of MDT's rules engine (customsettings.ini) into the SCCM environment. This allows for much more flexible and intelligent task sequences. For example, you can use the familiar MDT rules to dynamically name a computer, set task sequence variables, or install applications based on hardware type or location, all within an SCCM task sequence. This combines the flexibility of MDT with the scalability and power of SCCM. The integration also provides a monitoring component within the SCCM console that gives a real-time, graphical view of the progress of your MDT-driven deployments. This makes it much easier to track and troubleshoot deployments across a large environment. For anyone preparing for the 70-682 Exam, understanding that MDT was not just for Lite-Touch but also a critical enhancement for Zero-Touch was essential. The best-practice approach for enterprise OSD almost always involved this powerful combination.

Configuring the SCCM OSD Environment

Setting up the SCCM environment for Operating System Deployment was a complex task, and the 70-682 Exam required a solid understanding of the necessary components and configuration steps. The process begins with ensuring the foundational site roles, like the Management Point and Distribution Point, are healthy. For OSD, you must specifically configure a Distribution Point to respond to PXE requests. This involves enabling the PXE role on the Distribution Point and integrating it with Windows Deployment Services (WDS), which must be installed on the same server. Once the infrastructure is ready, you need to add the necessary content to the SCCM console. This is similar to the process in MDT but is managed within the SCCM Software Library. You must add at least one boot image to handle the network boot process. You also need to add the operating system images (typically the reference images created with MDT) and any operating system installer packages. The 70-682 Exam tested the ability to manage this content, which includes distributing it to the appropriate Distribution Points to ensure it is available to clients in different network locations. Finally, you must configure the Configuration Manager client package and the User State Migration Tool (USMT) package. The client package is used to install the SCCM client as one of the final steps in the task sequence, bringing the newly deployed machine under SCCM management. The USMT package contains the necessary files to capture and restore user data. Having all of these components correctly configured and distributed is a prerequisite for creating and deploying an OSD task sequence, a core competency for the 70-682 Exam.

Creating and Deploying a ZTI Task Sequence in SCCM

The process of creating an OSD task sequence in SCCM was a central skill for the 70-682 Exam. The SCCM console provides a wizard to create a new task sequence. If you have integrated MDT, you will have access to the "MDT Client Task Sequence" template, which is the recommended starting point. The wizard guides you through selecting the boot image, the OS image, the client configuration package, and the USMT package. It also prompts for initial settings like the local administrator password and product key. Once the task sequence is created, it can be edited in the task sequence editor, which is very similar to the one in MDT. You can add, remove, and customize steps to meet your specific needs. This includes steps to install software packages and applications, apply Windows settings, and run custom scripts. A key difference in SCCM is how content is referenced. Instead of using a UNC path like in MDT, each piece of content (like an application or package) must be created in SCCM first and then referenced by a step in the task sequence. To make the task sequence available to clients, it must be deployed. The 70-682 Exam required an understanding of the deployment process. A deployment links a task sequence to a specific collection of computers. You can make the deployment "Available," which means users can choose to run it from the Software Center, or "Required," which means it will run automatically at a scheduled time. For bare-metal deployments, the task sequence is deployed to a collection of unknown computers, allowing new machines to be imaged as soon as they are plugged into the network.

Managing Packages and Applications for OSD

Software distribution in SCCM has two primary models: the classic package model and the newer application model. The 70-682 Exam required an understanding of both, especially in the context of an OSD task sequence. The package model is simpler. You create a package that points to the source files for an installation and define one or more programs, which are the command lines to run the installation. In a task sequence, you would use the "Install Package" step to run one of these programs. This model is straightforward but lacks intelligence. The application model, introduced in SCCM 2012, is much more powerful and flexible. An application can have multiple deployment types. For example, a single application object for Adobe Reader could have a deployment type for the MSI installer, another for an App-V virtualized package, and another for a mobile device version. The application model also supports detection methods, which allow the SCCM client to determine if the application is already installed before attempting to install it again. It also supports requirements, so an application will only install if the client meets certain criteria, like having enough disk space. In an OSD task sequence, you can use the "Install Application" step to deploy applications using this model. The 70-682 Exam emphasized the benefits of the application model, as it is more robust and allows for user-centric deployments where applications can be assigned to users and follow them to any device they log into. However, the simpler package model was still frequently used for utility scripts or simple installations within a task sequence.

Driver Management in SCCM

Driver management in SCCM is conceptually similar to MDT but is handled with a different set of tools and processes, which were important to understand for the 70-682 Exam. Like in MDT, drivers are first imported into the SCCM console. They are stored in a driver source location and their metadata is added to the SCCM database. Once imported, drivers can be organized into driver packages. A driver package is simply a collection of drivers that will be copied to a Distribution Point. A common strategy is to create a driver package for each specific hardware model. To get the correct drivers installed during a task sequence, SCCM offers a few methods. The simplest is the "Apply Driver Package" step. You can add a step to the task sequence for each hardware model you support, with a WMI query condition on the step that checks for that specific model. The step will only run if the WMI query matches, and it will then download and install all the drivers from the specified driver package. This method is effective but can lead to a long and complex task sequence if you support many hardware models. A more dynamic and scalable method covered in the 70-682 Exam is the "Auto Apply Drivers" step. This step instructs the client to look at its detected hardware devices and then search the entire SCCM driver catalog for the best matching drivers that have been assigned to a specific category. This method requires more care in categorizing drivers upon import but can significantly simplify the task sequence, often reducing the driver installation section to a single step. Choosing the right driver management strategy was a key decision point in deployment planning.

Understanding Unknown Computer Support

A critical feature for bare-metal deployments in SCCM, and a topic for the 70-682 Exam, is "Unknown Computer Support." When a brand new computer with no operating system and no SCCM client boots from the network via PXE, SCCM considers it an "unknown computer." To deploy an operating system to these machines, you must specifically enable unknown computer support in the SCCM environment and deploy a task sequence to one of the two "Unknown Computers" collections that SCCM creates by default. This feature allows for true zero-touch deployment of new hardware. A technician can simply unbox a new computer, plug it into the network, power it on, and have it automatically boot via PXE and start the imaging process. The 70-682 Exam required an understanding of the security implications of this feature. Because it allows any unknown computer on the network to request a deployment, it is often protected by a PXE password or restricted to specific MAC addresses to prevent unauthorized or accidental deployments. In some environments, instead of using unknown computer support, administrators will pre-stage computer objects in SCCM. This involves creating a computer object in the SCCM console and associating it with the MAC address of the new machine before it is deployed. The new computer is then no longer "unknown," and a task sequence can be deployed directly to that specific computer object. This method provides more control and security but requires more administrative overhead than using the unknown computer support feature. The exam expected knowledge of both approaches.

Troubleshooting OSD in SCCM

Troubleshooting is a critical skill for any deployment administrator, and the 70-682 Exam included topics related to diagnosing and resolving OSD failures in SCCM. The most important troubleshooting tool is the log files. The SCCM task sequence engine logs its progress in a file called smsts.log. Knowing the location of this log file at different stages of the deployment was essential. In WinPE, it is typically found at X:\Windows\Temp\SMSTSLog\smsts.log. After the OS is installed and the client is running, it moves to C:\Windows\CCM\Logs\SMSTSLog. The smsts.log file provides a detailed, step-by-step account of everything the task sequence engine is doing. It shows which steps have completed successfully and provides detailed error codes when a step fails. The 70-682 Exam required the ability to read this log file, identify the point of failure, and interpret the error codes to determine the root cause of a problem. For example, an error code of 0x80070002 often indicated that the task sequence could not find a piece of content it needed, pointing to a problem with a Distribution Point. Beyond the smsts.log, other log files were also important. The driver setup log (setupapi.dev.log) was useful for troubleshooting driver installation issues. The SCCM client installation log (ccmsetup.log) helped diagnose problems with the client agent installation. The 70-682 Exam emphasized a methodical approach to troubleshooting: identify the failure from the log files, understand the error, form a hypothesis about the cause, and then take steps to test that hypothesis and resolve the issue.

The Importance of User State Migration

A successful operating system deployment is about more than just the technical aspects of getting the OS and applications onto a machine. For the end-user, a successful migration is one where their personal data and settings are preserved. The 70-682 Exam placed a strong emphasis on this human-centric aspect of deployment through the topic of user state migration. This is the process of capturing a user's files, folders, and application settings from their old computer and restoring them to their new machine, providing a seamless transition and minimizing productivity loss. The primary tool from Microsoft for this purpose, and a key focus of the 70-682 Exam, was the User State Migration Tool (USMT). USMT is a command-line tool with a powerful and configurable scripting engine that allows administrators to precisely control what is captured and restored. It is not a tool for end-users; it is designed to be scripted and integrated into an automated deployment process, such as an MDT or SCCM task sequence. A deep understanding of USMT's components and configuration files was necessary for the exam. There are two main scenarios for user state migration. The "refresh" scenario is where a user's existing computer is being wiped and reloaded with the new operating system. In this case, the user state is captured and stored locally on the hard drive (in a protected folder) or on a network share before the drive is wiped. The "replace" scenario is where a user is getting a new physical computer. Here, the user state is captured from the old machine and stored on a network location, ready to be restored to the new machine after it has been deployed. The 70-682 Exam covered both scenarios.

Understanding the User State Migration Tool (USMT)

The USMT, as covered in the 70-682 Exam, consists of two main executable files: ScanState.exe and LoadState.exe. ScanState.exe is the tool that runs on the source computer. It scans the machine, collects the user files and settings according to a set of XML rule files, and saves them into a compressed migration store file, which has a .MIG extension. This migration store is a single, encrypted file that contains all the captured user data. LoadState.exe is the tool that runs on the destination computer after the new operating system has been installed. It takes the migration store file created by ScanState as its input, unpacks the data, and restores the files and settings to the appropriate locations on the new user profile. The 70-682 Exam required a detailed understanding of the command-line syntax for both ScanState and LoadState, including the various switches used to control their behavior, such as specifying the migration store path, enabling encryption, and referencing the configuration XML files. USMT uses a set of default XML files (MigApp.xml, MigUser.xml, and MigDocs.xml) to define what gets migrated. MigApp.xml contains rules for migrating the settings of common applications. MigDocs.xml and MigUser.xml contain rules for finding and migrating user documents and profile settings. While these default files cover many common scenarios, the true power of USMT, and a key topic for the 70-682 Exam, was the ability to create custom XML files to extend or modify the migration behavior to meet specific organizational needs.

Customizing USMT with XML Files

To pass the 70-682 Exam, it was not enough to know how to run USMT with its default settings. Candidates were expected to know how to customize the migration process by creating and modifying the XML rule files. These files use a specific XML schema to define inclusion and exclusion rules for files, folders, and registry keys. For example, you might need to create a custom XML file to migrate the settings for a line-of-business application that is not covered by the default MigApp.xml file. The XML syntax allows for very granular control. You can create rules to unconditionally migrate a specific file or folder, or you can use helper functions to create more complex logic. For example, you could use a helper function to find all files with a specific extension (like .PDF) anywhere within a user's profile and include them in the migration. The 70-682 Exam might present a scenario, such as needing to migrate all files from a folder called "C:\Projects," and ask you to identify the correct XML syntax to achieve this. Conversely, you can create exclusion rules to prevent certain data from being migrated. This is useful for excluding large, non-essential files like music or videos to keep the migration store size manageable, or for excluding files that might conflict with the new system. The 70-682 Exam emphasized the importance of planning the migration carefully and using these customization capabilities to ensure that only the necessary business-related data is captured and restored, making the process more efficient and secure.

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