High Touch with Standard Image Deployment for Education

Article
04/01/2014

Applies To: Windows 8.1

For a Windows 8.1 deployment to PCs in education, a High Touch with Standard Image strategy lets you use tools like Windows ADK, ACT, Sysprep, and DISM to create, capture, and deploy an image.

The High Touch with Standard Image strategy is appropriate for small deployments in school systems that don’t have prior deployment experience or a managed infrastructure (for example, file servers). You would typically use this strategy when 100 to 200 client computers will be deployed. It uses a standardized image instead of retail media. A standard image ensures that all client computers have consistent configurations, which reduces support issues arising from inconsistent operating system configurations.

Requirements

Using the High Touch with Standard Image strategy requires the following elements:

Retail or Volume Licensing media
Windows ADK
A temporary reference computer for installing and customizing the initial image
An IT pro computer on which the Windows ADK will be installed
A test computer that matches the computers on which the image will be deployed
Removable media on which to install Windows PE
Removable media or a network share for the image

Deployment tools

A High Touch with Standard Image strategy uses the following tools:

Windows ADK
ACT (optional)
Sysprep
DISM

Limitations

The High Touch with Standard Image strategy has certain limitations, including:

Scale. By requiring a lot of interaction, the High Touch with Standard Image strategy doesn’t scale well to large deployments.
Image customization. The High Touch with Standard Image strategy works best with a single image. Organizations that require several customized images for different types of deployments should examine one of the LTI deployment strategies.
Image maintenance. Licensing restrictions limit the amount of maintenance you can do on an image to which Sysprep will be applied. Therefore, if the image you are deploying requires frequent updates, use another tool, such as MDT.
Upgrade. Using a standard image implies that upgrade of an existing operating system is not a supported scenario for this strategy. However, you can use Windows Easy Transfer, which is included in Windows 8.1, to migrate user files and settings to the new computer. Also, you can use the USMT, which is part of the Windows ADK, to transfer files and settings to the newly deployed operating system.

Deployment process

The process of deploying Windows 8.1 with the High Touch with Standard Image strategy involves creation of the image on a reference computer, capturing and generalizing the image, and then deploying it. Table 3 describes the Lite Touch with Standard Image deployment process.

Table 3. Lite Touch with Standard Image Deployment

Step	Description	More information
Use ACT (optional)	Use the ACT to test and mitigate compatibility issues.	Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) Technical Reference
Install Windows PE	Prior to installing Windows on the reference computer, install Windows PE on the IT pro’s computer. Then, customize Windows PE to add drivers and application packages. With Windows PE customized, install it on a USB flash drive so that it can be booted with the reference computer. Finally, start the reference computer from the Windows PE USB flash drive.	WinPE: Windows PE Overview
Create an answer file	Answer files provide configuration information for the Windows Setup process during a new installation of Windows. Using an answer file helps to automate the Setup process, which creates a consistent, repeatable installation of Windows: Enter a product key. Customize Windows Firewall rules. Create local Windows accounts. Run a logon script. Join a domain. Customize the Internet Explorer home page.	Walkthrough: Build an Answer File for BIOS-based Computers
Install Windows on the reference computer	Install Windows by using retail or VL media. Optionally, use an answer file to ensure consistency.	Methods for Running Windows Setup
Customize the reference computer	Install applications and device drivers, change settings, and make any other customizations on the reference computer.
Capture the Windows image	Capture the image of the reference computer by using Sysprep and DISM. Sysprep removes computer-specific settings so that you can add specialized settings for the individual computer on which the image is deployed. For example, Sysprep removes information unique to the individual computer, such as its SID.	System Preparation (Sysprep) Technical Reference
Deploy the image	Deploy the image to multiple computers. With a High Touch strategy, you typically install the image manually on each computer.	Methods for Running Windows Setup

Although the scripted approach of a High Touch with Standard Image strategy is a big step forward in consistency along with the ability to install Windows on multiple computers, having to run scripts on each computer means that the strategy doesn’t scale well to large deployments. For that reason, Microsoft recommends that you use a tool such as MDT (discussed in the next section).