Replace a Windows 7 SP1 Client with Windows 8.1 Using Configuration Manager

Applies To: Windows 8.1

In this topic, you will learn how to replacing a Windows 7 SP1 computer using Microsoft System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager. This process is similar to refreshing a computer, but since you are replacing the machine, you have to run the backup job separately from the deployment of Windows 8.1.

For the purposes of this topic, we will use three machines: DC01, CM01, and PC0004. DC01 is a domain controller and CM01 is a machine running Windows Server 2012 R2 Standard. PC0004 is a machine with Windows 7 SP1 that will be replaced with a new machine running Windows 8.1. DC01, CM01, and PC0004 are all members of the domain contoso.com for the fictitious Contoso Corporation. For more details on the setup for this topic, please see Proof-Of-Concept Environment.

In this topic, you will create a backup-only task sequence that you run on PC0004, the machine you are replacing. For more information, see Replace a Windows 7 Computer with a Windows 8.1 Computer.

In this topic

• Create a replace task sequence

• Associate the new machine with the old computer

• Create a device collection and add the PC0004 computer

• Create a new deployment

• Verify the backup

• Deploy the new computer

See also

• Integrate Configuration Manager with MDT 2013

• Prepare for Zero Touch Installation of Windows 8.1 with Configuration Manager

• Create a Custom Windows PE 5.0 Boot Image with Configuration Manager

• Add a Windows 8.1 Operating System Image Using Configuration Manager

• Create an Application to Deploy with Windows 8.1 Using Configuration Manager

• Add Drivers to a Windows 8.1 Deployment with Windows PE Using Configuration Manager

• Create a Task Sequence with Configuration Manager and MDT

• Finalize the Operating System Configuration for Windows 8.1 Deployment with Configuration Manager

• Deploy Windows 8.1 Using PXE and Configuration Manager

• Monitor the Windows 8.1 Deployment with Configuration Manager

• Refresh a Windows 7 SP1 Client with Windows 8.1 Using Configuration Manager

Create a replace task sequence

1. On CM01, using the Configuration Manager Console, in the Software Library workspace, expand Operating Systems, right-click Task Sequences, and select Create MDT Task Sequence.

2. On the Choose Template page, select the Client Replace Task Sequence template and click Next.

3. On the General page, assign the following settings and click Next:

   1. Task sequence name: Replace Task Sequence

   2. Task sequence comments: USMT backup only

4. On the Boot Image page, browse and select the Zero Touch WinPE 5.0 x64 boot image package. Then click Next.

5. On the MDT Package page, browse and select the OSD / MDT 2013 package. Then click Next.

6. On the USMT Package page, browse and select the OSD / Microsoft Corporation User State Migration Tool for Windows 8 6.3.9600.16384 package. Then click Next.

7. On the Settings Package page, browse and select the OSD / Windows 8.1 x64 Settings package. Then click Next.

8. On the Summary page, review the details and then click Next.

9. On the Confirmation page, click Finish.

10. Review the Replace Task Sequence. Note: This task sequence has many fewer actions than the normal client task sequence. If it doesn’t seem different, make sure you selected the Client Replace Task Sequence template when creating the task sequence.

Figure 42. The backup-only task sequence (named Replace Task Sequence).

Associate the new machine with the old computer

This section walks you through the process of associating a blank machine, PC0006, with an old machine, PC0004, for the purpose of replacing PC0004 with PC0006. PC0006 can be either a physical or virtual machine.

1. Make a note of the PC0006 machine’s MAC Address. (If PC0006 is a virtual machine, you can see the MAC Address in the virtual machine settings.) In our example, the PC0006 MAC Address is 00:15:5D:0A:6A:96.

2. Using the Configuration Manager console, in the Asset and Compliance workspace, right-click Devices, and then select Import Computer Information.

3. On the Select Source page, select Import single computer and click Next.

4. On the Single Computer page, use the following settings and then click Next:

   1. Computer Name: PC0006

   2. MAC Address: <the mac address from step 1>

   3. Source Computer: PC0004

   Figure 43. Creating the computer association between PC0004 and PC0006.

5. On the User Accounts page, select Capture and restore all user accounts and click Next.

6. On the Data Preview page, click Next.

7. On the Choose Target Collection page, select the Install Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 collection and click Next.

8. On the Summary page, click Next, and then click Close.

9. Select the User State Migration node and review the computer association in the right pane.

10. Right-click the PC0004/PC0006 association and select View Recovery Information. Note that a recovery key has been assigned already, but a user state store location has not.

11. Review the Install Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 collection. Don’t continue until you see the PC0006 machine in the collection. You might have to update and refresh the collection again.

Create a device collection and add the PC0004 computer

1. On CM01, using the Configuration Manager console, in the Asset and Compliance workspace, right-click Device Collections, and then select Create Device Collection. Use the following settings.

   1. General

   2. Name: USMT Backup (Replace)

   3. Limited Collection: All Systems

   4. Membership rules:

   5. Direct rule

   6. Resource Class: System Resource

   7. Attribute Name: Name

   8. Value: PC0004

   9. Select Resources

   10. Select PC0004

2. Review the USMT Backup (Replace) collection. Don’t continue until you see the PC0004 machine in the collection.

Create a new deployment

Using the Configuration Manager console, in the Software Library workspace, select Task Sequences, right-click Replace Task Sequence, and then select Deploy. Use the following settings:

• General

  • Collection: USMT Backup (Replace)

• Deployment Settings

  • Purpose: Available

  • Make available to the following: Only Configuration Manager Clients

• Scheduling

  • <default>

• User Experience

  • <default>

• Alerts

  • <default>

• Distribution Points

  • <default>

Verify the backup

This section assumes that you have a machine named PC0004 with the Configuration Manager 2012 client installed.

1. Start the PC0004 machine, and using the Control Panel, start the Configuration Manager applet.

2. In the Actions tab, select the Machine Policy Retrieval & Evaluation Cycle, select Run Now, and click OK.

3. Using the Software Center, select the Replace Task Sequence deployment and click INSTALL.

4. In the Software Center dialog box, click INSTALL OPERATING SYSTEM.

5. Allow the Replace Task Sequence to complete. It should only take about five minutes.

6. On CM01, in the D:\MigData folder, verify that a folder was created containing the USMT backup.

7. Using the Configuration Manager console, in the Asset and Compliance workspace, select the User State Migration node, right-click the PC0004/PC0006 association, and select View Recovery Information. Note that the object now also has a user state store location.

Deploy the new computer

1. Start the PC0006 virtual machine, press F12 to Pre-Boot Execution Environment (PXE) boot when prompted. Allow it to boot Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), and then complete the deployment wizard using the following settings:

   1. Password: P@ssw0rd

   2. Select a task sequence to execute on this computer: Windows 8.1 Enterprise x64 Custom Image

2. The setup now starts and does the following:

   1. Installs the Windows 8.1 operating system

   2. Installs the Configuration Manager client

   3. Joins it to the domain

   4. Installs the applications

   5. Restores the PC0004 backup

When the process is complete, you will have a new Windows 8.1 machine in your domain with user data and settings restored.