MDT 2012 Beta 2 Released

  • Article

The latest version of MDT is now available on Connect (Join the MDT 2012 Beta 2 Connect program here!)

MDT 2012 Beta 2 offers new User-Driven Installation components and extensibility for Configuration Manager 2007 and Configuration Manager 2012 as well as integration with the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) for Lite Touch Installation remote control and diagnostics.

Key benefits include:

  • Full use of the capabilities provided by System Center Configuration Manager 2012 for OS deployment.
  • Improved Lite Touch user experience and functionality.
  • A smooth and simple upgrade process for all existing MDT users.

New features For System Center Configuration Manager customers:

  • Support for Configuration Manager 2012 (while still supporting Configuration Manager 2007)
  • New User-Driven Installation components for Configuration Manager 2007 and Configuration Manager 2012
    • Extensible wizard and designer, additional integration with Configuration Manager to deliver a more customized OS experience, support for more imaging scenarios, and an enhanced end-user deployment experience
  • Ability to migrate MDT 2012 task sequences from Configuration Manager 2007 to Configuration Manager 2012

New features For Lite Touch Installation:

  • Integration with the Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolkit (DaRT) for remote control and diagnostics
  • New monitoring capabilities to see the progress of currently running deployments
  • Support for deploying Windows to computers using UEFI
  • Ability to deploy Windows 7 so that the computer will start from a new VHD file, “Deploy to VHD”
  • Improved deployment wizard user experience

MDT 2012 Beta 2 will be available for beta download through to January 2012.  

Already using the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit? the MDT team would like to hear about your experiences. Please send comments and suggestions to satfdbk@microsoft.com.

This post was contributed by Richard Smith, a Principal Consultant with Microsoft Services UK

Disclaimer: The information on this site is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, confers no rights, and is not supported by the authors or Microsoft Corporation. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified in the Terms of Use

Comments

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Simon, Try the following link - connect.microsoft.com/.../Microsoft%20Deployment%20Toolkit Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Simon, Can you please email me directly, I would like to esculate this internally for you. My email should be easy to figure out ;). Thanks, Ben Hunter

  • Anonymous
    January 01, 2003
    Hi Bob, There is no MDT 2012 Update 2. Update 1 is the latest. Thanks, Ben

  • Anonymous
    November 18, 2011
    I am currently evaluating MDT2012 BETA 1 and have the following query regarding deploying to a VHD. I can successfully run the 'Deploy to VHD Client Task Sequence' on a machine which will Wipe the HDD, create a VHD and install W7 to the VHD which I can then boot from. Is it possible to use this task sequence to deploy W7 to a VHD that sits within an existing OS (Dual boot) e.g You have existing Windows 7 installation which remains intact and you deploy to for example a new VHD in C:VHDTest.vhd thus leaving the existing install and basically adding a new OS. I hope this makes sense and would appreciate any responses to this query.

  • Anonymous
    November 18, 2011
    Can I run native PS commands in the 'Run Powershell Script' sequence step or only PS scripts?

  • Anonymous
    November 18, 2011
    Correction to post above I am evaluating MDT2012 BETA 2.. I am currently evaluating MDT2012 BETA 2 and have the following query regarding deploying to a VHD. I can successfully run the 'Deploy to VHD Client Task Sequence' on a machine which will Wipe the HDD, create a VHD and install W7 to the VHD which I can then boot from. Is it possible to use this task sequence to deploy W7 to a VHD that sits within an existing OS (Dual boot) e.g You have existing Windows 7 installation which remains intact and you deploy to for example a new VHD in C:VHDTest.vhd thus leaving the existing install and basically adding a new OS. I hope this makes sense and would appreciate any responses to this query.

  • Anonymous
    November 27, 2011
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    November 28, 2011
    still fails with The content that you requested cannot be found or you do not have permission to view it. regardless if I am signed into connect or not, and I have now tried 3 connect accounts (created a new one). wierd but not the end of the world.

  • Anonymous
    November 29, 2011
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    November 30, 2011
    looking forward for it

  • Anonymous
    May 08, 2013
    Where might I find a copy of MDT 2012 Update 2?  The link above pointed back to update 1...