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Configure DeployR for a first deployment

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Prepare DeployR content and a task sequence for a first deployment. The notes start with a Windows installation image and a WinPE driver pack before boot-image and task-sequence configuration.

Before you can reimage any devices you will need to do the following configuration.

Add Content Items

  • Add an Operating System to deploy
  • Download the latest Windows 11 25H2 ISO from M365 Admin Centre VLSC
  • Mount the ISO
  • In DeployR Add a new content item
  • Give it a name like "Windows 25H2 Updated" (This is the image that will be automatically updated using WimWizard in a later step, hence the "Updated" moniker).
  • Select Operating System for Purpose
  • Select Single File for Type
  • Click Save
  • Open the newly created Content item and click the Choose File button.
  • Browse to the install.wim file on the mounted iso file. e.g. D:\sources\install.wim and click Upload.
  • Once Upload is finished you can see the path to the content in the DeployR content location and the size of the content. The path will be important for WimWizard.
  • You now have an OS ready to deploy.
  • Add WinPE Driver Pack This is used in the Boot Image creation, and ensures that network and storage drivers for almost all hardware are present for WinPE. The source selects the Dell WinPE driver pack.
  • Download the latest Dell WinPE driver pack from Dell Command | Deploy WinPE Driver Packs | Dell Australia. Remember to right click each driver pack and select Properties>General and remove the "mark of the web" (Unblock).
  • Extract the driver pack zip file.
  • In DeployR add a new content item.
  • Give it a name that makes sense. Something like Driver Pack - WinPE Drivers.
  • Select Driver Pack for Purpose
  • Select Folder for Type
  • Click Save
  • Open the newly created Content item and click New Version
  • Feel free to add a description, but just ignore Manufacturer and Model number.
  • Click Save Click Choose File and select the extracted WinPE driver pack folder and click Upload. The WinPE driver pack is relatively small so won't take long.
  • Once upload is finished you can see the path to the content in the DeployR content location and the size of the content. Drivers are automatically compressed to a .wim file for deployment.
  • Add Individual Model Driver Packs
  • Download the driver packs for each of the device models from Asus, Dell, HP, etc as required. Remember to right click each driver pack and select Properties>General and remove the "mark of the web" (Unblock).
  • Extract the driver pack zip files.
  • In DeployR add a new content item for each of the individual models.
  • Give it a name that makes sense. Something like Driver Pack - Asus B5402FVA.
  • Select Driver Pack for Purpose
  • Select Folder for Type
  • Click Save
  • Open the newly created Content item and click New Version
  • Enter the Manufacturer and Model. This is not just a label. This MUST match what is returned when you run the following in powershell. DeployR matches this detail to the device being imaged to inject the correct drivers. Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_ComputerSystem | Select-Object -Property Manufacturer, Model e.g.

Manufacturer Model

ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC. ASUS EXPERTBOOK B3402FVA_B3402FVA

HINT: you can also get these values from Intune>Devices>Windows>Enrolment>Devices Autopilot V1 device registration.

  • Click Save
  • Click Choose File and select the extracted driver pack folder and click Upload. This will take some time. Be patient.
  • Once upload is finished you can see the path to the content in the DeployR store and the size of the content. Drivers are automatically compressed to a .wim file for deployment.

Configure the Windows PE x64 Boot Image

By default DeployR contains 2 existing Boot Images. These images are used for PXE booting over the network into WinPE.

The WinPE Driver pack content needs to be injected into the boot images to support a wide range of hardware.

  • In the DeployR console Select Boot Images and click the Window PE x64 boot image.
  • Under Content>Drivers click Select.
  • Select the "Driver Pack - WinPE Drivers"
  • Leave the StifleR Client, Windows RE and Extra Files blank.
  • Click the Generate image button.
  • Once the boot image is generated, note the relative path in the DeployR content folder. Should be \Content\Boot\winpe_amd64.wim
  • Open Windows Deployment Services from Server Manager>Tools>Windows Deployment Services
  • Select Servers>Server Name>Boot Images
  • Right click in the task pane and select Add Boot Image
  • Browse to the location of the boot image in DeployR content as noted above.
  • Accept all the defaults until finished.
  • Each time you regenerate the boot images in DeployR you will need to replace it in Windows Deployment Services.
  • Simply right click the existing boot image and select Replace Image
  • Browse to the location of the boot image in DeployR content.
  • Accept all the defaults until finished.

Configure a Task Sequence

Task Sequences are the combination of steps that a deployment process will undertake to image a device. Task sequences make use of the various Content Items that have been created. i.e. the Windows OS and Model Driver Packs.

Task sequences are relatively simple to get started, as DeployR provides a number of Task Sequence Templates.

  • In DeployR portal select Task Sequences and Click Add
  • Select Add From Template
  • Select Autopilot pre-provisioning, as selected in the captured setup.
  • Click Clone
  • Select the newly created task sequence.
  • Click the Edit button in the Details section.
  • Rename the task sequence to something other than the template name and click Save
  • Click the Edit mode button.
  • Select the Apply OS Step
  • In Operating System Image click the Select Content item and select the "Windows 25H2 Update" image that you created earlier.
  • Select Save all changes button.
  • NOTE: the Inject Drivers step. This step will automatically determine the Manufactuer and Model of the device being imaged. It will then check for a driver pack that has the same Manufactuer and Model assigned, and if found it will install all those drivers from the pack.
  • The task sequence is now ready to be used to deploy a windows image to a device.

Step Definitions

Step Definitions are not configured in this captured sequence. Steps are the items that get added to a task sequence. Step Definitions are where each of those steps are configured to do what they actually do.

It is possible to create your own step definition if desired. But in reality this is rarely required. Everything that is needed to do some very complex tasks is already available.