FIX: Deploy Windows to UEFI devices using MDT + SCCM

4

One of the new feature that has been added in ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 (and updated to support 32-bit in CU1), is support for deploying Windows to computers that are configured to use UEFI.

I’m currently working on a Windows 8 deployment project, where one of the requirements was to support Windows 8 deployment to UEFI enabled devices. At this customer, we also integrated MDT 2012 with ConfigMgr 2012.

The configuration was easy, and PXE boot worked like a charm. But after the OS Image was downloaded the Task Sequence failed, and after a few minutes we found the problem.

The standard MDT 2012 Update 1 Task Sequence, has a bug when deploying Windows 8 to UEFI enabled devices. The default “Apply Operating System Image”, has the destination configured to use “Logical drive letter stored in a variable” = “OSDisk”.

The only problem with that is that when the disk is formatted using the new Format and Partition Disk (UEFI) step, the OSDisk variable is not configured. All other format steps has this variable configured, so I guess they just forgot this one.

Steps to fix this bug:

  1. Edit the MDT Task Sequence.
  2. Locate and select the “Format and Partition Disk (UEFI)” step.
    (Preinstall -> New Computer Only -> Format Disk).
  3. Select the Volume: “OSDisk (Primary)”, and click Properties.
  4. Under Advanced options, set the variable to “OSDisk”.

Update: I’ve asked Microsoft about this issue, and they have just confirmed this bug. This bug will get fixed in the next release of the MDT.

Enjoy.

+Ronni Pedersen

About Author

My name is Ronni Pedersen and I'm currently working as a Cloud Architect at APENTO in Denmark. My primary focus is Enterprise Client Management solutions, based on technologies like AzureAD, Intune, EMS and System Center Configuration Manager. I'm is also a Microsoft Certified Trainer and Microsoft MVP in Enterprise Mobility.

4 Comments

  1. Pingback: Heads up those WDS deploying 32bit UEFI tablets (Atom)

  2. Shineknox on

    I’m having an issue with the boot process for UEFI. It will boot fine when pxe booting, but when it downloads the boot image and stages the boot image and then boots from the staged boot image, complete failure.

    I deploy the task sequence using config manager client, media, and pxe option. It downloads the boot image file (wim) and starts staging the boot image. It then boots from the boot image (not using pxe, but using the boot image it downloads to the HD). Failure happens at initializing hardware devices and says, “Windows PE initialization failed with error code 0x8022014”. Now if I was to deploy the same task sequence and make it only deploy using media and pxe then reboot the machine into PXE everything works as expected.

    Why does it stage the boot image on the hard drive, when PXE can just load the image? I’m kind of lost on how it’s going to be able to wipe the hard drive when it’s booting from the same hard drive it is going to have format; unless it’s loaded into memory from the HD.

    I’m able to see the hard drive when I press F8 to troubleshoot the issue, but I do not have an IP address. It’s weird that pxe works with the drivers, but for some reason when booting from the same image, differently by staging the image on the hard drive has issues with the drivers. Any help is greatly appreciated.

    Thanks,
    Shineknox

  3. This is a very old post but I’m actually having that exact same problem. The new Dells we have recieved this year are really giving me a headache. I’ve made these changes and i don’t know if its the boot image i created or what. It adds the windows wim but after the reboot doesn’t recognize there’s an OS drive at all.
    Any thoughts would be appreciated
    Wayne

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