SCCM Step by Step Guide to Update Windows ADK and WinPE Versions

I think, most of the SCCM admins missed this latest Windows 1809 ADK change. In this post, you will see what are the ADK and WinPE changes concerned for SCCM admins. I also share the best practices to update Windows ADK and WinPE to the latest version on SCCM server.

****Updated on 22nd May 2019

Introduction

Starting from Windows ADK 1809, Microsoft has changed Windows Preinstallation Environment(WinPE) tool is released separately from the Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK).

Download the latest version of Windows 10 ADK 1903 from here. You can follow this guide to install Windows 1903.

You will also learn some best practices which you need to follow as part of Windows ADK and WinPE update on SCCM server:

• When to update the Windows ADK version (Is it OK to be in backward compatibility mode)
• What is the best method to update Windows ADK and WinPE
• Do you need to update ADK before SCCM CB upgrade? (Before or After SCCM upgrade?)

So first you need to install the ADK  and then the Windows PE add-on in the SCCM server. Following are the Windows ADK and WinPE components which you need add or install.

1. ADK tool has the below components,
   1. Application Compatibility Tools
   2. Deployment Tools
   3. Imaging and Configuration Designer (ICD)
   4. Configuration Manager
   5. User State Migration Tool (USMT)
   6. Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT)
   7. Windows Performance Toolkit
   8. Media eXperience Analyzer
2. Windows PE add-on to supports post-RTM updates to tools in the ADK.

Note: Microsoft announced a change with WindowsADK starting with Windows 10 1809, Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) is released separately from the (ADK. SO you need to add Windows PE to your ADK installation, by downloading the Windows PE Addon and run the included installer after installing the ADK.

NOTE! – Windows 10 1809 ADK Known issue with highligted by a twitter user Pierre. More details in the Tweet.

Best Practices – Update Windows ADK

I have seen many questions in the forum and social media about ADK update and boot image update during SCCM upgrades.

NOTE! – I would recommend testing the latest version of Windows ADK in your lab environment and staging environment before upgrading it on your SCCM server.

Ideally, if you are using customized version of boot image, then the SCCM upgrade won’t change the custom boot image. But the default boot images will get updated automatically with the latest version of ADK and WinPE add-on installed on the server.

NOTE! – Before Upgrading the Windows ADK version, make sure to note down the client version and OS version of the existing boot images as per the environment.

• Perform a backup of the existing USMT Configuration XML files

• Determine the existing installation path of Windows 10 ADK in the server. (whether it is default C:\ drive or any other alternative drives)

Always check the compatibility of SCCM version and Windows ADK version before upgrading Windows ADK and WinPE. You can refer to the following link to get more details.

SCCM Windows ADK and WinPE Upgrade

Let’s walk through step-by-step guide on how to install the ADK and Windows PE add-on tools. Before Upgrading the ADK version, ensure the client and OS version of the existing boot images as per the environment.

• OS Version – 10.0.17134.1
• Client Version 5.00.8692.1509

Uninstall Existing Version of ADK

In order to continue with the up to date version of Windows ADK and WinPE, you need to uninstall the existing or older version of Windows ADK.

Important!: note the existing installation path of Windows ADK.

• Open the control panel in the SCCM server
• Select the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit-Windows and select Uninstall

• Click Yes to continue the uninstall of Windows ADK

• Uninstallation is in progress

• Uninstallation is completed, Click Close

• Restart the Server

How to Install the Latest Version of Windows ADK

There are two ways to install the ADK. You can see both the details below.

NOTE! – Best Practice is to download Windows 10 ADK Offline files and install it on the server.

1. Install the ADK directly from Internet
2. Download the offline files and install it.

• Download the Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1809 –  https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2026036

• Following the first method, to install the ADK from direct Internet

• Select adksetup.exe and install with administrator mode.

• Select “Install the Windows Assortment and Deployment Kit – Windows 10 to this computer“

Note! : Use the previous ADK installation path

• Click Next

• Select ‘No‘ for Send anonymous usage data to Microsoft for the Windows 10 Kits

• Click Next

• Click Accept

• Select the required features. I recommend to select the least minimum required components.
  • Deployment Tools
  • User State Migration Tool (USMT)
• Click Install

NOTE! – WinPE is missing in the core Windows ADK components. You need add WinPE as an add-on. More details below.

• Installing the selected features on SCCM server

• Click Close

NOTE! – Windows Assessment and Deployment Kits is installed now on your SCCM server.

• Restart the Server

How to Install Latest WinPE on SCCM Server

NOTE! – Since WinPE is not part of Windows ADK 1809 or later, you need to install WinPE as an add-on as part of upgrade process of Windows ADK.

Following is the first method, to install the Windows PE add-on from direct Internet. I would recommend doing with offline option wherever possible.

• Download the Windows PE add-on for the ADK – https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=2022233
• Login to SCCM server.
• Copy the offline downloaded file of WinPE to SCCM server.
• Select adkwinpeSetup.exe and install with administrator mode.

• Select “Install the Windows Assortment and Deployment Kit Windows Preinstallation Environment Add-ons-Windows10 to this computer”

Note!: Use the same installation path of Windows ADK (shown in the above – Update Windows ADK steps).

• [Optional Step] Select the Second option to download the files WinPE add-on files Offline and that is recommended method for SCCM WinPE upgrade process
• Click Next

• Select ‘No‘ for Send anonymous usage data to Microsoft for the Windows 10 Kits

• Click Next

• Click Next

• Select Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)
• Click Next

NOTE! – It’s bit surprising to see the Disk space requirement as 5 GB for WinPE add-on. It includes Windows PE(x86) and Windows PE (AMD64).

• Installing features….

NOTE! – Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE – Windows PE) Add-on is installed on SCCM Server now.

• Click Close

• Restart the server

How to Update the SCCM Boot Image

In this section you will be able to see how to update the SCCM boot images after Windows ADK and WinPE upgrade.

• Open SCCM Console from Start Menu
• Navigate to Software Library – Operation System – Boot Images to select the boot image which you want to update
• Select the Boot images, right click and select Update Distribution Points

• Select Reload this boot image with the current Windows PE version from the Windows ADK
• Click Next

• Click Next

• Boot image update is progress

• Boot image is updated, Click Close

NOTE! – Do you have some SCCM Boot Image Update issues? If so, I would recommend reading the following SCCM package distribution troubleshooting guide.

Validation – Update Windows ADK and WinPE

You can confirm the success of the WinPE, Windows ADK and Boot Image Upgrade from SCCM Console!

NOTE! – Post boot image with Windows ADK upgrade, it will start distributing the updated boot image file to the distribution points.

The OS Version updated for all the Boot image.

• OS Version after Windows 10 ADK & WinPE upgrade – 10.0.17763.1
• Client Version after Windows 10 ADK & WinPE upgrade – 5.00.8692.1509

Conclusion & Best Practices

I would always recommend to do the following:

• When to update the Windows ADK version (Is it OK to be in backward compatibility mode)
  • I will always recommend to go with N-1 version of ADK whenever it’s ok with you. Where N is the latest version of ADK
• What is the best method to update Windows ADK and WinPE
  • I would recommend going through this guide and my recommended way of upgrading Windows 10 ADK is explained in the guide.
• Do you need to update ADK before SCCM CB upgrade? (Before or After SCCM upgrade?)
  • I would recommend to upgrade the Windows ADK before the SCCM CB upgrade process. I been doing it for many organizations. It works just fine.
• Any Impact with SCCM OSD Boot images and Windows 10 ADK and WinPE upgrade?
  • I have done many Windows 10 ADK and WinPE upgrades without impacting any existing boot images (MDT boot image and custom boot image).

NOTE! – When you upgrade the ADK version, and then use updates and servicing to install the latest version of SCCM, the site regenerates the default boot images. This update includes the new WinPE version from the updated Windows ADK, the new version of the SCCM client, drivers, and customizations. The site doesn’t modify custom boot images. More details https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/sccm/osd/get-started/manage-boot-images

Resources

• Windows ADK and WinPE Update Documentation
• Step by Step Guide to Upgrade SCCM 1902
• SCCM Compatibility with the latest version of Windows ADK and WinPE