Convert and deploy .MSIX applications using SCCM 1810 (System Center Configuration Manager)

December 20, 2018December 19, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

The ability to deploy .MSIX files has been available since System Center Configuration Manager 1806. Starting with 1810, we now also have the option to convert existing .MSI applications into .MSIX. Exciting! MSIX is told to be the future of software packaging, so getting a better understanding of how it works, and how it works with SCCM 1810 in particular, is not a bad idea.

So let’s walk through the entire process of converting an existing application, how to digitally sign the application and in the end, how to deploy the application. Curious? Read on 🙂

My first .MSIX application in the Software Center

Repairing broken applications using Software Center and SCCM 1810 (System Center Configuration Manager)

December 1, 2018December 1, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

This is a quick and short post on one of the new and welcomed additions to application management in System Center Configuration Manager 1810 (SCCM). Starting with 1810, we now have the ability to let the end users quickly repair installed applications through the Software Center.

This will come handy in self-service scenarios or when support-personal are trying to solve application specific issues. A common and well known troubleshooting scenario, is to try and repair a broken application. Curious? Read on 🙂

The repair function at display in the Software Center

Updating Configuration Manager Current Branch to version 1810 (Example from a production environment)

March 31, 2019November 28, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Good news everyone! System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch 1810 was released today, and similar to previous releases, I’m going to walk you through the process on how I updated my production environment.

Not much has changed, but I know someone will fancy to have an A-Z guide as inspiration, and as of such, I here give you the exact steps I went through to update SCCM to the very latest and greatest version.

The 1810 update ready for installation in the console

Remove built-in apps for Windows 10 using SCCM and Microsoft Store for Business

November 6, 2018November 5, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Removing the built-in apps in Windows 10 is often a hot topic and in same regard, it’s often discussed if and how they are removed. There are several excellent Powershell scripts for the same purpose made by the community, and they possibly satisfy most needs already.

But maybe you don’t fancy maintaining a Powershell script and maybe you don’t want to deal with specific apps coming back after an in-place upgrade. Or perhaps you just want an alternative. Then this might be of interest. This is solely based on using Microsoft Store for Business integrated with SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager), to uninstall some of the unwanted built-in apps in Windows 10 (and keep them uninstalled shall they ever return)

Some of the apps I tend to remove and keep removed using this method 🙂

Deploy the SCCM Client using Microsoft Intune and the Cloud Management Gateway (CMG without PKI certificates)

November 1, 2018October 25, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Last week I blogged about how to get properly started with Windows AutoPilot. This week I’m continuing on the topic, and going into details on how you can deploy the SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) client as a part of the Windows AutoPilot enrollment and thus achieve Co-management with SCCM and Microsoft Intune.

I have previously blogged a lot about Co-management. Focus here has been enrolling devices already managed by SCCM into Intune MDM.

This post is the opposite. This time we are deploying a device through Windows AutoPilot, enrolling it into Microsoft Intune and then deploying the SCCM client through the Cloud Management Gateway. Sounds interesting? Read on 🙂

Find all my Co-management posts here: https://www.imab.dk/category/co-mgmt/
- My post about setting up the Cloud Management Gateway without PKI certificates is especially of interest if pursuing Co-management

Installing Update Rollup (KB4462978) for SCCM 1806 (System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch 1806)

October 25, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Short and sweet: A new Update Rollup is available for download and installation for System Center Configuration Manager Current Branch 1806. More about the rollup itself and it’s fixes here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4462978/system-center-configuration-manager-version-1806-update-rollup

This is a quick walk trough of the installation for those who’s interested 🙂

How to get properly started with Windows AutoPilot: Everything you initially need to know!

October 21, 2018October 20, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

It’s time for me to take on a new topic on the blog. I have been experimenting, working and blogging a lot about SCCM, Intune and Co-management, but never really touched base with Windows AutoPilot. Time is due and this will be the first in a series of posts about Windows AutoPilot and how to eventually reach Co-management with SCCM and Microsoft Intune through Windows AutoPilot.

First things first though. This post will give you everything you need to know on how to properly get started with Windows AutoPilot. Curious? Read on 🙂

A peek into my AutoPilot devices in my test tenant 🙂

Summary of SCUG.DK meeting (System Center User Group Denmark) Fall Edition starring David James

October 21, 2018October 16, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

In line with traditional practice on my blog, I’m kicking off my posts with an introduction – this time is no different.

The topic is something new however, and that’s even though I have been a frequent SCUG.DK attendee the past many years. I don’t dare to make a promise about making this an habit either, but I do think this event in particular deserves a written summary. So here goes my very first of it’s kind; the summary of SCUG.DK Fall Edition starring David James also known as @djammmer on Twitter.

And by the way, I’m not used to doing summaries – so please bare with me if I missed something obvious. I took notes and did a lot of pictures while tweeting live from the event, so there’s a slight chance I missed out on a thing or two. Apologies in advance.

Also, during this event there was a dedicated request to do tweets with the #MMSMOA hashtag for the chance of winning a trip to MMS 2018 Desert Edition, so if browsing Twitter for interesting Tweets, you will find some of them located on both #SCUGDK and #MMSMOA. 🙂

Workaround: Fixing crashing WPF forms in Powershell after updating to Windows 10 ADK v1809

October 9, 2018October 8, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

No real introduction is needed here. Long story short is, if you installed the new Windows 10 ADK v1809 and the new Windows PE add-on, chances are that you have issues with WPF forms in Powershell in Windows PE.

Luckily we have Twitter and the community is darn fast in sharing workarounds and what not – and this time is no different. More specifically these two conversations on Twitter by @AdamGrossTX and @ferozekhan267oa are interesting.

@ferozekhan267oa mentioned that replacing ‘UIAutomationCore.dll’ in Windows PE was fixing the problem in his end, so I decided to give it a go as well.

I’m using NickolajA‘s ConfigMgr front end, both in production and in labs, so when I updated to the new v1809 ADK and Windows PE, I immediately spotted that something was wrong; no frontend was ever being launched and SMSTS.log was indicating issues as well.

Deploy RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) for Windows 10 v1809 using SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) and Powershell

April 23, 2019October 5, 2018 by Martin Bengtsson

Introduction

Attention: This script has been updated and superseded: https://www.imab.dk/deploy-rsat-remote-server-administration-tools-for-windows-10-v1903-using-sccm-system-center-configuration-manager-and-powershell/

Continuing on the Windows 10 1809 journey from wednesday! As something completely new, RSAT (Remote Server Administration Tools) is now included as a set of “Features on Demand” in Windows 10 itself and is no longer something you download and install separately.

You can obviously install the tools manually in Windows (this is done from the settings menu and from there select to Manage Optional Features), but as always, we don’t like to do stuff manually. Therefore I created a complete Powershell script which can be used in SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager) in an unattended and automated deployment.