Prepare Windows 10 Image for MDT Deployment

Tutorial on how to prepare Windows 10 Image for MDT Deployment for my previous post on Windows 10 Deployment with MDT

Steps to Prepare Windows 10 Image for MDT Deployment

Tested on Windows 10 version 1909 & 2004

Installation of Windows 10 Professional

1. Install Windows 10 Professional on VMware ESXi 6.7 Host with NO VMware Tool installed

Ensure that VMware Network Adaptor is configured as E1000e

2. A new user called Admin is created during installation of Windows 10

Install Latest Security Patches and Necessarily Applications

1. Run Windows Update to download and install latest security patches
2. Download and Install Microsoft Edge for Business
3. Enable .NET 3.5 Framework

Dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:"NetFx3"

Remove Unnecessarily Windows 10 Build-In Apps

• Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage – Remove Windows 10 Build-In Apps to be installed for each new user.
• Remove-AppxPackage – Remove Windows 10 Build-In App installed on existing user’s profile

Run the PowerShell Script below to remove some of the unnecessarily Windows 10 Build-In Apps, like Xbox, Games and etc.

Get-AppXProvisionedPackage -online | Select DisplayName 

$AppsList = @(

   "Microsoft.MicrosoftSolitaireCollection",
    "Microsoft.Xbox.TCUI",
    "Microsoft.XboxApp",
    "Microsoft.XboxGameOverlay",
    "Microsoft.XboxGamingOverlay",
    "Microsoft.XboxIdentityProvider",
    "Microsoft.XboxSpeechToTextOverlay",
    "Microsoft.ZuneMusic",
    "Microsoft.ZuneVideo",
    "Microsoft.GetHelp",
    "Microsoft.GetStarted",
    "Microsoft.MicrosoftOfficeHub",
    "Microsoft.OneConnect",
    "Microsoft.People",
    "Microsoft.StorePurchaseApp",
    "Microsoft.windowscommunicationsapps",
    "Microsoft.WindowsFeedbackHub",
    "Microsoft.SkypeApp",
    "Microsoft.MixedReality.Portal",
    "Microsoft.Wallet"
) 

ForEach ($App in $AppsList)
{
  $PackageFullName = (Get-AppxPackage $App).PackageFullName
  $ProPackageFullName = (Get-AppxProvisionedPackage -online | where {$_.Displayname -eq $App}).PackageName

  #Remove App for New User
  Remove-AppxProvisionedPackage -online -packagename $ProPackageFullName
  #Remove App for existing logon User
  Remove-AppxPackage -package $PackageFullName
}

Standardize Windows Start Menu

Customize the Windows Start Menu to be used for new users

# Standardize Windows Start Menu for New User 
$Path = "C:\LayoutModification.xml"
Export-StartLayout -path $Path

Copy-Item $Path -Destination “C:\Users\Default\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Shell”

Disable Microsoft Consumer Experience, First Logon Animation & Windows Defender

• Microsoft Consumer Experience – Disabled it to stop Windows 10 to installs some games, third-party apps and application links from the Windows Store for the signed-in user automatically
• First Logon Animation – Disable it to stop showing the "Hi", "We’re getting everything ready for you," and "This might take several minutes," message during first login to streamline the setup process
• Windows Defender – Disabled it only if third party Endpoint solution, like Symantec is used

# Disable the Microsoft Consumer Experience
New-Item -Path HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\ -Name CloudContent 
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CloudContent' -name 'DisableWindowsConsumerFeatures' -PropertyType DWORD -Value '1' 

# Disable First logon Animation 
New-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System' -name 'EnableFirstLogonAnimation' -PropertyType DWORD -Value '0' 

#Disable Windows Defender 
Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $TRUE 
New-ItemProperty -Path “HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender” -Name DisableAntiSpyware -Value 1 -PropertyType DWORD -Force  

Final Clean up

1. Clean up the System folder called WinSxS that are needed for your Windows installation, as well as backups or updates to those files.

# Cleanup 
dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /AnalyzeComponentStore
dism /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup

2. Delete all the logs in Event Viewer
3. Disk Clean up for C Drive
4. Enable Local Administrator with new password
5. Log Off Admin, and login with Administrator Account
6. Delete the Admin account and its’ profile in Control Panel – System – Advanced System Settings – User Profiles – Settings

Sysprep

1. Open Command Prompt with Administrator Right and run C:\Windows\System32\SysPrep\sysprep.exe

Check Generalize and Select Shutdown

2. Take a snapshot of the power off VM for backup purpose – Optional Step