Customizing Task Sequences

The two default task sequence types, Build and Capture, and Deployment, are useful when beginning your use of OSD and task sequences. However, do not lock yourself into the tasks the Create Task Sequence Wizard places into these default task sequences. These two task sequences are just starting points for all but the most basic deployments. They are fully editable, allowing you to customize them as much or as little as you want. Ultimately, using these two task sequence types is not even required. You could start from a blank task sequence by choosing Custom in the New Task Sequence editor and start with a completely clean slate.

Interestingly enough, although task sequences are built for OSD, you can use them for software deployment or any other system configuration activity requiring multiple steps and possibly state maintenance during those steps. This gives rise to the scenario of allowing the activity to continue even after a reboot.

Many in-house or legacy applications require installing multiple packages or performing other configuration tasks in a specific sequence while also surviving a single or multiple intervening reboots. Repackaging these installations is often challenging if not impossible because of their nature. Task sequences are a perfect way to accomplish the many steps involved in these types of installations.

NOTE: APPLICATION REPACKAGING
Although well beyond the scope of this tutorial, it is worth pointing out that application repackaging is not an exercise to take lightly. It takes in-depth knowledge of the application being installed as well as the application installation technology being used. Repacking applications often leads to issues down the road, including the inability to apply vendor-supplied updates.

Custom Commands

The Run Command Line task is your ticket to infinite customization of a task sequence. It provides the ability to run any command already available in Windows or that you include in a package. You can also import a registry file using regedit.exe, run a custom script, or install a device driver from a vendor-supplied .exe.

Using a Run Command Line task, you can add a user interface that enables users to provide input into your task sequence.

The Microsoft Deployment ( http://blogs.technet.com/deploymentguys/default.aspx ) present several useful scripts to run using a Run Command Line task. Many examples are geared toward use with MDT but are applicable to OSD with some minor tweaking in a few cases.

The possibilities are limited only by your resourcefulness and ability. With a little hard work and some examples, you can find or create a script or executable that automates anything and everything required by your deployment.