Windows 7 / Getting Started

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Execution Context

Execution context refers to a concept important to know when digging below the surface of OSD during troubleshooting, customization, or any advanced implementations.

Task sequences run as the Local System account of the system they run on. This includes the WinPE portions as well as the Windows portions and even non-OSD task sequences used for advanced application deployment or other tasks. This cannot be changed.

This means all tasks and commands run as Local System including application installation. If you specifically need to run a task as another user account, use the Run Command-Line task and its alternative credential capability.

Another ramification of using Local System is the system's Active Directory computer account is used to access network resources specifically referenced during the task sequence in custom scripts or command-line tasks. This does not include access to referenced ConfigMgr content or packages directly used by the task sequence that, as discussed in the "Targeting and Execution" section, use the Network Access account first and then fall back to this account if the Network Access account does not have access to the content.

Change Control and Portability

Nothing is specifically built in to assist in managing changes for task sequences, although there are several things you can do to avoid losing work:

• Always duplicate a task sequence for backup purposes after it is created, and any time you are about to edit. This is an easy and quick step you can perform by rightclicking any task sequence and clicking Copy . You can also set up a dedicated console folder to move your duplicates into to avoid clutter.
• Export the task sequence from the ConfigMgr console by right-clicking it and choosing Export ; to export multiple task sequences simultaneously, use multiselect and then select Export . This exports the task sequence and optionally all its dependencies (including OS images, boot images, software packages, driver packages, and applications) to a zip file you can store externally. You can re-import exported task sequences by selecting the Task Sequences node and choosing Import Task Sequence from the ribbon bar or right-click context-menu. Note that passwords and Windows product keys are stripped from the exported files.

Exporting task sequences to zip files is also an approach for copying a task sequence to a ConfigMgr site in an alternative, unconnected hierarchy such as a test or quality assurance site or one at another organization. You simply copy the exported zip file to a location accessible by the destination site and import it. The first page of the Export Task Sequence Wizard is shown and includes two options:

• Export all task sequence dependencies: This option exports a definition for all the referenced dependencies in the task sequence, so they can be created or re-created when the export file is imported. It does not include the actual content for the dependencies however. The original content locations must be available and accessible on the site where the task sequence is imported.
• Export all content for the select task sequence dependencies: This option includes both the definitions and content for all content referenced in the task sequence. Dependencies will be created when the task sequence is imported at the destination site using the exported files. The exported content is not actually included in the zip file; it is included in a like-named folder in the same folder specified for the zip export file.

Content for dependencies from disabled tasks in the task sequence is not exported, although the task itself will be included in the exported task sequence. In addition, if your task sequence references the built-in Configuration Manager Client package in the Setup Windows and ConfigMgr task, this package will not be exported.

The second page of the Import Task Sequence Wizard is shown. This page displays all the content referenced in the task sequence and gives you one of three choices (listed under the Actions header in the dialog's list box) based upon the prior existence of the content at the site where you are importing the task sequence:

• Create New: Only available for dependencies that do not exist on the target site; this option creates the dependency from information in the zip file. If content was not exported, the original source location is referenced. If content was exported, its location is referenced.
• Ignore duplicate: This is the default option and does not import the dependency exported from the source site but instead links to the dependency that already exists on the target site.
• Overwrite: This option overwrites the existing dependency.