This topic is not new but it has been asked a lot lately on the forums so a post is in order.
To use the “Install Software updates” step in a Task Sequence to install Software updates requires that the computer that is being deployed/reimaged is a member of one or more collections with the updates that should be installed deployed to it.
There are two options for the “Install Software Updates Step”:
Mandatory Software Updates = This naming is perhaps not really clear as in Configuration Manager 2012 Software Updates are deployed as “Required”. This option will install all updates deployed to the computer as required.
All Software Updates = this option will install all Software Updates that are deployed to the computer as “Available”
What if I am using Unknown Computer support to install my clients? In that scenario you have two options:
- Deploy all the “Software Update Groups” to the “Unknown Computers” collection. This option will require you to deploy all updates multiple times which is not fun.
- Include the two “Unknown Computer”(one for x86 and one for x64) objects in your normal Collection that you use to deploy Software Updates.
This is a much better option which doesn’t require multiple deployments of all Software Update Groups
Also check out this KB article, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2894518 for an issue with deploying Software Updates during a Task Sequence that requires multiple reboots.
Thanks for the clarification on the mandatory and all software updates.
Hi Jörgen
It is worth adding I think, that there is a limit to the number of updates that can be deployed to a collection, if you exceed that number then you will get a TS error that prevents any updates installing. Therefore, simply deploying all updates to the unknown computers collection can eventually lead to problems, especially (in our case) if you do not expire updates straight away.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/28e6ba92-db10-4f76-bd3b-9535ef1f93a0/osd-capture-prepare-configuration-manager-client-step-fails?forum=configmanagerosd
Hi,
Thanks for the feedback, will add that to the post.
/jörgen
That would be much better way to to install software. Thanks for these tips! Very helpful.
That would be a much better way to install software updates. Thanks for these tips! Very helpful.
Hey Jörgen,
Thanks for this! I tried the lazier method but it didn’t work.
I was however able to get it working by deploying directly to the All Unknown Computers collection.
https://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/ea69cbe2-dbe2-42d7-b2e1-081e280753d8/osd-deploy-capture-not-installing-software-updates?forum=ConfigMgrCBOSD
@Josh, can you please be more specific? Although I like the Jorgen’s idea, I don’t want to implement something that won’t work. Just wondering if it is something in your environment, or perhaps the number of updates deployed (as mentioned by @Mikey C). Thanks for any detail.
I have another question about Install Software Updates with OSD. When you build your image, should your computer be joined to the domain in order for this task to work? I’d rather not join it to the domain, in order to not receiving any GPO’s on my image.
Hi,
It should not be joined to the domain for many reason where GPO’s are one of them.
Regards,
Jörgen
Thanks Jörgen, great info. Is this still needed for the computers joining the domain during OSD after OS applied? Aren’t they become known device after installing the agent? Won’t they get the patches? I experienced device collections members update slowness so badly when I have the “x64 Unknown Computer” and “x86 Unknown Computer” objects in a collection. Taking them out fix the collections update slowness issue. Please advise. Thanks!!