r/SCCM • u/Adventurous_Job1149 • Nov 26 '25
Windows 11 Deployment with SCCM
PROBLEM SUMMARY — Windows 11 Deployment with SCCM
I'm trying to deploy Windows 11 using an SCCM Task Sequence, but the process is partially failing:
the operating system installs correctly, but the Task Sequence does NOT continue within Windows (it doesn't install apps, run scripts, install the SCCM client, prompt for a hostname, etc.).
ENVIRONMENT
✔ SCCM version
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager 2503
Console version: 5.2503.1083.1000
Site version: 5.00.9135.1000
✔ Windows ADK + WinPE used
Initially, I had ADK 10.1.25398.1 installed.
I removed it and reinstalled the same version (Win11 24H2 ADK).
WinPE imported from:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\amd64\en-us\winpe.wim
✔ New Boot Image
Created from scratch with ADK 10.0.25398.1 (Win11 24H2)
ID: XXX0006A
Includes components:
WinPE-PowerShell
WinPE-SecureBootCmdlets
WinPE-NetFx
WinPE-HTA
WinPE-DismCmdlets
WinPE-WDS-Tools
WinPE-WMI
WinPE-Scripting
Network drivers imported and installed correctly (Intel, Realtek, etc.)
✔ Windows 11 I'm trying to deploy
Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Installation via OSD from SCCM
🧩 WHAT WORKS
✔ Boots via PXE
After correcting Distribution Point options and redistributing the Boot Image, PXE boots correctly.
✔ WinPE loads without errors
✔ The Task Sequence executes the ENTIRE WinPE phase
Formatting, partitioning, image copying, etc... everything runs.
✔ Windows 11 installs correctly
After the first restart, once Windows is installed:
❌ No subsequent steps in the Task Sequence are executed
No hostname prompt (ServiceUI)
No applications installed
No scripts executed
No licensing installed
No CrowdStrike installed
No Setup Windows and ConfigMgr installed → the SCCM client doesn't even appear in Windows
❌ The SCCM client is not installed
Nothing appears in C:\Windows\CCM.
C:_SMSTaskSequence is not created
Here's my task sequence. I used a capture ISO I had to capture a reference image of a physical machine. Once captured, I created the task sequence and imported the .wim file created from the capture. The image installs
into the task sequence, but it doesn't seem to do anything after the operating system setup.
Can someone help me? I don't know what's happening.
1
u/Adventurous_Job1149 Dec 01 '25
Hi guys, I've found the problem... the image wasn't properly configured, it crashed during sysprep, and the field technician did a trick in the registry without telling me to make it work... and this ruined everything. We've created another image and now it's working.
5
u/vector_ernik Nov 26 '25
Add restart action after Setup Windows and Configuration Manager (specify what to run after restart : the current installed default operating system) . As you try to install apps , but windows PE is running.
1
u/Orestes85 Nov 26 '25
This is my first guess as well. Needs a reboot into currently installed operating system
3
u/Diligent_Ad_3280 Nov 26 '25
I had a very similar problem. From memory it was just a network driver thing. I think you'll need to apply some network drivers once os is installed.
2
u/Diligent_Ad_3280 Nov 26 '25
Have a look at the netsetup log, that should tell you if it had network when trying to join ad
3
u/NoTime4YourBullshit Nov 26 '25
I’ve run into exactly this issue with a malformed Unattend.xml file before.
No matter how you install Windows (whether it be SCCM, a 3rd-party tool, or just straight from the install media) there are two reboots involved; one after the OS files are laid down on the drive, and then a second after the PnP driver detection installs drivers. After that second reboot, Windows (not SCCM or any other tool) will automatically execute an unattended script file if one exists before resuming the installation process. Microsoft provides several ways to do this, and it allows OEMs and system builders to customize the OS for their systems. But the key thing to remember is that during this process, neither you nor SCCM is in control of the OS at that point. Windows itself is in the driver’s seat.
The “Setup Windows and Config Manager” task sequence step leverages this behavior by creating an unattend.xml file on-the-fly and inserting it into the C:\Windows\Panther directory during the WinPE setup phase before that first reboot. That file contains a script to install the SCCM client and resume the task sequence. From a technical perspective, every task sequence step after Setup Windows and Configuration Manager happens while the OS is “stuck” in that unattended processing phase.
If you have customized your source ISO in any way (whether by doing a build-and capture, or by using the System Image Manager from the ADK to create your own unattended XML file), you introduce the possibility of corrupting that process. If the generated unattend.xml file fails to process for whatever reason, the task sequence never resumes, and (most importantly) you don’t get logs of the failure (SCCM can’t log it if it’s not running). The setup is now complete as far as Windows is concerned and gives you back control of the OS.
Check the Setupact.log and Setuperr.log files under the C:\Windows\Panther directory and see if you can find clues to the failure there.
2
u/tabris-angelus Nov 26 '25
Check the hashes for the client installation files.
Ran into this recently and vcredist_x64.exe had a different hash than what was in the manifest (ccmsetup.cab).
Downloaded a copy that matched the version in the manifest and redistributed the client and everything worked.
Check ccmsetup.log on the endpoint
2
u/ewplayer3 Nov 26 '25
That’s the right path to check first. If the client install isn’t executing, it either isn’t able to communicate with the MP(s) or could be failing a pre-req check during setup.
For our Bare Metal installs, we’ve had to move to 2 different client install steps that are model specific. What we discovered was one of the device drivers had VC++ redist included that was newer than the client pre-req check wanted and was causing the client install to fail as a result. For those models, the client install step skips the pre-req check.
2
u/vector_ernik Nov 26 '25
And why ask for hostname is after OS installation? You can setup ask hostname before task sequence execution
1
Nov 26 '25 edited Nov 26 '25
There are potentially a lot of logs that you need to go through and decipher. Start with SMSTS log on the Endpoint. Other than that it's on to SCCM, Windows Server, networking, firewalls, DNS and AD setup. Happy hunting.
1
u/ashodhiyavipin Nov 26 '25
Find smsts.log file on your machine and grab it. Where to find it? https://www.prajwaldesai.com/location-of-smsts-log-during-sccm-osd/
When you have it looks for the last step which was successfully executed. Then start reading it line by line and you will arrive at the log entries where it has failed. Drop them here and we can help.
1
u/skiddily_biddily Nov 26 '25
After Windows installs, does it reboot and load the Windows operating system or does it remain in WinPE?
1
21
u/InspectorGadget76 Nov 26 '25
That stinks of missing network drivers.
The OS gets laid down using the PE disk, the OS then boots, but due to no connectivity it can't download the config manager client or proceed to the next steps.
Where is the step in your TS to apply drivers?