Refresh scenario - migration from Windows XP to Windows 7 (MDT 2012)
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Tuesday, October 09, 2012 9:08 PM
I have around 300 Windows XP Professional with SP3 client machines (domain computers) which need to be migrated to Windows 7 Professional with SP1. Manual backup and fresh installation is an option but I wonder how to use MDT 2012 refresh scenario. Unfortunately on these machines usually there are many user profiles, data are stored everywhere - not only in user profile but all across C and D partition (on each machine locations are usually different). Also beside common applications which are installed on each machine there are many custom applications which depend on user department. Even version of applications (both common and custom) may differ.
In my opinion this is nightmare scenario but it needs to be solved somehow. What can be done? I would like to use MDT 2012 refresh scenario with USMT 4 and hard links but honestly I have never done it before.
Gathering information about all these applications, redeploying them silently via MDT 2012 Task Sequence, preserving all these data, keeping current partition sizes (I do not know whether TS for deploying Windows 7 which normally formats and creates partitions will do that if used with hard links) and also since Windows XP does not have 100 MB system partition how to create that partition in refresh scenario?
Please help, I read that hard links in USMT 4 (MDT 2012) and whole refresh scenario is very mighty tool of MDT 2012 and is widely used for migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7.
And by the way I have many branch offices so majority of client machines are not in the same location as MDT 2012 machine, so I will probably need to copy deployment share to those locations or to create media. I think I know how to do that in new computer scenario but as I said I have never done refresh scenario.
- Edited by BoxiKG Tuesday, October 09, 2012 10:00 PM
All Replies
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Tuesday, October 09, 2012 10:08 PM
Firstly, you won't be able to use hardlinks to migrate data from the D: drive to a new C: drive.(it is only volume specific) You can use network shares.
This is not a nightmare, really though. Just a standard XP to Windows 7 migration project.
My advice for you is to take this all in bite-size chunks. Here's some resources for you from my blog:
http://scriptimus.wordpress.com/2011/05/09/usmt-video-walkthrough/
http://scriptimus.wordpress.com/2011/04/27/mdt-2010-microsoft-deployment-toolkit-video-walkthrough/
http://scriptimus.wordpress.com/2011/05/25/mdt-2010-user-state-migration/
You should set up a lab environment, work your way through the videos and post back and open a new topic when you encounter any hurdles.
Use Microsoft Springboard as your guiding light for this project: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/dd361745 Springboard covers everything from planning through to deployment.
Finally, take time out to plan this.
Good luck.
Blog: http://scriptimus.wordpress.com
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012 6:34 AM
Ok, I will watch these 4 videos. I do not need to migrate data from D: drive to C: drive, data can stay on original volume. So does it mean if I use default usmt .xml scripts all data on D: drive will be preserved? Disk will not be formatted, partition will keep their sizes? How to create that Windows 7 system reserved partition in this case since that partition does not exist on Windows XP machines?
Also can I just ignore application part and preserve data and settings, keeping in mind my scenario as it comes to applications (large number of apps, common and custom apps, different versions of apps . . .). Will whole refresh scenario fail if I do not gather information about installed apps and redeploy them silently via MDT 2012 Task Sequence?
What would you do?
- Edited by BoxiKG Wednesday, October 10, 2012 6:49 AM
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