1

Does anyone know how to start the Microsoft Deployment Wizard from within a running Windows OS so that a task sequence (created for the sole purpose of installing applications) can be run at the OS level (non-WinPE)?

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2

Is there any reason you want to do this with MDT rather than something perhaps more suited to App installs like PDQ Deploy (or even via GPO)?

3

Just execute the LiteTouch.vbs from the Deployment Share. Then it’ll prompt for which task sequence you want to run.

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4

Browse to the deployment share and go into the Scripts folder and run LiteTouch.vbs.

5

This is done in the same manner that you would run the ‘ Sysprep and Capture ’ task, by calling the LiteTouch.wsf script from the running OS.

  1. Establish connectivity with the deployment share:
    Net use * \mdtserver\deploymentshare$ /user:domain\username

  2. Execute the LiteTouch.wsf:
    Cscript \mdtserver\deploymentshare$\scripts\LiteTouch.wsf

This will start the MDT wizards and offer you the task sequence list.

Hope this helps,

David
Windows Outreach Team – IT Pro
The Springboard Series on TechNet

edit: Dang, are you guys fast.

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6

Whew, wow, been so busy here and haven’t had time to check back. Thank you guys for chiming in. I did find my own answer, which is exactly as Jeremy_B had said (and others appended to). I also created a batch file (without credentials) that our techs can use as a 1-click initiator.

7

“Is there any reason you want to do this with MDT rather than something perhaps more suited to App installs like PDQ Deploy (or even via GPO)?”

True, or even Ninite Pro.

We will be purchasing Ninite Pro eventually. Pretty sure that Ninite will not do Microsoft Product installations. Also, nice to use free and existing tools.