How to install Windows 7 on OptiPlex 7040 (and other Skylake systems) using MDT 2013 Update 1

This article provides information on installing Windows 7 on OptiPlex 7040 (and other Skylake systems) using MDT 2013 Update 1.

How to Install Windows 7 with MDT 2013 Update 1.

NOTE: This procedure is only for Windows 7 Enterprise or MSDN / Volume License media; it will not activate OEM media.

Follow the steps below to install Windows 7 on the OptiPlex 7040 (or other Skylake systems) using Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Update 1:

NOTE: This procedure can take 1-3 hours to prepare the media in some cases, depending on Internet and USB speeds.

Download Windows ADK 10 1511 from the following link: Windows ADK 10 1511 and choose the Install Path for installation (Figure 1):
NOTE: If MDT is being run on Windows 7, do not download ADK 1607 as the ISO will fail to be created with a bcdedit warning.

Figure 1: Specify Location for install path
Select Deployment Tools and Windows PE from the list of features to install (Figure 2):

Figure 2: List of features to install
Download and install the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Update 1 from the following link: Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2013 Update 1.
Download and install the 7-Zip utility program from the following location: 7-Zip Utility.
Download the Rufus USB Boot Creator Utility from the following location: Rufus USB Boot Creator Utility.
Download the Windows 10 PE CAB file from the following location at the Dell Techcenter: Windows 10 PE CAB.
Extract the Windows 10 PE CAB file to a temp directory.
Download the Windows 7 PE CAB file for the OptiPlex 7040 from the following location at the Dell Techcenter: OptiPlex 7040 Windows 7 PE CAB.
Extract the OptiPlex 7040 CAB file to a temp directory.
Download the Intel USB 3.0 Driver.
Extract the Intel USB 3.0 Driver to a temp directory such as Downloads\Chipset_Driver_020WG_WN32_4.0.5.55_A03.
Open the Deployment Workbench within the Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.
Right click on Deployment Shares.
Select New Deployment Share.
Select a path for the Deployment Share.
Select to set a local Administrator password and to enable Bitlocker if desired (Figure 3):

Figure 3: Set Admin password and enable Bitlocker
Click MDT Deployment Share.
Right click Out of Box Drivers and select New Folder.
Enter PEx64.
Right click PEx64.
Choose Import Drivers.
Browse to the temp directory with the Windows 10 PE CAB files > x64 directory (Figure 4):

Figure 4: Browse to the Windows 10 PE Cab files>X64 directory
Go to Advanced Configuration > Selection Profiles.
Right click Selection Profiles.
Select New Selection Profile.
Name the New Selection Profile "PEx64 Drivers".
Select Out of Box Drivers > PEx64 (Figure 5):

Figure 5: New Selection Profile Wizard
If x86 is needed or desired, repeat steps 14-23 but with PEx86 (Figure 6):

Figure 6: PEx86 Drivers profile
Right click on MDT Deployment Share.
Go to Properties.
If only using x64, deselect x86 from Platforms Supported (Figure 7):

Figure 7: Platforms Supported
Go to Rules.
Add OSDDiskAlign=1024 to the bottom of Rules (Figure 8):

Figure 8: MDT Deployment Share Rules Properties
Go to Windows PE.
Under Platform x86, select Drivers and Patches.
Choose PEx86 Drivers.
Go to Platform x64.
Choose PEx64 Drivers (Figure 9):

Figure 9: MDT Deployment Share Properties
Go to Operating Systems.
Create a new directory called W7x64.
Mount the Windows 7 ISO or insert to the DVD Drive.
Right click the W7x64 Folder.
Select Import Operating System.
Select Full set of source files.
Browse to the DVD / ISO Drive that says W7SP1 (Figure 10):

Figure 10: Browse to W7SP1 drive
Name the Destination Windows 7 x64 Pro or Enterprise SP1 (depending on which disc you use). You may see multiple versions of Windows imported (Figure 11):

Figure 11: Importing process screen
To prevent errors, rename all of the directories under W7x64 to remove redundant text (Figure 12):

Figure 12: Rename the directories under W7x64
Right click on Out of Box Drivers and create a new folder.
Name the folder W7x64.
Right click W7x64 and create a new folder.
Name the folder Optiplex 7040 (Figure 13):

Figure 13: Opiplex 7040 folder name
Right click on Optiplex 7040 and select Import Drivers.
Select the x64 directory under the Optiplex 7040 CAB file (Figure 14):

Figure 14: x64 directory under the Optiplex 7040 CAB file
Right click on Out of Box Drivers and create a new folder.
Name the folder W7Skylake (Figure 15):

Figure 15: W7Skylake folder
Right click on W7Skylake and select Import Drivers.
Select the Drivers\Win7\x64 folder under the Intel USB3.0 driver temp folder (Figure 16):

Figure 16: Intel USB 3.0 driver temp folder
Go to Selection Profiles under Advanced Configuration.
Right click Selection Profiles and create a new Selection Profile.
Name it W7x64 Drivers.
Select W7x64 under Out of Box Drivers (Figure 17):

Figure 17: W7x64 folder under Out of Box Drivers
Go to Selection Profiles under Advanced Configuration.
Right click Selection Profiles and create a new Selection Profile.
Name it W7Skylake.
Select W7Skylake under Out of Box Drivers (Figure 18):

Figure 18: W7Skylake folder under Out of Box Drivers
Right click on Task Sequences and select New Task Sequence.
Task Sequence ID will be W7x64-1.
Task Sequence name will be Deploy Windows 7 x64 Pro or Enterprise SP1 (depending on your edition).
Select Standard Client Task Sequence.
Select your edition of Windows 7x64 (Figure 19):

Figure 19: Select OS Windows 7x64
Do not specify a product key.
Enter your name and preferred Internet Explorer Home Page.
Enter a local Administrator password.
Right click on the Deploy Windows 7 x64 Task Sequence and go to Properties.
Select Task Sequence.
Select Preinstall.
Select Inject Drivers.
Choose W7x64 Drivers as the Selection Profile.
Select install only matching drivers (Figure 20):

Figure 20: Select Install only matching drivers
Go to Add.
Select General.
Select Inject Drivers.
Select the new Inject Drivers step.
Rename the step to Inject Drivers W7Skylake.
Select Install all drivers from the selection profile(Figure 21):

Figure 21: Select Install all driver from the selection profile
Confirm the Task Sequence has the Inject drivers in the correct order (Figure 22):

Figure 22: Task Sequence order
Go to Format and Partition Disk (BIOS).
Select Options.
Select Disable this step.
Go to Format and Partition Disk (UEFI).
Select Options.
Select Disable this step.
Go to Add.
Select Disks.
Select Format and Partition Disk.
Select Add above Volume (Figure 23):

Figure 23: Add above Volume selection
Select Partition Name of OSDisk.
Use 100% Size.
Select Make this a boot partition.
Select NTFS File System.
Select Quick Format.
Enter OSDisk under Variable (Figure 24):

Figure 24: Partition Properties screen with OSDisk as the Variable
Select OK.
Confirm the Task Sequence has the correct steps (Figure 25):

Figure 25: Task Sequence correct steps
Right click on Media and select New Media.
Choose Selection Profile: Everything.
Select a temp directory for the media path.
Right click on MEDIA001 and go to Properties.
Select only Generate x64 boot image (unless x86 is needed) (Figure 26):

Figure 26: Generate X64 boot image selection
Go to Windows PE.
Select PEx86 Drivers under Selection profile.
Select Platform and go to x64.
Select PEx64 Drivers under Selection profile.
Right click on MEDIA001 and select Update Media Content.
Open the Rufus USB Boot Creator Utility.
Select GPT partition scheme.
Select FAT32.
Click the disc icon next to ISO image (Figure 27):

Figure 27: Disc icon selection
Select LiteTouchMedia.iso.
Select Start.
Place the USB key into the Skylake based system and choose UEFI: USB Key PMAP.
Select Windows 7x64 from the Task Sequence list.