Endpoint Services, MECM, Windows 7 to Windows 10 upgrade strategy for MECM endpoints
Overview
This article suggests a strategy for upgrading MECM-managed Windows 7 endpoints to Windows 10.
Systems
Microsoft Endpoint Configuration Manager (MECM)
Intended Audience
University of Illinois IT Pros leveraging MECM, hosted by Technology Services' Endpoint Services team
General Information
This article is intended to provide guidance to IT Pros as they design a Windows 7 to 10 upgrade plan for their units. Microsoft will discontinue Windows 7 support on January 14, 2020.
Preparation
- Reference this article to identify MECM-managed endpoints that are running Windows 7
- Reference this article to install the MECM client on Windows 7 endpoints that are unmanaged
- Verify hardware is compatible with Windows 10 - click here to view system requirements
- Run the 'Device Audit by Collection' and 'Summary of computer hardware by collection' reports located in \Monitoring\Overview\Reporting\Reports\Useful Reports to view hardware information
- Run the 'Device Audit by Collection' and 'Summary of computer hardware by collection' reports located in \Monitoring\Overview\Reporting\Reports\Useful Reports to view hardware information
- Verify the software used by your unit is compatible with Windows 10
- Software vendors generally provide system requirements in the software title's documentation
- Software vendors generally provide system requirements in the software title's documentation
- Build a Windows 10 upgrade task sequence in MECM
- Copy the 'DEMO DAYS-Windows 10 x64 Upgrade-adv' task sequence in \Software Library\Overview\Operating Systems\Task Sequences\.DEMO DAYS and move the task sequence to your unit's folder
- Edit the task sequence and select the desired Windows 10 upgrade package and edition
- Pay close attention to the 'Options' tab of each step. Some steps include a filter to only run on select models. This filter should be modified for models in your environment.
- Pay close attention to the 'Options' tab of each step. Some steps include a filter to only run on select models. This filter should be modified for models in your environment.
- Drivers may or may not be required. Windows 10 feature updates generally support industry hardware that was available at the date of the feature update's release. Hardware that is newer than the feature update will likely need drivers.
- If additional drivers are required, select the appropriate driver package in the 'Upgrade Operating System (with additional drivers)' step
- Contact the EPS team to request drivers that are not packaged in MECM (\Software Library\Overview\Operating Systems\Driver Packages)
- Steps from existing task sequences can be copied into the new task sequence
- Copy the 'DEMO DAYS-Windows 10 x64 Upgrade-adv' task sequence in \Software Library\Overview\Operating Systems\Task Sequences\.DEMO DAYS and move the task sequence to your unit's folder
Test
- Create a collection and add an existing Windows 7 endpoint to use as a test PC
- An endpoint that closely matches your unit's configuration (software, group policy, etc) is an ideal test PC
- An endpoint that closely matches your unit's configuration (software, group policy, etc) is an ideal test PC
- Deploy the Windows 10 upgrade task sequence to the collection
Deploy
- Create an upgrade plan based on the information collected in the preparation stage
- Confirm the relevant data is backed up from Windows 7 endpoints
- Deploy the Windows 10 upgrade task sequence to the designated OS Deployment collection