Windows 11 Deployment - Using MDT 8456 with Windows ADK 23H2 (Build 25398) (2025)

By Johan Arwidmark /March 19, 2024

Since Microsoft don't officially support Windows 11 Deployments with MDT, nor supporting any Windows ADK version newer than Windows ADK for Windows 10, version 1809 (build 17763), it's up to the OSD community to make it work. On the good side, with millions of MDT downloads during the years, you're not exactly alone 🙂

Food for thought

As of this writing, the by Microsoft only supported deployment solution for Windows 11 is ConfigMgr, but if you don't mind a few tweaks, you can absolutely make MDT work for Windows 11, and even use the latest Windows ADK (Windows ADK for Windows 11 23H2). In general, I don't recommend using the latest ADK due to the fact it's built on Windows, Server 23H2 instead of Windows 11, but sure, if you absolutely want to, you can.

Fun fact: You can deploy Windows 11 just fine with an older ADK version too, but you will find that the native driver and chipset support is not the best. I recommending using at least Windows ADK for Windows 11 22H2 (Build 22621).

Issue #1 – VBScript is Broken

While VBScript is announced to be deprecated it's going to be around for a good while longer. You'll be surprised how many scripts, and installers using it. VBScript was not removed from the latest ADK, Microsoft accidentally broke it, and issued a fix for that quite quickly. Here is a post on how to fix VBScript in the latest ADK: https://www.deploymentresearch.com/fixing-vbscript-support-in-windows-adk-sep-2023-update-build-25398

Issue #2 – WinPE x86 is Missing

The fact that Microsoft no longer includes the 32-bit (x86) version of WinPE is not exactly new, it was removed already in Windows ADK for Windows 11 22H2 (Build 22621), but MDT expects to find an x86\WinPE_OCs folder structure in the Windows ADK installation folder. If MDT can't find that, the console crashes with an exception:

System.IO.DirectoryNotFoundException. Could not find a part of the path 'C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Assessment and Deployment Kit\Windows Preinstallation Environment\x86\WinPE_OCs'.

Solution: Create an empty x86\WinPE_OCs folder structure in the Windows ADK folder. MDT don't care about the content; it just looks for the folder 🙂

Windows 11 Deployment - Using MDT 8456 with Windows ADK 23H2 (Build 25398) (2)

Issue #3 – Generating Catalog Files will Fail

If you try generating a catalog for a WIM image using the latest Windows ADK, MDT will crash with this lovely error message:

Unhandled Exception: System.IO.FileNotFoundException: Could not load file or assembly 'Microsoft.ComponentStudio.ComponentPlatformInterface, Version=6.2.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=31bf3856ad364e35' or one of its dependencies. The system cannot find the file specified.

This is due to the fact that the latest Windows ADK is the first version to include architecture specific versions of Windows System Image Manager (WSIM). Earlier versions only had x86 versions.

Solution: Edit the C:\Program Files\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Bin\DeploymentTools.xml file and provide the %RealPlatform% value for the imgmgr.exe tool. Thank you L. Ozon for providing this elegant workaround. Below is what the edited line should look like:

<tool name="imgmgr.exe">%ADKPath%\Deployment Tools\WSIM\%RealPlatform%</tool>

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Johan Arwidmark

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Stanislaw

14 days ago

Hi Johan, what do you think about the latest version of the ADKs ADK 10.1.26100.1 (May 2024), (10.1.26100.1) in combination with SCCM 2309? Do you already have experience with this version?
I would like to install this version to close the Black Lotus security gap in the WInPEs.
At the moment I am using ADK version 10.1.22621.1. I don't have any problems with it, but I want to avoid closing the Black Lotus security gap with any scripts. What do you think about this topic?

with kind regards
Stanislaw

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Johan Arwidmark

6 days ago

Reply to Stanislaw

I only recommend adding ADK 24H2 (build 26100) boot images if you need to do ARM64 deployments. For everything else, use ADK 22H2 (build 22621) boot images.

Richard Ligtenberg

1 month ago

I followed the steps above completely but cannot generate a catalog file. I get the following error: non-zero return code from catalog utility, rc = -532462766

Do you have any solution? I used the 22H2 ADK and WinPE environment and have a 23H2 image.
Thank you in advance for your reply.

Author

Johan Arwidmark

28 days ago

Reply to Richard Ligtenberg

You rarely need a catalog file, but if you need one, you can always generate one on another computer and copy over.

Damien P Solodow

2 months ago

Had any luck with DaRT on 24h2 ADK? Got it copied on mine, and when I run remoterecovery.exe it doesn't actually open the app/dialog, not is it listed in task manager.

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Johan Arwidmark

1 month ago

Reply to Damien P Solodow

Yes, DaRT is working fine for me in Windows ADK for Windows 11 24H2 (26100). I use the native DaRT integration with MDT to add it.

Damien Solodow

1 month ago

Reply to Johan Arwidmark

Very strange. And running the remoterecovery works as normal? Wonder why it doesn't launch on mine.

Bavo Bostoen

2 months ago

I tried Using MDT 8456 with Windows ADK 24H2 (Build 10.1.26100.1 – May 2024), for some reason, and go figure: the failed sysprep problems seem to be back, although I do have the scripts to pauze Store updates.I guess I should have known better.

Author

Johan Arwidmark

2 months ago

Reply to Bavo Bostoen

So far, the testing with ADK 26100 has been promising, but there is no requirement on that version to deploy Windows 11 23H2 (or 24H2).

L. Ozon

5 months ago

Hi, Couple of questions: Instead of the kb5032202, can we use the latest – 2024-04 Cumulative Update for Microsoft server operating system version 23H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5036910) to update ADK winpe.wim (ADK 23H2 (Build 25398) with your script "Update-ADK25398BootImageInstallFolderWithCU.ps1" (where the contents are modified as needed)? Is "step-1: enough to fix the scripting support issues If I recall correctly, ADK winpe.wim is used to create the LiteTouch.wim, when in MDT-Workbench you issue "Update\regenerate boot images" for the deployment share, so it should create an up-to-date LiteTouchPE.wim file, correct? In short, the resulting deployment set should be able to boot…Read more »

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Johan Arwidmark

5 months ago

Reply to L. Ozon

1. I haven't tried later updates for this issue, but they should work.
2. For VBS support in WinPE, yes. For MDT you may have to update the Unattend_PE_x64.xml too as described in https://github.com/MicrosoftDocs/memdocs/blob/main/memdocs/configmgr/mdt/known-issues.md
3. Correct

L. Ozon

5 months ago

Reply to Johan Arwidmark

Thank you for the tip on item-2. Yes indeed. I missed that. Here's another annoyance I came across.. When WinRE.wim is created, it is usually larger than the WinRe partition, depending on the drivers, and other items included in WinRE.wim. So, I may end up with 2 scenarios: 2 WinRe partitions are created: 499 MB which is not used, and a larger WinRE partition where winRE.wim is placed. or WinRE.wim is placed on the OS Disk (C-drive). Solution: For new Deployment shares, edit the "..\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Templates\Distribution\Scripts\ZTIDiskpart.wsf"file: find and change the size of: Const WINRE_DRIVE_SIZE = 499 (to 999 or…Read more »

Author

Johan Arwidmark

5 months ago

Reply to L. Ozon

Thanks for the info. I tested deploying Windows 11 23H2 in a machine with 80 GB disk, and a machine with 240 GB disk. In both cases, the 665 MB WinRE.wim file was added to the recovery partition.

L. Ozon

5 months ago

Reply to Johan Arwidmark

Ahh, but the point is, if the large Winre.wim file is added to WinRE partition, then you probably have 2 WinRE partitions: 1 small at 499MB (which is not used), and another larger (which actually contains the WinRE.wim).
Worth double checking… 🙂

L. Ozon

5 months ago

Hello, There's an easier fix for WSIM_x64 than copying files for MDT. The file (at "..\Microsoft Deployment Toolkit\Bin\DeploymentTools.xml) contains the various tools and their paths. <tool name="imgmgr.exe">%ADKPath%\Deployment Tools\WSIM</tool> indicates it has to use the x86 version of WSIM. If you look at other tool specs in the file, you'll notice it is using a var %RealPlatform%. So, if you modify the WSIM specs as: <tool name="imgmgr.exe">%ADKPath%\Deployment Tools\WSIM\%RealPlatform%\</tool> Then, when you start workbench, open Deployment Share, locate the Task object, and open unattend via the edit unattend file, it will use WSIM_x64 to open the unattend, and will successfully create Catalog…Read more »

Author

Johan Arwidmark

5 months ago

Reply to L. Ozon

Thanks for the tip, I will update the blog post with this info

Ahmed

6 months ago

Thanks Johan for sharing the informative article,

I have a question regarding your recommendations about using at least Windows ADK for Windows 11 22H2 (Build 22621), does this version support DART integration tool, also does it will work fine for deploying Windows 11 23H2 and Windows 10 22h2?

Thanks,

Author

Johan Arwidmark

6 months ago

Reply to Ahmed

Hi Ahmed, DaRT still works in WinPE build 22621, and that version can deploy images of Windows 11 23H2 and Windows 10 22H2 just fine.

Petri

6 months ago

Got the same and googled a bit and found this article. This made Catalog to work

avi kroparo

4 months ago

Reply to Petri

dart also works with adk 24h2 boot image the fmapi error is fixed.

Author

Johan Arwidmark

3 months ago

Reply to avi kroparo

I'm glad to hear

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