Customsettings.ini is one of those text files in MDT/ConfigMgr that has a major impact on the solution, badly written the solution is a pain in the… correctly written and it works like magic…
A while back I created sample package, but I only published 2 of the samples in the package and now it is time for the rest of them:
- Disable OSInstall.ini
- Setting based on Computer type and location.ini
- Settings based on Computer type.ini
- Settings based on Default Gateway.ini
- Settings based on MAC for servers.ini
- Settings based on MAC.ini
- Settings based on Model.ini
- Settings based on TaskSequenceID.ini
- Settings based on UserExit-Alias.ini
- Settings based on VB Calculation.ini
- Settings based on Virtual Machines.ini
- Settings for UDI.ini
- Using the SMSTSOrg.ini
To try them out in your environment you can just run:
cscript.exe “Path to your MDT folder”:\Scripts\ZTIGather.wsf /Inifile:”The Path to the .ini file you would like to test”
You can download the samples here: http://1drv.ms/1qPkg7l
(Note all these files has been made upon request from customers, so if you need one that I down have, ask me…)
/mike
Share this:
Categories: Deployment, MDT
The Deployment Bunny 
Hello Mike
Is it possible to use the customsettings.ini to add sequential numbers at the end of the OSDCOMPUTERNAME instead of the SN or MAC address? I have a customer who I wont to use all the other steps for but they just wont:
OSDComputername=%NameByType%-%NameByLocation%-000500
then 000501,000502 ect
hope this makes sense!
and thanks for all of the samples here and on other posts!
Matt
No, it is not, since the only way to have that kind of function you need to keep a record of every machine and that tells you that a database is the only solution. You can create a stored procedure in the MDT base that will check if the computer is in and if its not it will add it and give the next incremental number. But before you do that, ask your self what the value of that is?
Here is the link to Johans blog that explains how to use the DB to generate a number in sequence:
http://www.deploymentresearch.com/Research/tabid/62/EntryId/103/Generate-computer-names-in-MDT-2012-2013-based-on-prefix-and-a-sequence-number.aspx
Ok thanks :) iv had a look at Johans blog before so just wonted to check there wasn’t an easyer way. Agreed I need to have the chat about the value of this to the project v time.
Again thanks for your help & time!
NP, In world I either do prestage name in the database, but I have a solution in production where IF the name is in the database, it will keep it, no questions asked, IF not, it pops up and ask for the name and that will then be written to the database. I will try to publish that ASAP
Awesome that would be great! :-)
Ok, I’ll do my best
Hello Mike
Iv had the chat with the customer and we are now going with the SN at the end of the name ;-)
Thanks again for your advice and time!
Matt
Hello again Mike
Are all the above customsettings.ini supported in sccm sp1 please? Im testing now but would be good to know if any are not to save my time :-)
Thanks Again
Matt
Some of them are, some of them not. If you open the MDT helpfile. You can search for each of these properties and they will tell you if the are supported in TLI or ZTI (ZTI = ConfigMgr+MDT)
NP :-)
Hello Mike
Just wonted to share with you what I had done :-) as I would have completed it without your help:
[Settings]
Priority=ByLaptopType, ByDesktopType, ByVMType, ByServerType, DefaultGateway, Default
Properties=MyCustomProperty, NameByType
[Default]
OSInstall=Y
[DefaultGateway]
10.128.11.1=Boston
10.10.4.1=UKDC
10.10.6.1=UKDC
[Boston]
OSDComputername=USABOS%NameByType%#Right(“%SerialNumber%”,6)#
UserLocale=en-us
UILanguage=en-us
KeyboardLocale=0409:00000409
TimeZoneName=Eastern Standard Time
[UKDC]
OSDComputername=USADC%NameByType%#Right(“%SerialNumber%”,2)#
UserLocale=en-us
UILanguage=en-us
KeyboardLocale=0409:00000409
TimeZoneName=Eastern Standard Time
[ByLaptopType]
Subsection=Laptop-%IsLaptop%
[ByDesktopType]
Subsection=Desktop-%IsDesktop%
[ByVmType]
Subsection=VM-%IsVM%
[ByServerType]
Subsection=Server-%IsServerOS%
[Laptop-True]
NameByType=LT
[Desktop-True]
NameByType=DT
[VM-True]
NameByType=VM
[Server-True]
NameByType=SV
As I am using SCCM with MDT I then used the TS to add the different regional machines to the correct OU’s. I did this by having multiple network settings added to my TS with the correct OU structures in and used TS variable “OSDCOMPUTERNAME” to put the corresponding machine in there OU.
Hope this makes sense!
Again thanks for your help and time!
Matt
the last post should have said “as I wouldn’t have completed it without your help”!!!
Matt
I have been reading over methods like this for renaming systems during deployment. I wanted to ask if there is a way to prompt for input because of user type for the name. Currently, in production I have MDT 2010 and use VBS scripts to rename and join the domain and it works fine.
I have a test server with MDT 2013 and wanted to see if I can change the method. The reason for the prompt is because the systems are named based off the user ie Teacher or Student. I have a naming convention of W7T-serial number (Teacher) or W7S-serial number (Student). I need the prompt because I have no way to tell what type of user they will be. I also have a secondary issue with the serial number because not all vendors have the serial number listed in WMI commands. Dell, HP etc are ok but there are also off brands that have those fields blank. Wish I had a single vendor shop.
Would like to hear if anyone has ran into a request like this and if there are any suggestions. Thank you.
Thereare customers that cannont find a common key to get from the system to generate the name. For Lite Touch that means that theese customers will use the Wizard and/or in combinaton use the database. ForZero Touch customers, they could use the UDI wizard and/r in combination with the database, or prestage in ConfigMgr
Mikael, Thanks for the information on this and other great stuff on this site. I have used information here to get the naming issue resolved.
I had an additional question regarding the DefaultGateway in customsettings.ini. I wanted to use the default gateway to assign the site location but I wanted to use a variable for the 3rd octet. I have tried looking for this and using the common wildcards but nothing has worked so far. I have used .*, .x, .xxx, .% etc. already.
[Settings]
Priority=DefaultGateway,Default
[DefaultGateway]
10.2.%.1=Site1
10.3.%.1=Site2
10.4.%.1=Site3
[Site1]
deployroot=\\Server1\MDTDeploy$
I have logging enabled so I can see the wildcard does not work. This is a sample of the log.
The reason I need a variable is some of the sites have multiple gateways so I don’t know what the 3rd octet will be at each site. I also did not want to have to hard code multiples into each entry because it would bloat the cs.ini. So is there a way to put in a variable or would I have to call a script or use a database? A variable would be much quicker for me. Thank you again for your knowledge and this site.
Older thread I know, but what if you have multiple default gateways for each office location? Right now I use collection variables, and have the technicians pick a location – then use that variable to determine what OU the computer goes into, timezone, specific applications, etc. It seems like if I move this to customsettings.ini, I could potentially take any potential error by the techs out of the equation.
i’ll write a blog about that, give me more details…
Thanks Mike. On the device collection for OSD, I setup a blank variable for each location – LOC_NewYork for example. At the beginning of the task sequence, the support technician double clicks on the appropriate location and enters a Y. Steps in the actual task sequence are then run based on that criteria – If LOC_NewYork=Y, then run this step…This is primarily used for the Apply Network Settings step, as each location has a specific OU for computer accounts. It’s also used for applications that are only applied in certain locations, or for applications that have different command lines depending on the location. As for the locations themselves, each has several VLans. The techs usually image in a set location, but have been known to reimage a device at a user’s desk if needed, so I need to allow that to happen. The problem with the task sequence variables are the techs themselves – if they forget to add the Y, or accidentally use a lower case y, the task sequence fails. Let me know if you want more details. I can email screen shots if needed.