In this post I will cover the steps to install latest version of Windows ADK for SCCM. I will also cover what is Windows ADK, features of Windows ADK, from where can you download latest version of Windows ADK.
Windows ADK is an external dependency when you install SCCM. There are two ways to install the Windows ADK. Using the GUI and via command line.
What is Windows ADK ?
The Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (Windows ADK) contains set of tools. Using these tools you can customize Windows images for large-scale deployment, test the quality and performance of your system.
Windows ADK also contains deployment tools such as WinPE, Sysprep, and other tools that you can use to customize and deploy Windows 10 images.
Download Windows ADK
So where can I download the Windows ADK ?. Most of all understand that the Windows ADK releases are frequent and you must always download the latest version of Windows ADK.
This is important. Starting with Windows 10, version 1809, Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE) is released separately from the Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK).
Therefore it means you have to download ADK and Windows PE and install them one after the other. You install Windows ADK first and then add Windows PE to your ADK installation.
The latest version of Windows ADK is 1903. To download the latest version of Windows ADK, click here.
Windows 10 ADK Features
Before you install Window ADK, let’s take a look at features included with Windows ADK.
First of all, not all features are mandatory for installation. However you can install any of these based on your requirements.
- Application Compatibility Tools
- Deployment Tools
- Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)
- Imaging and Configuration Designer (ICD)
- Configuration Designer
- User State Migration Tool (USMT)
- Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT)
- Windows Performance Toolkit
- Windows Assessment Toolkit
- Microsoft User Experience Virtualization (UE-V)
- Application Virtualization Sequencer (App-V)
- Microsoft Application Virtualization Auto Sequencer (App-V)
- Media experience Analyzer
How to Install Windows ADK for SCCM
To install Windows ADK for SCCM, download adksetup.exe. Run it as administrator and this brings up Windows Assessment and Deployment kit install wizard.
Select the first option – Install Windows Assessment and Deployment kit and click Next.
If you wish not to send anonymous usage data to Microsoft, click No. Click Next.
To accept the license terms, click Accept.
To install Windows ADK for SCCM, you need only Deployment Tools and User State Migration Tool (USMT). Select both of them and click Install.
The Windows ADK installation is complete. Click Close.
Install Windows PE Add-on for Windows ADK
In the above steps, we installed Windows ADK. We will now install Windows PE add-on for Windows ADK. Download adkwinpesetup.exe and run it as administrator.
Select the first option Install ADK Windows Preinstallation environment addons and click Next.
To accept license terms, click Accept.
Notice that there is only feature that is included which is Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE). Click Install.
The Windows PE installation is complete. Click Close.
