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OSCloudRecast Software

About

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What is OSDCloud?

OSDCloud is a tool to deploy Windows Operating Systems, without a network infrastructure (servers). Windows Image and OEM Driver Packs are downloaded at runtime. This method is also considered Cloud OS Deployment.

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What Operating Systems are supported?

Windows 11 23H2/24H2/25H2 x64 (both amd64 and arm64)

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What Devices are supported?

Any UEFI device compatible with Windows should work with OSDCloud.

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What are some OSDCloud use cases?

OSDCloud is used to reimage a device.

  • Preparing a device for Windows Autopilot as Intune does not have a method to apply an image to a not-existing device. Intune is used for preparing existing devices with a Reset or a Refresh.

  • Replacement for existing OS Deployment technologies, such as MDT or ConfigMgr

  • Disaster Recovery in cases where existing methods may be compromised

  • Hardware replacement without an OS. For example, installing a new disk which contains no existing Operating System.

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What are the Requirements?

As OSDCloud is run from WinPE (Windows Preinstallation Environment), many of these dependencies need to be included in WinPE, typically by mounting and injecting the dependencies.

  • WinPE Boot Image. Can be built using the Windows ADK, MDT, ConfigMgr, OSDCloud (Cmdlets) or OSDWorkspace.

  • Boot Method. Typically this is a USB Drive, but can be ISO for a VM, CD/DVD ROM for drives, or PXE for Network Boot.

  • Hardware Drivers. These should be injected in the WIM Boot Image and should support the device hardware.

  • Internet access. Windows Images are downloaded from Microsoft. DriverPacks are downloaded from OEMs (HP, Dell, Lenovo, Microsoft Surface).

  • curl.exe (WinPE)

    • Used for downloading large files. This is not included in WinPE by default.

  • PowerShell (WinPE)

    • This is added to WinPE by the Windows ADK.

  • PowerShell Cmdlets (WinPE)

    • Dism for applying the Windows Image. This is added to WinPE by the Windows ADK.

    • Storage for disk partitioning and formatting. This is added to WinPE by the Windows ADK.

  • PowerShell Modules (WinPE)

  • PowerShell functionality (WinPE)

    • PowerShell should be able to install and update PowerShell Modules.

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How do I get started using OSDCloud?

Updates will be released on February 12 at the Community Tools for Intune from MVPs Around the Globe

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