With MECM (SCCM) you can deploy a new Windows 10 build in two ways. You can deploy Windows 10 build as a feature update (Servicing) or you can create a task sequence (in-place-upgrade).

In my opinion with a task sequense you can easy create pre and post actions based on variables but the time that a user can’t use the computer (downtime) can be quiet long.

Deploying the feature update with servicing is much more user friendly, because there is almost no downtime for the user. Creating pre and post actions can be done but are not easy and can’t be based on variables like task sequence steps can.

Lets put it in action

In our organization we want our users to have a minimum downtime of the computer when installing a Windows 10 new build. If you want to deploy a Windows 10 build as a feature update you have to take the following steps:

Enable the Upgrades classification in Software Update Point.

Open the MECM console.

Go to: \Administration\Overview\Site Configuration\Sites and select Configure Site Components in the Home menu and choose Software Update Point.

Go to the tab classifications and check the box: Upgrades.

Check and fix the Windows 10 servicing prerequisite.

If the message below appears then check if your server meets the prerequisite. Wsus hotfix 3095113 must be installed and KB3159706 must be installed.

Our server 2012 R2 was missing KB3159706, to install this update please follow the steps below:

1. Download the update from the MS catalog. In our case the Server 2012 R2 update.

Extract the msu file with the following command:

windows8.1-kb3159706-x64_034b30c6c261d4e76b8c6f8fe3cc9fa5fa4e977b.msu /extract

2. Open a command prompt and install the extracted cab file shown below with dism:

dism /online /add-package /packagepath:Windows8.1-kb3159706-x64.cab

Restart the server after the cab file is installed.

To prevent issues from happening execute the following steps

3. Open a command prompt as administrator and run the command below:

“C:\Program Files\Update Services\Tools\wsusutil.exe” postinstall /servicing

Restart the WSUS service then restart the server.

If not done already you can now enable the classification Upgrades and ignore the prerequisite.

NOTE: If you are planning to deploy feature update 1903 or later you also must select the Product: Windows 10, version 1903 and later.
You can do this in the tab products.

Synchronize Software Updates.

Go to \Software Library\Overview\Windows 10 Servicing\ Right click on All Windows 10 Updates and click Synchronize Software Updates.

Click Yes in the message box below.

After a while the Windows 10 feature updates will be shown.

Deploy the feature update.

Right click the feature update you want to deploy and select Deploy.

Give your deployment a name.

Then select a collection to deploy the Update to.

Select if the deployment will be required or available, select Use Wake-on-LAN if you want the device to be send a WOL command before the installation of the upgrade.

Select the time when the upgrade has to be available and when the installation deadline will be.

Set the user experience for this deployment.

Create a new deployment package.

Specify your distribution group.

Klik next.

Specify the languages you want to deploy

You can select the setting below if you want the update to be downloaded from MS update if no DP is available. Click Next and Finish.

NOTE: Be aware of the default maximum runtime of a feature update: This is 60 minutes. I recommend to change this to 120 minutes
You can change this by going to the properties of the feature update.