When to use the MDT Light version ?

Two month ago, I shared a way to use MDT as a portable application, link Here.
By portable application, I mean with no need to install the ADK or Microsoft Deployment Toolkit, we can also can it MDT Light version. 
Now let's see some case in which this method can be useful.

This method is not the way to use and should not replace MDT. 
I created this method to view another way to proceed and help you with the cases below.

1 / To use in a tool
In my case I work in a company with many branch in all the world, that means many IT's who managed these differents branchs.
I work in a team that creates the Windows 10 master and share it to all the Global IT's.
As we don't want that IT's can managed the master using MDT we have provided them some tool that allow them to work on the master. 
For instance we provided them a tool that allow them to add/.remove Language packs in their master.
Using the MDT portable application they just have to run the tool, select theu USB stick, the Language pack to add and voila, it's done, no need to install MDT or ADK.


2 / What kind of tools ?

Using this method allows IT's to easily manage your master.
By the way even if the don't know how MDT works they can use this method to manage the master.

a) Tool to Add/Remove Language packs, KB's

You can for instance use this method to create a tool that will allow IT's to add or remove KB's, or Language packs. 

The tool below, is a tool I have created for a company, that allows IT's to add easily one or multiple language packs in the master.

Tool to Add/Remove Language packs

b) Tool to manage two linked Deployment Shares

We can also imagine a tool that allows you to manage linked Deployment Shares, by adding, removing content, replicating ...

c) Tool to monitor your MDT deployments

Or why not a tool that allows you to use the monitoring part of MDT without MDT installed, and for instance display all the computer informations that can be found in the monitoring part.

3 / To save time
Using this method, you won't have to install the Assetment and Deployment Toolkit or Microsoft Deployment Toolkit.

4 / You can do many actions native from MDT
For now I have tested actions below using the MDT portable version method:

• Create Deployment Share
• Open Deployment Share
• Update Deployment Share & compress options
• Update DeploymentShare with complete regeneration option
• Add / Modify / Remove an application
• Add / Remove an OS
• Add / Remove a Language Pack
• Add / Remove a Package
• Add / Remove Drivers
• Add / Remove a media
• Create a Media
• Update a Media
• Create a Selection Profile
• Create a Linked Deployment Share
• Replicate Linked DeploymentShare

ADK and MDT modules ?

Next week I will published a PowerShell MDT Tool using Mahapps that uses the MDT portable method.

As mentioned in my post, to use this method you will need to create two folders that will contain required files for ADK and MDT, then you need to create two registry Keys linked to these folders.

You can find below, a script that allows you to copy the required files and folders from your computer. You have to run the script on a computer on which you have both MDT & ADK installed.

Before running the script, just check the MDT_ProgramFiles and ADK_ProgramFiles path.

What's next ?
Next week I will published a PowerShell MDT Tool using Mahapps that uses the MDT portable method.
This tool will allow you to do the actions below without MDT or ADK installed.

• Create Deployment Share
• Open Deployment Share
• Update Deployment Share & compress options
• Update DeploymentShare with complete regeneration option
• List / Add / Modify / Remove an application
• List / Add / Remove an OS
• List / Add / Remove a Language Pack
• List / Add / Remove a Package
• List / Add / Remove Drivers
• List / Add / Remove a media
• Create a Media
• Update a Media
• Create a Selection Profile
• Create a Linked Deployment Share
• Replicate Linked DeploymentShare

If you have tested the MDT portable method and facing some issues, don't hesitate to contact me by mail: damien.vanrobaeys@gmail.com.

Indeed in order to have deleted most of the MDT and ADK files and folders, so for some actions some file may be required. See above actions I have tested.

Also a special thanks to Alex for his tests.