PDQ Release Notes

Enhancement

SmartDeploy now includes support for capturing and deploying ARM64 Windows operating systems. The reference VM can be created on an ARM64 device and captured via warm capture or from your SmartDeploy Console host running on x64. See FAQs to learn more.

The SmartDeploy client now offers a native ARM64 option that will report and install ARM64 based binaries without using the emulation layer. This ensures that ARM64 native applications and tasks are run correctly.

The Build Wizard now provides a guided experience that will install Hyper-V on the SmartDeploy Console machine and automatically create your reference machine, including installing Windows and automating the out-of-box experience. Once customizations of the reference machine are complete, you simply return to the build wizard, and it will automatically start the capture process.

The web tools, which are utilized to interact with desktop applications from the SmartDeploy web console, have been migrated to a service. The improvement will increase the speed at which wizards launch and ensure correct communication between the web tools, SmartDeploy API service, and SmartDeploy web console.

Fix

Fix for answer file encryption when creating multiple USB media in one Media Wizard session

Offline license support updated to new license format

Ensure reboot is only processed once when last step in Application Pack is reboot

Add time of day options to deployment schedule screen for localized Windows version

Ensure filter indicator icon is shown

Fix for web console filters resetting during single session

Do not allow saving of dynamic group when all filters are removed

Fix for Deploy Wizard stopping on Application Packs page during unattended image deployment in some scenarios

Fixes

• Fix: Fix for failure when customer service account password is less than 16 characters
• Fix: Corrected message creation for cloud-based client upgrade on desktop console
• Fix: Paginate results from Dropbox when folder has more than 400 files
• Fix: Ensure distribution point local settings button is always enabled
• Fix: Allow MongoDB 7 when processor does not support MongoDB8
• Fix: Fix for failure when customer service account password is less than 16 characters
• Fix: Corrected message creation for cloud-based client upgrade on desktop console
• Fix: Paginate results from Dropbox when folder has more than 400 files
• Fix: Ensure distribution point local settings button is always enabled
• Fix: Allow MongoDB 7 when processor does not support MongoDB8

Enhancement: Added Import/Download feature across local distribution points. Enhancement: Added step in Capture Wizard to check BitLocker status when capturing a reference machine. Enhancement: Default Build Wizard to VMware Workstation 17. Enhancement: Added Deep Freeze status to Computer Management. Fix: Ensure filter groups save correctly Fix: Fix for deleting failed activities Fix: Fix for deleting distribution points Fix: Added path column to Application Pack Library Fix: Ensure Windows Update and Software Uninstall messages are created correctly Fix: Updated video links in Getting Started section Fix: Ensure message is not set to failed status when a deployment completes successfully Fix: Removed redirect to Download trial page on execution of Web Tools Fix: Re-sorting column order in any of the grid views now saves between sessions Fix: Fix for Remote Wipe on Windows 11 24H2 Fix: Improved performance of grid views and search Fix: Added Computer Name column to message history Fix: Fix for failed User State capture and deploy

• Enhancement: Added Import/Download feature across local distribution points.

• Enhancement: Added step in Capture Wizard to check BitLocker status when capturing a reference machine.

• Enhancement: Default Build Wizard to VMware Workstation 17.

• Enhancement: Added Deep Freeze status to Computer Management.

• Fix: Ensure filter groups save correctly

• Fix: Fix for deleting failed activities

• Fix: Fix for deleting distribution points

• Fix: Added path column to Application Pack Library

• Fix: Ensure Windows Update and Software Uninstall messages are created correctly

• Fix: Updated video links in Getting Started section

• Fix: Ensure message is not set to failed status when a deployment completes successfully

• Fix: Removed redirect to Download trial page on execution of Web Tools

• Fix: Re-sorting column order in any of the grid views now saves between sessions

• Fix: Fix for Remote Wipe on Windows 11 24H2

• Fix: Improved performance of grid views and search

• Fix: Added Computer Name column to message history

• Fix: Fix for failed User State capture and deploy

Enhancements

• Enhancement: The SmartDeploy web console is now generally available with full feature parity with the desktop console. Users should expect some process updates on how components are installed and registered, with the web console launching by default upon initial installation of SmartDeploy.
• Enhancement: Distribution points in the web console represent a local server/device with SmartDeploy installed or an authenticated cloud storage provider. Admins can view and manage all available packages across locations, deploying to target devices from the closest distribution point.
• Enhancement: When adding an existing cloud storage provider as a new cloud distribution point, the folder will be scanned to add all existing items to the new distribution point.
• Enhancement: From the Activity Log tab in the web console, admins can see a log and status of actions taken that require use of the SmartDeploy Web Tools.
• Enhancement: All SmartDeploy tools and services have been updated to target the latest long-term supported version of Dotnet8. This ensures the latest security patches and functionality are included with the prerequisite packages.
• Enhancement: SmartPE has been updated to the latest version of Windows PE and enables support for Wi-Fi 7 and 802.1x.

Fixes

• Fix: Ensure id match for messages created from the web console
• Fix: Updated prerequisites
• Fix: Windows 11 Readiness search and filtering fixes
• Fix: Ensure Remote Wipe completes successfully in Windows 11 24H2

Enhancements

• Enhancement: The SmartDeploy web console is now generally available with full feature parity with the desktop console. Users should expect some process updates on how components are installed and registered, with the web console launching by default upon initial installation of SmartDeploy.
• Enhancement: Distribution points in the web console represent a local server/device with SmartDeploy installed or an authenticated cloud storage provider. Admins can view and manage all available packages across locations, deploying to target devices from the closest distribution point.
• Enhancement: When adding an existing cloud storage provider as a new cloud distribution point, the folder will be scanned to add all existing items to the new distribution point.
• Enhancement: From the Activity Log tab in the web console, admins can see a log and status of actions taken that require use of the SmartDeploy Web Tools.
• Enhancement: All SmartDeploy tools and services have been updated to target the latest long-term supported version of Dotnet8. This ensures the latest security patches and functionality are included with the prerequisite packages.
• Enhancement: SmartPE has been updated to the latest version of Windows PE and enables support for Wi-Fi 7 and 802.1x.

Fixes

• Fix: Ensure id match for messages created from the web console
• Fix: Updated prerequisites
• Fix: Windows 11 Readiness search and filtering fixes
• Fix: Ensure Remote Wipe completes successfully in Windows 11 24H2

Enhancement: Admins can now customize the number of retry attempts on cloud image deployments. Fix: Ensure Windows 11 readiness check completes in all environments Fix: Fix for Domain Join and Computer Rename actions in Windows 11 24H2 Fix: Ensure OneDrive refresh is triggered

Enhancement

• Admins can now customize the number of retry attempts on cloud image deployments.

Fix

• Ensure Windows 11 readiness check completes in all environments
• Fix for Domain Join and Computer Rename actions in Windows 11 24H2
• Ensure OneDrive refresh is triggered

Enhancement

Enhancement: Admins can now upgrade any eligible computer to Windows 11 directly without having to reimage the device. Identify, sort, or filter computers by eligibility under the new Windows 11 Readiness Status and Windows 11 Readiness Reason columns. Enhancement: Amazon S3 API-based object storage is now a supported cloud storage provider in SmartDeploy. Out-of-box compatibility also covers other object storage that uses Amazon S3 API. Enhancement: Introduced a per-pack timeout that automatically ends a task once it hits the timeout limit, preventing clients from getting stuck processing messages during a faulty deployment. Enhancement: Admins can now quickly move a SmartDeploy client to a new SmartDeploy console from Computer Management. Enhancement: Admins can now view devices with pending client uninstalls under the Pending Deletion group within Computer Management. Enhancement: Message file processing has been moved from C:\Windows\Temp\SD to C:\ProgramData\SmartDeploy. Any existing Application or Platform Packs targeting C:\Windows\Temp\SD will need to be updated.

• Enhancement: Admins can now upgrade any eligible computer to Windows 11 directly without having to reimage the device. Identify, sort, or filter computers by eligibility under the new Windows 11 Readiness Status and Windows 11 Readiness Reason columns.
• Enhancement: Amazon S3 API-based object storage is now a supported cloud storage provider in SmartDeploy. Out-of-box compatibility also covers other object storage that uses Amazon S3 API.
• Enhancement: Introduced a per-pack timeout that automatically ends a task once it hits the timeout limit, preventing clients from getting stuck processing messages during a faulty deployment.
• Enhancement: Admins can now quickly move a SmartDeploy client to a new SmartDeploy console from Computer Management.
• Enhancement: Admins can now view devices with pending client uninstalls under the Pending Deletion group within Computer Management.
• Enhancement: Message file processing has been moved from C:\Windows\Temp\SD to C:\ProgramData\SmartDeploy. Any existing Application or Platform Packs targeting C:\Windows\Temp\SD will need to be updated.

Fix

• Fix: Updated hashing algorithm from MD5 to QuickXOR to align with changes in OneDrive personal hashing protocols
• Fix: Ensured readability of OneDrive folders with over 200 files by SmartDeploy integration
• Fix: Corrected filtering for Date/Time columns

Enhancements

• Enhancement: Admins can now automate Windows Updates installation across all devices via a new Policy Settings option that allows the SmartDeploy client to install updates as they become available.
• Enhancement: Admins can now uninstall individual Windows Updates from both the Patch Details and Computer Details views. With this enhancement you can:
  • Uninstall a single or multiple individual Windows Updates to devices from the Patch Details view.
  • Use the Computer Details Patch History table to uninstall a single or multiple individual Windows Updates to devices.

Fixes

• Fix: Updated prerequisite installers to the latest version
• Fix: Updated the Migration XML and WMI script in Windows PE
• Fix: Updated Media Wizard to improve USB drive identification
• Fix: Improved logging when a Driver Update is not applicable to the selected device
• Fix: Added support for Realtek Wi-Fi cards in Windows PE
• Fix: Added support for WPA3 in Answer File Wizard and Windows PE

Fixes

Fix: Filter support for Date/Time and Version data types

Fix: Improved resiliency of Console sign in

Fix: Updated dependencies

Fix: Fix for Windows 11 Specialized tasks

Fix: Improved Client Registration after uninstall action

Fix: Retain application settings during upgrade

• Fix: Filter support for Date/Time and Version data types
• Fix: Improved resiliency of Console sign in
• Fix: Updated dependencies
• Fix: Fix for Windows 11 Specialized tasks
• Fix: Improved Client Registration after uninstall action
• Fix: Retain application settings during upgrade

Enhancement

Enhancement: Admins can now install individual Windows Updates from both the Patch Details and Computer Details views. With this enhancement you can:

• Use the Computer Details Pending Patch table to install a single or multiple individual Windows Updates to devices.
• Install a single or multiple individual Windows Updates to devices from the Patch Details view.

Fix

Fix: Existing Platform Packs will no longer be deleted when the update download fails.

• Fix: Search text will now be cleared after closing the Platform Pack and Application Pack overlays.
• Fix: Invalid credentials on the Settings page can now be saved.
• Fix: Fixed an issue where edited commands in Platform Packs could not be saved.