Cumulative Update 3 for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 SP1 and 2012 SP2 released

Yesterday (February 25th) Cumulative Update (CU) 3 for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 SP1 and 2012 SP2 is released. This update contains 23 (!) fixes for various issues including an update version of the SCEP client, and contains all of the changes from prior cumulative updates.
 
Here's a list of issues that are fixed, there are quite a lot of them:
-Administrator Console (4 fixes)
-Operating system deployment (3 fixes)
-Configuration Manager client (1 fix)
-Microsoft Intune and mobile device management (3 fixes)
-Site systems (6 fixes)
-Software distribution and content management (4 fixes)
-Settings management (2 fixes)
 
Additional changes that are included in this update:
-Endpoint Protection - Revised February 2015 anti-malware platform update for Endpoint Protection clients
-Supported operating systems - Mac OS X 10.11 can be targeted as a client platform for the following features: Application Management & Settings Management
-Software updates management on operating system deployment - A new optional task sequence variable, SMSTSWaitForSecondReboot, is available to better control client behavior when a software update installation requires two restarts. This variable should be set before the "Install Software Updates" step to prevent a task sequence from failing because of a "double reboot" of a software update. This can be useful when hundreds of updates are being applied in a single "Install Software Updates" task sequence step. (like on Windows 7 images)
-Reporting - Windows 10 is now available in the Upgrade Assessment Report (Upgrade Assessment Tool required)

Just install it in your environment when experiencing problems described in this article. When not affected by these problems, Microsoft recommends to wait for the next service pack that contains this update. Great that CU3 is available now!

This update replaces Cumulative Update 2 for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2 SP1 and 2012 SP2

For more information or download the update have a look here:
Microsoft Support

Management Point Affinity in ConfigMgr 2012 R2 CU3

Sometimes there are multiple Management points installed for high availability or communication reasons. With Distribution points you set boundary groups to decide with one to use. With Management points they will be randomly selected. This can be seen in ClientLocation and LocationServices logfiles. With Cumulative Update (CU) 3 however there's a possibility to set the Management point also. In this scenario you have MP1 and MP2, where MP1 is forced (for example). Let's have a look at the logfiles after applying the key:
 
Key: HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\CCM:AllowedMPs
Type: Reg_Multi_SZ
Value Data: <Management point>
 
ClientLocation.log
-Rotating assigned management point, new management point is: 'MP1'
-Assigned MP changed from 'MP2' to 'MP1'
This will be applied daily. (every 25 hours)
 
LocationServices.log
-The MP name retrieved is 'MP1'. MP 'MP1' is compatible
-The MP name retrieved is 'MP2'. MP 'MP2' is compatible
-Retrieved MP 'MP1' from Registry
-Attempting to retrieve lookup MP(s) from AD. Lookup Management Points from AD: 'MP1' and 'MP2'
-Not persisting assigned management point 'MP2' because it is not in the list of allowed MP's
-MP list is forced, ignoring MP 'MP2'
-Default Management Points from MP: 'MP1'

This can be handy when you want to enforce Management points for static systems. For roaming systems this is not recommended, because it will still be communicate with the Management point, even when on another location. Still great to see that Management point can be enforced, when no use of a Secondary site is made.

More information: MS TechNet Blog

Cumulative Update 3 for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 released

Last week (on September 22, 2014) Cumulative Update (CU) 3 for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 is released. It contains 18 updates and 23 PowerShell fixes included. No need to install CU2 anymore when using this one.

Here's a list of issues that are fixed, there are quite a lot of them:
- Software distribution and application management (4 fixes)
- Wake on LAN (1 fix)
- Migration (1 fix)
- Company portal (1 fix)
- Administrator Console (1 fix)
- Mobile devices (5 fixes)
- Operating System Deployment (1 fix)
- Client (1 fix)
- Site servers and site systems (3 fixes)
- Windows PowerShell (23 fixes)

Additional changes that are included in this update:
- Management Point communications (Management Point Affinity Added in ConfigMgr 2012 R2 CU3)
- Additional OS support (Debian 7 (x86), Debian 7 (x64), Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 (x64), CentOS 7 (x64), Oracle 7 (x64))
- Software Updates (Eliminates partial WSUS synchronization problems through a registry change on the server)

Just install it in your environment when experiencing problems described in this article. When not affected by these problems, Microsoft recommends to wait for the next service pack that contains this update.

This update replaces Cumulative Update 2 for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager R2

For more information or download the update have a look here: Microsoft Support
 

How to install CU3 and recognize the update afterwards

This week I did a new ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 installation, and installed Cumulative Update (CU) 3 afterwards. In this blogpost I explain how to install the update, and how to recognize it afterwards.

Just download CU3 here: Click
or have more information here: Click

Start the installation and choose:
-Welcome to setup > Next
-Prerequisite Check > Next
-Install the update for the ConfigMgr console
-Yes, update the site database
-Select all (site servers, consoles, clients)
-Choose to create update packages (4x)
-Setup Summary > Next
-Installation Progress (You should see this now)

 -Installation Complete > Finish

Let's have a look now to recognize it. It can be done on multiple places!
-ConfigMgr console properties (5.0.7804.1400):

Installed software updates (KB2882125):

Registry check (HKLM\Software\Microsoft\SMS\Setup):

Installed software packages (4x):

ConfigMgr client version (<ConfigMgr folder>\Client):
This one must be File version 5.0.7804.1400 now!

SCEP client version (<ConfigMgr folder>\Client):
This one must be File version 4.3.215.0 now!

As you can see all is okay now. Don't forget to update other ConfigMgr consoles and already existing ConfigMgr clients with the new software packages. After that you are ready and set again!

Cumulative Update 3 for ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 released

Last week (on friday) Cumulative Update (CU) 3 for ConfigMgr 2012 SP1 is released. It contains 17 fixes and adds support for Windows 8.1-based client computers in ConfigMgr SP1. Windows 8.1 is added to the supported platform list for the following features:
-Software distribution
-Software update management
-Compliance Settings

For OS deployment it''s still needed to upgrade to ConfigMgr 2012 R2 when it becomes available next month.

Here's a list of the issues that are fixed:
-Operating System Deployment (4 fixes)
-Windows PowerShell (1 fix)
-Software Distribution (4 fixes)
-Windows Intune (2 fixes)
-Endpoint Protection (1 fix)
-Site Systems (2 fixes)
-Reporting (2 fixes)
-Software Updates (1 fix)

Just install it in your environment when experiencing problems described in this article. When not affected by these problems, Microsoft recommends to wait for the next service pack that contains this update.

This update replaces Cumulative Update 2 for System Center 2012 Configuration Manager Service Pack 1

For more information or download the update have a look here:
Microsoft Support