Here is a download that builds a complete Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Preview infrastructure, running on Windows Server 2012 and SQL Server 2012 SP1, in either Hyper-V or VMware.

Note: I decided to run the ConfigMgr 2012 R2 preview on the released Windows Server 2012, instead of on Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview. This since Windows Server 2012 R2 Preview requires the new MDT 2013 preview which most people don't have installed on their hydration hosts (and I didn't want to upgrade mine just yet).

Download the Hydration Kit for ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview (137 kb).

Overview

Shorthand, to build the lab there are three steps you need to do:

• Download the necessary software
• Prepare the Hydration Environment
• Deploy the virtual machines

Detailed instructions are further down this page... see the Step-by-Step Guide section

The CM01 task sequence, building a complete ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview site server.

The readymade applications in the hydration kit.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1 - Download the necessary software

• On the machine (client or server) that you use to manage Hyper-V or VMware, create the C:\Downloads folder.
• Download the following software:
  
  • The Hydration Kit sample files (download)
  • BGInfo
  • MDT 2012 Update 1
  • ADK for Windows 8
  • ADK for Windows 8.1 Preview
  • SQL Server 2012 with SP1
  • Windows Server 2012 (trial or full version)
  • Configuration Manager 2012 R2 Preview + PreReqs

Note #1: To download ADK 8.0 and ADK 8.1 Preview run adksetup.exe /layout "C:\Downloads\ADK 8.0"

Note #2: To download the ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview pre-requisites, run the SMSSETUP\BIN\X64\Setupdl.exe application from the ConfigMgr installation files.

Running the Setupdl.exe to download the ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview PreReqs.

Step 2 - Prepare the Hydration Environment

Create the hydration deployment share

1. On the Windows machine that you use to manage Hyper-V or VMware, install ADK (adksetup.exe) selecting only the following components:

   Deployment Tools
   Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE)

2. Install MDT 2012 Update 1 (MicrosoftDeploymentToolkit2012_x64.msi) with the default settings.
3. Extract the HydrationCM2012R2Preview.zip sample file to C:\.
4. You should now have the following folder containing a few subfolders and PowerShell scripts.

   
   C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\Source
   

• In an elevated (run as Administrator) PowerShell command prompt, configure Execution Policy in PowerShell by typing the following command:

  Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted –Force

• In the PowerShell command prompt, create the hydration deployment share by running the following command

  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\Source\CreateHydrationDeploymentShare.ps1

Populate the hydration deployment share with the downloaded files

• Copy the BGInfo file (bginfo.exe) to the following folder:

  
  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Applications\Install - BGInfo\Source
  

• Copy the Windows ADK 8.1 Preview installation files to the following folder:

  
  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Applications\Install - ADK\Source

   

The ADK folder.

• Copy the SQL Server 2012 with SP1 installation files (the content of the ISO, not the actual ISO) to the following folder:

  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Applications\Install - SQL Server 2012 SP1

• Copy the ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview installation files (extract the download) to the following folder:

   

  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Applications\Install - ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview\Source
  

• Copy the ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview PreReqs files to the following folder:

   

  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Applications\Install - ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview\PreReqs
  

• Copy the ConfigMgr 2012 R2 Preview EXTADSCH.exe file (SMSSETUP\BIN\X64) to the following folder:

   

  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Applications\Configure - Extend AD for ConfigMgr 2012\Source
  

• Copy the Windows Server 2012 installation files (the content of the ISO, not the actual ISO) to the following folder:

   

  C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\DS\Operating Systems\W2012

Create the hydration ISO (MDT 2012 Update offline media item)

1. Using Deployment Workbench (available on the start menu), expand Deployment Shares, and expand Hydration MDT 2012 Update 1.
2. Review the various nodes. The Applications, Operating Systems and Task Sequences nodes should all have some content in them.

The Hydration deployment share, listing the task sequences.

1. Expand the Advanced Configuration node, and then select the Media node.
2. In the right pane, right-click the MEDIA001 item, and select Update Media Content.

Note: The media update will take a while to run, a perfect time for a coffee break…

After the media update you will have a big ISO (HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso ) in the C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\ISO folder. The HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso should be about 10.6 GB in size.

The HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso

Step 3 - Deploy the virtual machines

Note: All accounts, including Administrator, have a password of P@ssw0rd.

Deploying DC01

1. Using Hyper-V Manager or VMware Sphere, create a virtual machine with the following settings:

    

• Name: DC01
• Hard drive: 100 GB (dynamic disk)
• Memory: 1 GB
• Network: Your lab network
• Image file (ISO): C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\ISO\HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso
  

1. Start the DC01 virtual machine. After booting from HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso , and after WinPE has loaded, select the DC01 task sequence.
2. Wait until the setup is complete and you see the Hydration Complete message in the final summary.
3. Leave DC01 running while deploying the other virtual machine (CM01).

Deploying CM01

1. Using Hyper-V Manager or VMware Sphere, create a virtual machine with the following settings:

    

• Name: CM01
• Hard drive: 300 GB (dynamic disk)
• Memory: 6 GB (6 GB minimum, 16 GB RAM recommended)
• Network: Your lab network
• Image file (ISO): C:\HydrationCM2012R2Preview\ISO\HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso

1. Start the CM01 virtual machine. After booting from HydrationCM2012R2Preview.iso , and after WinPE has loaded, select the CM01 task sequence.

1. Wait until the setup is complete and you see the Hydration Complete message in the final summary.

/ Johan