With the introduction of new Windows 10 service branches, you will need to upgrade your Windows 10 devices at a much faster pace. Hopefully, SCCM Current Branch (1511 and higher) has built-in features to help you fulfill this task. You can choose between Upgrade Task Sequence or the new Windows Servicing feature. This post will describe how to use SCCM Windows 10 servicing plans to upgrade Windows 10 devices.

If you are running SCCM 1511 we recommend using the Upgrade Task Sequence over servicing plans. SCCM 1511 has an issue that makes all Windows 10 languages and editions to be downloaded to the device when the ADR runs. This is fixed in SCCM 1602, using a new filter you can exclude unwanted languages and editions.

If you are running SCCM 1602 or later, it’s really a matter of preference of which process to use. Each one has their own advantages, the new servicing features is using the ADR/Software Update engine, the Task Sequence one is using Task Sequence engine. The Task Sequence method allows to run additional tasks after the upgrade or install new applications. Read both our post before making your decision or use both if needed.

In this post, we will be upgrading a Windows 10 1511 to Windows 10 1607 using SCCM 1606 serving plans. You can use this method to upgrade any upcoming Windows 10 release. You can’t use servicing plans to upgrade Windows 7 or Windows 8 computers.

SCCM Windows 10 Servicing Plans Requirements

Before using Windows 10 servicing plans you need:

  • An Active Software Update Point
  • Enable Heartbeat Discovery – Data displayed in the Windows 10 servicing dashboard is found by using discovery
  • Install WSUS hotfixes and follow the required manual installation steps that are outlined in the KB3159706 article
  • Install WSUS hotfix to enable WSUS support for Windows 10 feature upgrades
  • Enable Windows 10 product and Upgrade classification in your software update point

Once the first 4 steps are completed, let’s bring Windows 10 upgrade packages to your software update point :

  • Open the SCCM Console
  • Go to Administration \ Site Configuration \ Sites
  • On the top ribbon, select Configure Site component and Software Update Point

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Products tab, select Windows 10

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Classifications tab, select Upgrades

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Accept the prerequisite warning. Go back and install these hotfixes if you haven’t done it before

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Close the Software Update Point Component properties window
  • Go to Software Library \ Windows 10 Servicing
  • Right-click Windows 10 Servicing, select Synchronize Software Updates

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • As for any Software Update synchronization process, follow the action in Wsyncmgr.log in your SCCM installation directory
  • Once completed, go to Software Library \ Windows 10 Servicing \ All Windows 10 Updates
  • You should have Windows 10 Upgrade packages listed

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

Feature Updates vs Upgrades

After your synchronization, you’ll notice 2 types of packages. This is a bit confusing. As you can see in the screenshot, for Windows 1607 Enterprise, we only has Feature Update to Windows 10 Enterprise we don’t have an Upgrade to Windows 10 Enterprise package for 1607… yet.

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

Why ?

The short story : At the time of this writing, the 1607 build is in the Current Branch readiness state. (listed as Feature Update). When this build falls into Current Branch for Business (Approximately 4 months), a new release will be available in Windows Update and then in SCCM (listed as Upgrade).

  • Feature Upgrade : New build at the time of the release
  • Upgrade : Feature Update + Servicing Update (Patches) since media first published

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

In this post, we’ll be using Feature Updates. During our tests, we also tried the Upgrade package on a 1507 computer (1507 -> 1511) without issues. If you have both available at the time of creating your servicing plan, use the Upgrade package since it includes Servicing Updates.

Long Story : If you want the Microsoft version, refer to the complete Technet documentation.

The 2 key phrases from this documentation are:

  • Feature upgrades that install the latest new features, experiences, and capabilities on devices that are already running Windows 10. Because feature upgrades contain an entire copy of Windows, they are also what customers use to install Windows 10 on existing devices running Windows 7 or Windows 8.1, and on new devices where no operating system is installed
  • Approximately four months after publishing the feature upgrade, Microsoft uses Servicing Branch #1 again to republish/updated installation media for Windows 10 Pro, Education, and Enterprise editions. The updated media contains the exact same feature upgrade as contained in the original media except Microsoft also includes all the servicing updates that were published since the feature upgrade was first made available. This enables the feature upgrade to be installed on a device more quickly, and in a way that is potentially less obtrusive to users.

Create Servicing Plans

Now that we have Windows 10 upgrade packages in SCCM, we can create a servicing plan for our Windows 10 devices. Servicing Plan and Automatic Deployment Rules shares the same engine so you won’t be disoriented by servicing plans.

[su_box title=”Warning” style=”glass” box_color=”#dac6c6″ title_color=”#F0F0F0″]Servicing plans are designed to upgrade Windows 10 from one build to another build only. You can’t use that to upgrade Windows 7 to Windows 10. If you need to upgrade your Windows 7 to Windows 10 use the Upgrade Task Sequence instead.[/su_box]

Looking at the Windows 10 Servicing dashboard, our 3 Windows 10 1511 are near expiration (Expire Soon).

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Go to Software Library \ Windows 10 Servicing \ Servicing Plan
  • Right-click Servicing Plan and select Create Servicing Plan

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the General Pane, give a Name and Description, click Next

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • On the Servicing Plan tab, click Browse and select your Target Collection

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Deployment Ring tab :
    • Specify the Windows readiness state to which your servicing plan should apply
    • Specify how many days you want to wait before deploying

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Upgrade tab, specify the Language, Required and Title of the upgrade packages you want to deploy. This is a nice addition to the SCCM 1602 release, in 1511 all languages were downloaded

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Use the Preview button to ensure that you are targeting the right version (We are targeting Windows 10 1607 Enterprise en-us devices that are Required)

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Deployment Schedule tab, select the desired behavior

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the User Experience tab, select the desired options

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Deployment Package tab, select Create a new deployment package and enter your Package Source path

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Distribution Points tab, select your distribution point

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Download Location tab, select Download software updates from the Internet

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Language Selection tab, select your language

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • In the Summary tab, review your settings and close the Create Servicing Plan wizard

sccm windows 10 servicing plans sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Right-click your newly created Servicing Plan and select Run Now

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • You can see that the deployment gets created in the Monitoring / Deployments section

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

Servicing Plan Deployment

Now that the deployment are triggered for clients, we will launch the installation manually using software center.

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Open the Software Center, under Updates, Feature Update to Windows 10 Enterprise 1607 is listed

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Select it and select Install

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Accept the warning by clicking Install Operating System. (Your data won’t be lost)

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Installation is running

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • The computer will restart after about 5 minutes
  • The whole upgrade process takes about 30 to 45 minutes and your device will be rebooted several time

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Once completed, log on the computer using your account. Windows is happy to tell you that it’s updated

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • We are now running Windows 10 Enterprise version 1607 (Build 14393)

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

  • Back in the Software Library \ Windows 10 Servicing \ Servicing Plan node
  • Our machine is now listed as version 1607 and is no longer listed as Expire Soon
  • The Service Plan Monitoring section can be used to monitor compliance and you can use the Deploy Now button to deploy the same service plan to a new collection

sccm windows 10 servicing plans

Use the comment section to tell which upgrade method you are preferring.

Comments (49)

LeRoy

06.05.2019 AT 10:19 AM
How do you monitor the Feature Upgrade on the client to see what is happening. My clients just get stuck at installing, but never reboot. Windows 10 1803 x64 endpoint, SCCM 1806, trying to deploy Feature Upgrade 1809 or even 1903. The Service Plan is created, sees the upgrade, created the deployment package, client sees it, select install, downloads, starts installing, and just sits on this part.

Freddie

08.13.2018 AT 05:47 AM
Hi, I need a little clarification on Windows 10 servicing via SCCM 1710. I have three tier hierarchy, CAS , Primary 1 and Primary 2 all running on Windows server 2012 R2 . Must I install all the prerequisite patches and IIS MIME types on all the three. Ref : https://systemcenterdudes.com/sccm-windows-10-servicing-plans. Or do i need to install these patches on the Central site only. All my secondaries are running Windows server 2016. Any help is really appriciated. i am up against a deadline and my dear customer is deeply in love with Windows 10 servicing.

Freddie

08.13.2018 AT 05:46 AM
Hi, I need a little clarification on Windows 10 servicing via SCCM 1710. I have three tier hierarchy, CAS , Primary 1 and Primary 2 all running on Windows server 2012 R2 . Must I install all the prerequisite patches and IIS MIME types on all the three. Ref : https://systemcenterdudes.com/sccm-windows-10-servicing-plans. Or do i need to install these patches on the Central site only. All my secondaries are running Windows server 2016. Any help is really appriciated. i am up against a deadline and my dear customer is deeply in love with Windows 10 servicing. Freddie.

Binu Kumar

05.07.2018 AT 10:18 PM
Beautifully Composed . Question : How can i exclude the Creator Update from getting applied on the Windows 10 machines? Is there a Registry key that we can set to control that kind of update from getting installed ? Kindly suggest the best possible way. Regards, Binu Kumar

carolyn hampton

01.18.2018 AT 02:35 PM
Hi, I have set up a servicing plan to upgrade from 1607 to 1709, SCCM is current Branch (1710) running on Server 2016. I am not getting any errors, the device collection has been targeted but upgrade is not going through. I have targeted Semi Annual Channel (targeted) with a 0 day deferral period. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tom

11.28.2017 AT 03:55 PM
Found my issue. Had to synch from the update point first. Once that completed all the updates showed in the list. THANKS AGAIN for a great guide. For people having issues with the collection here is a great article. https://blog.hosebei.ch/2016/03/26/configmgr-create-device-collections-based-on-windows-10-build/

Tom

11.28.2017 AT 12:34 PM
Great guide love the screen shots, however I can't get the updates to show under the Windows 10 updates. I have triple checked that I have the required settings selected an patches. I went as far to check SUS to make sure all the selections were tagged. Ran 3 syncs and still no updates. Any assistance would be great.

Mike Sparks

10.26.2017 AT 07:58 AM
Can anyone please answer the following question: I need to get the feature packs to a NON connected CM environment in order to upgrade Windows 10 on my classified workstations. Is there a way to take the feature packs from an internet environment and import them into my non-internet connected CM environment? Thanks

Fatih

10.02.2017 AT 01:16 PM
Hi. I have Expired Windows 10 Client and I see on Windows 10 Servicing dashboard. but, I haven't done upgrade current version of windows 10 which 1703. also, I have another version of windows 10 that 1607. I can doing upgrade ones. can I upgrade expired client with sccm servicing plan or should I use task sequence

Zach

05.02.2017 AT 05:38 AM
Hi, Is it possible to push Cumulative and Security updates of windows 10 using Windows 10 servicing ( Servicing plans ) please ?

Jonathan Lefebvre

05.03.2017 AT 08:02 AM
Hi Zach, Servicing is not made for Cumulative and Security updates. it's only made for major releases. Our guide about patch management cover it all. https://systemcenterdudes.com/sccm-software-update-management-guide/ Jonathan

Michael

03.29.2017 AT 03:07 PM
On the upgrades i have English and Required >0, title 1607. But preview shows nothing, what have i missed? Thank you

Eric D

04.26.2017 AT 01:06 PM
Be sure that you don't have a GPO that enable this setting. Under : Computer\Administrative Templates\Windows Components\Store Turn off the offer to update to the latest version of Windows. After I changed this setting to Disabled or Not Configured, the update is now discovered as Required. I read this tips on a forum. Can't remember where.

Narasimha Murthy

03.22.2017 AT 09:46 AM
How to Use serving plan when we have multiple Geographical locations, different languages being used. As far as I can see it is mentioned or ideal to use one Language. Can you please explain more on scenario of upgrading win10 builds having 5 to 6 Different Languages. Cheers Murthy

Scott Kiddle

05.18.2018 AT 09:38 AM
Murthy - did you get an answer to your question yet? We, too, have multiple geographical locations, with a dozen languages worldwide. The approach we're developing now is to create a servicing plan for almost every one of the dozen languages. Here's how we are proceeding: 1) If the underlying OS is Traditional Chinese, for example, we will create a servicing plan using the Traditional Chinese language update. 2) If the underlying OS is English but with a French language pack, for example, the English language update delivered by the servicing plan will wipe out the French language pack, requiring a new language pack to be installed post-upgrade. We plan to either create a required deployment of the French language pack post-upgrade, or create a task sequence for scenario 2 systems that does an in-place upgrade to the new Windows build and applies the language pack.

TWL

03.01.2017 AT 04:23 PM
Wow. thanks for this guide im so glad i found it!! Im about to take over a project from Win 7 to Win 10 for 3300 users and i believe they are using SCCM. I will definitely be providing this guide to our SCCM admin to see if this can be used. If I have any questions I'll definitely reach out here on the forum. Thanks again for providing!!!

ez_42

03.01.2017 AT 10:17 AM
First of all - thanks for the guide. I'm running into a strange behavior and I'm not sure what to do or where I could check for more information related to the following. I followed the guide until the point of deploying the update package. Now the problem, I have a couple of testclients in the targeted collection but all of them are just staying under "unknown" -> "Client check passed/active" I really don't know where or what I could possibly check/test.

Brian L

05.12.2017 AT 01:31 PM
Did you ever get this resolved? I'm getting the same thing (although it's from 1607 to 1703) - Unknown -> "Client check passed/active". It won't move past that (currently just testing with one client machine, which happens to be my own).

ez_42

03.01.2017 AT 10:24 AM
Maybe I should mention that our Clients are receiving updates usually from a different WSUS which has nothing to do with the SCCM. Could this may cause the problem? Sorry for the spam.

CK

02.28.2017 AT 02:55 PM
As far as I know I've followed these steps to a T. I'm running Configuration manager 1610 and as soon as I get to the step to select the filters in the Create servicing plan, I don't get the Feature update to Windows 10 Enterprise, version 1607, en-us isn't listed, I'm also finding that when doing a search in All Windows 10 Updates it is listed but not deployable. I'm Wondering if it is because of the placement of the " " line of the manual KB3159706 article. Would someone be able to let me know where they placed that line?

ez_42

03.01.2017 AT 10:21 AM
I think you are experiencing the same thing what is described down below in some other comments. Since they move 1607 to CBB out of CB you won't find any Upgrades there. I think a lot of people are struggling because that is not what you would expect, right? So if you setting the plan to CBB you should find all the 1607 feature updates (upgrades).

Tom

02.06.2017 AT 06:23 PM
I have followed this to the letter, and my servicing plan to upgrade from 1511 to 1607 fails. I am getting a ToastNotification error in the logs, I have no clue what I am missing?! Upgrade TS works flawlessly

BrianH

02.06.2017 AT 01:12 PM
Just a note that Microsoft did not rename their 1607 CBB upgrade, it was still called Feature Update (at least for us). I think it makes more sense to have an obvious distinction between CB and CBB...hopefully that change happens.

Bill

01.18.2017 AT 02:46 PM
Thank you for this article, I'm still trying to iron out all of the necessary settings to get the Win10 servicing and general monthly patching to work as expected. I have a somewhat-related question: Does anyone know exactly what happens to a client machine once its OS version, such as Win10 1507, reaches the status of 'expired'? I can't imagine Microsoft would stop providing updates. Is there any consequence at all? Thanks much, Bill

Mark G

01.18.2017 AT 04:02 AM
Now that Windows 10 1607 has been flagged as CBB, how does the SCCM Console / Servicing Node see this as CBB and no longer just CB? When I click the ‘Preview’ button, after selecting the CB radio button, I’m only presented with Windows 10 Build 1511. Any ideas?

Chris

01.20.2017 AT 08:02 AM
Same thing here. I've been testing the deployment of 1607 over the last 2 weeks and noticed that my deployment was gone this morning. I went into my Software Update Groups and the 1607 updates were expired. I figured I would create another deployment and I only see 1511 when clicking the 'Preview' button as well.

Chris

01.20.2017 AT 08:06 AM
And if you go back into your Servicing Plans and change it from CB to CBB, the 1607 updates will show up once again.

Andrews

02.22.2017 AT 02:57 PM
Thanks for saving my life, I almost went crazy. 2 months ago I updated the 450PC company (1511 to 1607) through Sevicing plane and now two days I deal with why the same process does not work on the second server.

Mark

01.30.2017 AT 10:22 AM
It's funny as the day I posted my question, the very next day a new release came out (19th January 2017) and this Feature update now appears as CBB. This matched the timing for global notification of the 1607 CBB release (even though we were advised back on the 29th November 2016) So I guess the newer Feature Update coming down via the Synchronise Software Updates works automatically with the Windows 10 Servicing Wizard's logic / criteria selection.