If you’re following the SCCM/MEMCM/Configmgr Twitter community, you often see tweets about SCCM Tips and Tricks. Those tweets get a lot of likes and retweets so I decided to compile a list of the most popular SCCM Tips and Trick tweets into a single post.
Like our popular SCCM Must Have blog post, we are planning to release an updated version of SCCM Tips and Tricks on an annual basis.
We hope that a second round of tips and trick will hit Twitter soon. Thank to all the author that took their time to share their tips.
SCCM Tips and Tricks
The list of SCCM Tips and Trick is in no particular order. Make sure to follow these authors if you’re not doing it already. At the end a couple of tips by us has been complied since we made some that are still relevant to this day.
ArchiveLogging
- Author : Daniel Ratliff | @PotentEngineer
- Direct Tweet Link
Need to keep more logs on your #configmgr site server? Turn on ArchiveLogging! HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\SMS\Tracing, ArchiveLogging=1, ArchivePath=<local drive\folder>.
Clik here to view.
SQL Code
Want to see the SQL code behind any action in the admin console? View the SMSProv.log and look for ‘Execute SQL’ to find the magic! #30DaysOfConfigMgr #ConfigMgr #SCCM
Clik here to view.
Content Explorer tool
Have you had issues with packages missing files, but content distribution appears successful? Long UNC source paths? Installations failing? Then use the Content Explorer tool to ensure that the content on your DP ‘s matches your source.
Clik here to view.
OSD Failure
Thursday Tech Tip: Quickly identify the point of failure in your #ConfigMgr #OSD task sequence by applying this CMTrace filter to smsts.log. In the example screenshot, the task that follows ‘Install Updates’ is where it failed.
Clik here to view.
CMPivot Render
Did you know that you can use the Render operator in SCCM CMPivot to visually display your query result? We just find out…
Clik here to view.
OSD Variables
#ConfigMgr Tip… Using Variables in Step Names… yep, that’s a thing. When you do everything dynamically, it’s nifty to be able to apply dynamic names too.
Clik here to view.
CMPivot Extensible
#SCCM Tip of the day #17. Did you know CMPivot is EXTENSIBLE? Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Anything you extend in the SMS_Def.mof shows up in CMPivot as a querable class. Here I added an ambitrary class to HINV called “aaa” to demostrate.
Clik here to view.
OS Collections
When creating #SCCM collection about all Windows 2019 devices, I would use 1) List of values for OS names instead of wildcards. Need only two values 2) System http://Resource.Build instead of Operating http://System.Build –> Only one class in a query
Clik here to view.
Phased Deployment
#ConfigMgr Peer Cache Tip: Use Phased Deployments to hit your Peer Cache Hosts (SuperPeers) first!
Clik here to view.
Task Sequence Variable
#ConfigMgr In Place upgrade Task Sequence TIP, easy way to make sure a step runs if a user is logged on. (Before the first reboot in your TS) Step Condition = TS Variable _SMSTSUserStarted = True This Variable gets set if a User Kicks off the TS from the Software Center.
Clik here to view.
CMTrace Merge
- Author: Amar | @Amar_R_
- Direct Tweet Link
In the run dialogue you can type “CCM” to get to C:\Windows\CCM
Clik here to view.
CMTrace Merge
Use the “Merge selected files” option in CMTrace to open multiple logs in one pane. Handy for watching the progress of something that spans multiple processes
Clik here to view.
SCCM Agent
If you want to open the #ConfigMgr Client agent directly, use run “control smscfgrc” #SCCM
Clik here to view.
CMPivot Script
Want to know what CMPivot runs under the scenes on your client machines? It’s just a Script! Reveal the script with this SQL code: SELECT CONVERT(VARCHAR(MAX), Script) ‘Script’ FROM Scripts WHERE ScriptName = ‘CMPivot’
AD-based user collections
Stop creating query rules for AD-based user collections. Use a direct membership rule for a User _Group_ Resource instead and disable all scheduled membership eval. Eliminates col eval time and will evaluate instead when the user policy is generated.
Clik here to view.
Cut/Paste in Console
You can cut/paste pretty much anything from the SCCM Console (CTRL+A/CTRL+C) to Excel or any text editor (CTRL+V). Useful if you quickly need to export a list of devices, packages, applications, drivers or collections. #SCCM #ConfigMgr #Tips
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Add multiple ressource to collection
You can add multiple resources to a collection by separating their names by a comma. (Right-click collection / Add Resources) #SCCM #ConfigMgr #Tips #SDTD
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Add multiple Ressource to collection
You can now remove successfully distributed content from a specific distribution point using the Monitoring / Content Status node. Nice and effective addition! #SCCM #1902 #ConfigMgr
Clik here to view.
CMTrace Error Lookup
CMTrace has an Error Lookup option to convert error codes into words #SCCM #Tips #ConfigMgr
Clik here to view.
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