The Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit or ADK is a collection of tools that you can use to customize, assess, and deploy Windows operating systems to new computers. You can also measure Boot Performance with the Windows Assessment and Deployment Toolkit. This tool makes much easier to deploy Windows on a large-scale environment like a small or medium-scale business offices. Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit for Windows 11/10 includes the following tools:
- Application Compatibility Toolkit
- Deployment Tools
- Windows Preinstallation Environment
- User State Migration Tool
- Volume Activation Management Tool
- Windows Performance Toolkit
- Windows Assessment Toolkit
- Windows Assessment Services
Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit
The Windows ADK mainly includes:
- Windows Assessment Toolkit – assesses the quality of systems or components
- Windows Performance Toolkit – assesses the performance of systems or components.
Apart from this, you can find –
Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE)
The Windows ADK allows you to add Windows Preinstallation Environment (PE) to your ADK installation. Simply download the Windows PE Addon and run the included installer after installing the ADK. The WinPE files reside in the same location as they were in previous installs of the ADK.
Retail Demo Experience
The software giant has included a ‘retail demo’ experience to show off the OS in the retail environment. The demo mode works best when devices have high-speed Internet access.
It has several customizable components. These include,
- Attract loop app – A package of a looping video or images intended to attract customers to the device and engage them with the device.
- Retail Demo app – Designed to hand out all the necessary information to the customer about the device. Alongside it, educate buyers about the maturing ecosystem of Windows and associated services available with the purchase of the device.
- Digital Fact Tag app – An app that launches simultaneously with the Retail Demo app. It is preconfigured to display key information to the shopper.
A word of caution – Before you proceed to enable this feature, bear in mind two things.
- If enabled. the feature, it will wipe out all of the personal content on your machine.
- You need a password to uninstall the retail demo experience and remove the content
Answer file setting changes
Offers an overview of file settings that have changed, deprecated, and removed.
MDM: Enhanced device and PC management
A built-in management component to communicate with the management server. It does not require you to create or download a client to manage Windows 10. In addition to this, it offers an exhaustive list of new CSPs settings.
Thus, the Windows Assessment Toolkit and the Windows Performance Toolkit closely assess the quality and performance of systems or components while the Deployment tools such as WinPE, and other tools help customize and deploy Windows 10 images.
Windows Deployment Kit helps you perform the following tasks:
- Create a customized Windows PE environment that you can use to deploy Windows to computers.
- Customize aspects of Windows and add your own branding, applications, and settings by using Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM).
- Keep Windows up to date with the latest updates, language packs, and drivers by using Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management Tool (DISM).
- Identify application compatibility issues by using the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT).
- Migrate user data between Windows installations by using User State Migration Tool (USMT).
- Manage volume activation of Windows by using Volume Activation Management Toolkit (VAMT).
Windows Assessment Kit helps you perform the following tasks:
The Windows Assessment Toolkit helps you determine the quality of a running operating system or a set of components with regard to performance, reliability, and functionality. The Windows Assessment Toolkit includes the tools:
- The Windows Assessment Console
- Assessments
- The Assessment Platform
This diagram shows the workflow for the first-time use of Windows Assessment Services and the client UI:
For more details and a step by step guide can be found here.
Windows Assessment Kit also helps you perform the following tasks:
- Assess the performance aspects of a single computer using the Windows® Assessment Console.
- Assess the performance aspects of multiple computers in a networked or lab environment using Windows® Assessment Services.
The Windows Assessment Toolkit helps you determine the quality of a running operating system or a set of components with regard to performance, reliability, and functionality.
Installing Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit installation
There are a couple of ways in which you can install the Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit.
- To install the Windows ADK from the Internet by using the GUI
- To install the Windows ADK from the Internet by using the command line
- Installing the Windows ADK on an Offline Computer
- To install the Windows ADK on an offline computer by using the GUI
- To install the Windows ADK on an offline computer by using the command line
The Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit is available for download here. More details about the installation can be found here at Microsoft.
