SCCM OSD Error 80220005: Fixing the Apply Windows Settings Step

Error 80220005 during the “Apply Windows Settings” step of an SCCM/MDT task sequence is a common OSD failure, and it usually comes down to one of two causes.

Cause 1: Computer Name Too Long

Windows computer names are limited to 15 characters. If the name you’re assigning the machine (via a task sequence variable, or typed in at the OSD prompt) is longer than that, this step fails. Shorten the name and re-run the task sequence.

Cause 2: Missing or Invalid Serial Number Variable

If your task sequence references a variable like OSDComputerName that’s built from the machine’s serial number (for example, via a prefix plus _SMSTSAssetTag), and that value comes back blank or contains characters Windows doesn’t allow in a computer name, the same failure occurs. Check how the variable is being set and confirm it resolves to something valid before this step runs.

Where to Check

smsts.log (found in X:\Windows\Temp\SMSTSLog while still in WinPE, or C:\Windows\CCM\Logs\SMSTSLog after the OS is applied) will show the exact computer name and error detail at the point of failure — that’s the fastest way to confirm which of the two causes you’re hitting.

Still Current on Configuration Manager 2603 (Updated for 2026)

Both the 15-character computer-name limit and the OSDComputerName/serial-number variable pattern are unchanged on the current Configuration Manager release (2603, GA 27 May 2026) — this is a Windows naming constraint and a task sequence scripting convention, neither of which Microsoft has altered. If you’re not finding the log at the paths above, double-check you’re looking at the right stage: the WinPE-phase log lives under X:\Windows\Temp\SMSTSLog only while the task sequence is still running from boot media, and gets copied to C:\Windows\CCM\Logs\SMSTSLog once the OS has been applied and the client takes over — checking the wrong one is a common reason people think the log is “missing”.