source/templates/_create_windows.rst

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Creating a Windows Template
---------------------------

Windows templates must be prepared with Sysprep before they can be
provisioned on multiple machines. Sysprep allows you to create a generic
Windows template and avoid any possible SID conflicts.

.. note:: 
   (XenServer) Windows VMs running on XenServer require PV drivers, which 
   may be provided in the template or added after the VM is created. The 
   PV drivers are necessary for essential management functions such as 
   mounting additional volumes and ISO images, live migration, and 
   graceful shutdown.

An overview of the procedure is as follows:

#. Upload your Windows ISO.

   For more information, see `“Adding an
   ISO” <virtual_machines.html#adding-an-iso>`_.

#. Create a VM Instance with this ISO.

   For more information, see `“Creating
   VMs” <virtual_machines.html#creating-vms>`_.

#. Follow the steps in Sysprep for Windows Server 2008 R2 (below) or
   Sysprep for Windows Server 2003 R2, depending on your version of
   Windows Server

#. The preparation steps are complete. Now you can actually create the
   template as described in Creating the Windows Template.


System Preparation for Windows Server 2008 R2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For Windows 2008 R2, you run Windows System Image Manager to create a
custom sysprep response XML file. Windows System Image Manager is
installed as part of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK).
Windows AIK can be downloaded from `Microsoft Download
Center <http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=9085>`_.

Use the following steps to run sysprep for Windows 2008 R2:

.. note:: 
   The steps outlined here are derived from the excellent guide by 
   Charity Shelbourne, originally published at `Windows Server 2008 
   Sysprep Mini-Setup. 
   <http://blogs.technet.com/askcore/archive/2008/10/31/automating-the-oobe-process-during-windows-server-2008-sysprep-mini-setup.aspx>`_

#. Download and install the Windows AIK

   .. note:: 
      Windows AIK should not be installed on the Windows 2008 R2 VM you 
      just created. Windows AIK should not be part of the template you 
      create. It is only used to create the sysprep answer file.

#. Copy the install.wim file in the \\sources directory of the Windows
   2008 R2 installation DVD to the hard disk. This is a very large file
   and may take a long time to copy. Windows AIK requires the WIM file
   to be writable.

#. Start the Windows System Image Manager, which is part of the Windows
   AIK.

#. In the Windows Image pane, right click the Select a Windows image or
   catalog file option to load the install.wim file you just copied.

#. Select the Windows 2008 R2 Edition.

   You may be prompted with a warning that the catalog file cannot be
   opened. Click Yes to create a new catalog file.

#. In the Answer File pane, right click to create a new answer file.

#. Generate the answer file from the Windows System Image Manager using
   the following steps:

   #. The first page you need to automate is the Language and Country or
      Region Selection page. To automate this, expand Components in your
      Windows Image pane, right-click and add the
      Microsoft-Windows-International-Core setting to Pass 7 oobeSystem.
      In your Answer File pane, configure the InputLocale, SystemLocale,
      UILanguage, and UserLocale with the appropriate settings for your
      language and country or region. Should you have a question about
      any of these settings, you can right-click on the specific setting
      and select Help. This will open the appropriate CHM help file with
      more information, including examples on the setting you are
      attempting to configure.

      |sysmanager.png|

   #. You need to automate the Software License Terms Selection page,
      otherwise known as the End-User License Agreement (EULA). To do
      this, expand the Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup component.
      High-light the OOBE setting, and add the setting to the Pass 7
      oobeSystem. In Settings, set HideEULAPage true.

      |software-license.png|

   #. Make sure the license key is properly set. If you use MAK key, you
      can just enter the MAK key on the Windows 2008 R2 VM. You need not
      input the MAK into the Windows System Image Manager. If you use
      KMS host for activation you need not enter the Product Key.
      Details of Windows Volume Activation can be found at
      `http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb892849.aspx 
      <http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb892849.aspx>`_

   #. You need to automate is the Change Administrator Password page.
      Expand the Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup component (if it is not
      still expanded), expand UserAccounts, right-click on
      AdministratorPassword, and add the setting to the Pass 7
      oobeSystem configuration pass of your answer file. Under Settings,
      specify a password next to Value.

      |change-admin-password.png|

      You may read the AIK documentation and set many more options that
      suit your deployment. The steps above are the minimum needed to
      make Windows unattended setup work.

#. Save the answer file as unattend.xml. You can ignore the warning
   messages that appear in the validation window.

#. Copy the unattend.xml file into the c:\\windows\\system32\\sysprep
   directory of the Windows 2008 R2 Virtual Machine

#. Once you place the unattend.xml file in
   c:\\windows\\system32\\sysprep directory, you run the sysprep tool as
   follows:

   .. code:: bash

      cd c:\Windows\System32\sysprep
      sysprep.exe /oobe /generalize /shutdown

   The Windows 2008 R2 VM will automatically shut down after sysprep is
   complete.


System Preparation for Windows Server 2003 R2
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Earlier versions of Windows have a different sysprep tool. Follow these
steps for Windows Server 2003 R2.

#. Extract the content of \\support\\tools\\deploy.cab on the Windows
   installation CD into a directory called c:\\sysprep on the Windows
   2003 R2 VM.

#. Run c:\\sysprep\\setupmgr.exe to create the sysprep.inf file.

   #. Select Create New to create a new Answer File.

   #. Enter “Sysprep setup” for the Type of Setup.

   #. Select the appropriate OS version and edition.

   #. On the License Agreement screen, select “Yes fully automate the
      installation”.

   #. Provide your name and organization.

   #. Leave display settings at default.

   #. Set the appropriate time zone.

   #. Provide your product key.

   #. Select an appropriate license mode for your deployment

   #. Select “Automatically generate computer name”.

   #. Type a default administrator password. If you enable the password
      reset feature, the users will not actually use this password. This
      password will be reset by the instance manager after the guest
      boots up.

   #. Leave Network Components at “Typical Settings”.

   #. Select the “WORKGROUP” option.

   #. Leave Telephony options at default.

   #. Select appropriate Regional Settings.

   #. Select appropriate language settings.

   #. Do not install printers.

   #. Do not specify “Run Once commands”.

   #. You need not specify an identification string.

   #. Save the Answer File as c:\\sysprep\\sysprep.inf.

#. Run the following command to sysprep the image:

   .. code:: bash

      c:\sysprep\sysprep.exe -reseal -mini -activated

   After this step the machine will automatically shut down