Step by Step: Creating Master Target Device and vDisk Image for PVS

In this post, we will use a new Windows 8 image to install PVS target device, and then convert it to vDisk image that PVS will use to stream to other target devices.

Master Target device is the VM used to create the image and stored on a vDisk on Streaming Services server to stream the content to other target devices. There is a specific order to follow while preparing the master target device:

Order to follow:

1. Windows Operating System (ex: Windows 8)
2. Device Drivers (ex: Xentools, etc.)
3. Service Packs Updates (OS Service Packs and updates)
4. Target Device Software

Note:

1. Application can be installed before or after the target device software if needed.
2. For streamed machines, image a vDisk from your master target device before you join the master target device to a domain

Target Device Software Installation

Once I created a new windows 8 VM, I have installed the Xentools as it runs on Xenserver, and then applied all updates. Now, it is ready to deploy target device software.

First mount the PVS 7.0 iso image to the VM and then click on “Target Device Installation”:

Once the installation completes, click Finish to Launch the Imaging Wizard:

Enter PVS server information and enter the credentials to access it:

I have not created any vDisk, so choosing the create new vDisk option:

Enter VDisk Name and select the store you want to use to store the vDisk:

I will be using KMS server:

You can configure partition/volume size of the image:

Enter a new name for the target device, and select the collection. This is the device that will have the gold vDisk attached on the PVS server.

Click on “Optimize for Provisioning Services”:

You will see the list of optimizations that will be applied to the VM before the conversion:

Provisioning Services Device Optimization Tool – Optimization List:

• Disable Offline Files
• Disable DefragBootOptimizationFunction
• Disable Last Access TimeStamp
• Reduce DedivatedDumpFile DumpFileSize to 2MB
• Disable Move to Recycle Bin
• Reduce IE Temp File
• Disable Machine Account Password Changes
• Disable windows Defender
• Disable ScheduledDefrag
• Disable ProgramDataUpdater
• Disable Windows AutoUpdate
• Disable Backgroud Layout Service
• Disable Hibernate
• Disable Indexing Service
• Reduce Event Log Size to 64k
• Disable Clear Page File at Shutdown
• Disable Windows SuperFetch
• Disable Windows Search
• Disable System Restore
• Run NGen ExecuteQueuedItems (new Window)

Once the optimizations complete, do not hit “reboot now” immediately. Now, it is time to change the boot order of the VM so that it boots into PVS and then starts imaging the disk into vDisk specified in the process.

NOTE:  Your setup may be different, but if you have followed the earlier posts, I have to have option 66 and 67 configured on my DHCP server. For the scope I am using serving the VM, I have:

• 066 Boot Server Host Name: IP address of the PVS server
• 067 Bootfile Name: ARDBP32.BIN

(TFTP is on PVS server)

Change the boot order so that network is the first:

Then click Reboot Now.

Once the VM reboots, it will PXE into PVS, and get ARDBP32.BIN via TFTP on PVS.

After reboot, login to the VM and you will see the following: (if the VM asks for reboot do not select to reboot)

As a last step in this post, once the conversion completes, create a new VM for a target device created in PVS with the same MAC and name and the master image (or rename the existing VM as it will be identical and detach its disk, and create a new VM with the original name and attach the disk, etc. ) to prevent confusion in the future.

On the PVS side, you can now change the access mode the standard image, and the target device to “boot from vDisk” to test the image.

In the next post, we will go over creating a streamed XenDesktops via PVS.