Build a VOI image source VM

A newly created VOI image source VM is actually an empty VM, which has no operating system or required drivers installed. Perform this task to install and optimize the system, drivers, and needed software for a newly created VOI image source VM. After a VOI image source VM is completely built, it can be published as a VOI desktop image. A VOI desktop image can be distributed to VOI endpoints in a desktop pool. This manual describes how to build a VOI image source VM in the Windows operating system. For how to build image source VMs in Linux operating systems or indigenous operating systems (for example, Kylin), see the corresponding image source VM building guides.

Restrictions and guidelines

• ARM hosts do not support VOI desktop images in current software version.

• Important optimizations are made for the agent component in E1006 and later versions. Therefore, after you upgrade Space Console from a version earlier than E1006 to E1006 or later, as a best practice, rebuild the VOI image source VM and publish it as a desktop image. If you do not rebuild the VOI image source VM, the new VOI image source VM functions (for example, editing a VOI image source VM) in the new versions will be unavailable.

• During desktop image building of the UEFI type, press any key as prompted by press anykey before boot from CDROM that appears when the operating system is being installed for an image source VM. If you fail to press any key, the system will enter the UEFL CLI. To exit from the UEFI CLI, enter exit and select CDROM by using the up and down keys.

Procedure

1. From the navigation pane, select Images > Desktop Images.

2. Click the Image Source VMs tab. Click the Console button in the Actions column for an image source VM to be built. The image source VM console opens.

3. Install the operating system on the image source VM:

 

The Windows operating system installation procedure might vary by version. This section uses Windows 10 as an example. Install your Windows operating system as needed.

 

1. If the VM is shut down, click Start on the console to start the VM.

2. After the VM is started, the Windows installation screen opens. Select a language and other preference options, and click Next.

3. Select a Windows 10 edition to be installed. Install Windows 10 Enterprise as a best practice. A VOI desktop supports only Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise editions, and supports all editions of Windows 10.

4. Select to accept the installation license agreements, and select the installation type Custom (Advanced).

5. When the system prompts Where do you want to install Windows?, click Load Driver (L). The disk type is Virtio for the VM installation.

When you are installing the VM operating system, the disks are not displayed. You must select Load Driver and display disks. Then, you can install the operating system on the specified disk.

6. In the Load Driver dialog box that opens, click OK.

The dialog box for selecting the driver to be installed opens according to the type of the operating system to be installed, 32-bit or 64-bit.

7. In the dialog box, keep the Hide drivers that are not compatible with hardware on this computer option selected, select all drivers in the dialog box through pressing CTRL or Shift, and click Next.

You must load the drivers and make sure all compatible drivers are selected in the driver dialog box. Lack of drivers will affect the proper operation of the desktop image.

8. When the system prompts Where do you want to install Windows? again, partition the disks as required and click Next. Wait until the operating system is installed. During the installation process, the VM might reboot several times.

9. After the installation is completed, configure basic settings, for example, region, keyboard layout, network, and accounts.

If you want to optimize the system later, you must log in as Administrator. The user set here can be only used to enter the desktop after installation. After entering the desktop, you must switch to the Administrator user.

10. On the Settings > Accounts > Sign in with Microsoft screen, click Domain join instead in the lower left corner.

11. After the system installation setup is completed, log in as the user of the desktop.

12. After all system settings are completed, the Windows desktop automatically opens.

4. To switch to the Administrator user:

1. Press Windows key + X. From the menu that opens, click Computer Management (G).

2. On the computer management window that opens, select Local Users and Groups > Users. In the right pane of the window, right-click Administrator, select Set Password (S), and configure a password for the account. Then right-click Administrator, and select Properties (R) from the shortcut menu.

3. On the administrator properties window that opens, clear the Account is Disabled option to enable the administrator account, and click OK.

4. After enabling the Administrator account, restart the system. On the system user login page, select Administrator to log in without entering a password.

5. After logging in to the desktop as the administrator, open the control panel. Click User Accounts, and then click Remove user accounts. On the Manage Accounts page that opens, select the account created when you install the system. On the Change an Account page that opens, click Delete the account.

5. Install the needed software according to the purpose of the desktop image. For example, you can install the office software, Sogou input method, and player. The software installation packages can be transmitted through the PC for file sharing that can communicate with the image source VM network.

1. Select Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center, click Ethernet. In the dialog box that opens, click Properties. Select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties. In the dialog box that opens, configure IP settings as needed. Make sure the configured IP address can reach the PC where the sharing files reside. Then, click OK.

2. On the PC for file sharing, create a folder, and add the installation packages of needed software products to the folder. Right-click the folder, and select Give Access to > Specific People from the shortcut menu. In the file sharing dialog box that opens, click the dropdown box icon  next to the Add button. Select Everyone, and click Add. Then, click Share.

3. In the image source VM, press Windows key + R. In the dialog box that opens, enter \\NIC IP address of the local PC that is on the same network segment as the VM, and click OK to open the shared folder. From the folder, copy the installation packages of needed software products to the image source VM. As a best practice to ensure security, disable sharing after the sharing is completed.

4. Install the software products needed in turn.

6. Install App Center, and configure and optimize the system services. App Center is used to display the driver programs corresponding to the application center, which is to be installed and used on the cloud desktop. After the basic VM settings are completed, you must optimize the VOI client desktop operating speed and usage experience.

 

When running AppCenter_Setup_v1.2.0 or H3CoptTools, the system might pop up the "Execution file read error." message. This prompt message indicates file corruption occurs during the optimization tool upload. To resolve this issue, delete the existing optimization tool on Space Console, and then reupload the optimization tool.

 

1. Click Install Template Tool, and select Mount H3CoptTools.

2. Enter the CD drive, and run the AppCenter_Setup_v1.2.0 installation package. The App Center installation dialog box opens.

3. Click the  button. Specify the App Center installation path, select the software license and services agreement, and click One-Click Installation to start installation.

4. After the installation is completed, click Start to Use. In the dialog box that opens, enter the Space Console IP address, set the directory for downloading and backing up drivers, and click Save. Close App Center.

5. Click Install Template Tool, and select Mount H3CoptTools. Enter the CD driver and run the optimization tool H3COptTools.

6. Select the VOI Device User Template Optimization scenario, click OK.

7. On the homepage, click Check to check the operating system.

8. After the check is completed, the items that failed the check are marked red. Select all items to optimize, and click Optimize to start optimization.

9. Select a disk for customizing a user profile.

·          The custom user profile feature cannot be used simultaneously with user data roaming in the policy group. ·          When customizing a user profile, ensure that the selected disk actually exists on the user endpoint or cloud desktop. Otherwise, the Windows Resource Manager (explorer.exe) might crash.

 

10. Install the CloudDiskClient cloud disk.

11. In the VoiAgent installation wizard dialog box opens, click Next.

12. In the communication environment setting dialog box, enter the IP address or domain name (a FQDN) of the management node host for Space Console, use the default port setting, and click Next.

13. Select the target directory for VoiAgent installation, and click Install.

14. After the VoiAgent installation is completed, click Finish.

15. In the Cloud Drive: License Agreement dialog box that opens, click I Agree to enter the Cloud Drive: Installation Options dialog box. In the dialog box, select the endpoint type corresponding to the VOI image source VM, and click Install to start installation. After the installation is completed, click Close.

16. After the optimization is completed, restart the operating system to ensure that the installed software and drivers take effect.

7. For domain users, specify a Microsoft AD server as the DNS server for the IDV image source VM to enable automatic domain assignment for the cloud desktops:

1. Open the Control Panel on the image source VM. Navigate to the Network and Sharing Center > Local Area Connection Properties page, select Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4), and then click Properties.

2. On the Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4) Properties dialog box, enter the IP address of a Microsoft AD server in the Preferred DN server field.

 

If you have enabled domain tree configuration for the domain server, configure the alternate DNS server address as the domain tree address. For more information about the authentication server, see "Configure authentication servers."

 

3. Click OK.

8. The VOI image source VM is completely built. You can publish the image source VM as a VOI desktop image.