Build a VDI image source VM

A newly created VDI image source VM is actually an empty VM, which has no operating system or required drivers installed. Making a VDI desktop image is to install the operating system, drivers, Agent, and the needed software on the newly created image source VM and generate a VM template. Then, the VM template can be published as a desktop image, which can be used to create desktop pools and deploy desktops. This user manual describes how to build a VDI image source VM in the Windows operating system. For how to build image source VMs in Linux operating systems or indigenous operating systems (Kylin or UOS), see the corresponding image source VM building guides.

Restrictions and guidelines

Procedure

  1. From the left navigation pane, select Images.

  2. Click the Console button in the Actions column for the newly created image source VM. 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 to start the VM on the page for making an image.

    2. After the VM is started, the Windows installation screen opens. Select a language and other preference options, and click Next. Click Install Now to start installing the operating system.

      For a Windows 11 image source VM, during the startup process, ensure that the mouse is positioned in the VM screen. When the Press any key to boot from CD or DVD prompt appears, quickly press any key. Otherwise the operating system installation cannot be completed.

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

    4. 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.

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

    6. 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 needed 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, and enter the Windows desktop after system settings.

  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, and 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 CAStools and Agent:

    1. On the page for making an image, click Install Template Tool, and select Mount CD-ROM. In the CD drive (D:) agenttools dialog box that opens, enter the driver, and select to enter the corresponding folder according to the image source VM operating system type. In this section, enter the windows folder, and run the agent_tools_setup program.

    2. In the user account control dialog box that opens, click Yes. In the VmAgent installation dialog box that opens, click Next.

    3. In the communication environment setting dialog box, enter the IP address (virtual IP address in the RBM-based hot backup scenario) or domain name (an FQDN) of the management node for Space Console, use the default port setting, and click Next.

    4. Select the target directory for Agent installation, and click Install.

    5. During the Agent installation process, CAStools will be automatically installed, and some drivers will be installed. In the Windows security dialog box that opens, select Always trust software from [publisher], and click Install to install drivers.

    6. Click OK in the dialog box prompting you that the system must be restarted after CAStools is installed.

    7. After CAStools is installed, click Close. Wait for the Agent installation to complete.

    8. After the Agent installation is completed, click Finish. Restart the VM.

  6. Install the required software. You can upload the required software from the APP Software tab and install the software when you build a desktop image. For more information about how to upload APP software, see "APP software."

    1. Click Install Template Tool, and then select Attach APP Software Disk. Review the information, and then click OK. You will see the mounted APP software disk after the disk is mounted successfully.

    2. Copy the software packages from the APP software disk share to the image source VM and install them.

      Before you mount the APP software disk to a Windows 7 VM, make sure the Workstation service of the Windows 7 VM is enabled. To verify the service status, navigate to Windows Task Manager > Services.

  7. 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 VM to improve the VM operating speed and the cloud desktop connection experience.

    When running AppCenter_Setup or OptTools, 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 OptTools.

    2. Enter the CD drive, and run the AppCenter_Setup 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. Enter the CD drive, and run the optimization tool application program OptTools.

    6. Select a locale.

    7. Select an optimization template according the scenario, and click Start Scanning to scan optimization items.

    8. After the scan is completed, click OK or select expert mode. Then, select optimization items, and click Optimize Now to start optimization.

    9. Select a disk for customizing a user profile.

      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. In the CloudDiskClient installation wizard that opens, select an installation path, and click Install. After the installation is completed, click Finish.

    11. After the optimization is completed, click OK, and restart the VM.

  8. For domain users, specify a Microsoft AD server as the DNS server for the VDI 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 trust domain configuration for the domain server, configure the alternate DNS server address as the trust domain address. For more information about the LDAP authentication server, see "Configure LDAP authentication."

    3. Click OK.

  9. The VDI image source VM is completely built. You can publish the image source VM as a VDI desktop image.