Creating a Virtual PC Image for MED-V

  • Article

To create a Virtual PC (VPC) image for MED-V, you must perform the following:

  1. Create a VPC image.

  2. Install the MED-V workspace .msi package onto the VPC image.

  3. Run the MED-V virtual machine prerequisites tool on the VPC image.

  4. Manually configure virtual machine prerequisites on the VPC image.

  5. Configure Sysprep for MED-V images (optional).

  6. Turn off Microsoft Virtual PC.

Creating a Virtual PC Image by Using Microsoft Virtual PC

To create a Virtual PC image using Microsoft Virtual PC, refer to the Virtual PC documentation.

For more information, see the following:

How to Install the MED-V Workspace .msi Package

After the Virtual PC image is created, install the MED-V workspace .msi package onto the image.

To install the MED-V workspace image

  1. Start the virtual machine, and copy the MED-V workspace .msi package inside.

    The MED-V workspace .msi package is called MED-V_workspace_x.msi, where x is the version number.

    For example, MED-V_workspace_1.0.65.msi.

  2. Double-click the MED-V workspace .msi package, and follow the installation wizard instructions.

    Note
    When a new MED-V version is released, and an existing Virtual PC image is updated, uninstall the existing MED-V workspace .msi package, reboot the computer, and install the new MED-V workspace .msi package.

Note
After the MED-V workspace .msi package is installed, other products that replace GINA cannot be installed.

How to Run the Virtual Machine Prerequisites Tool

The virtual machine (VM) prerequisites tool is a wizard that automates several of the prerequisites.

Note
Although many parameters are configurable in the wizard, the properties required for the proper functioning of MED-V are not configurable.

To run the virtual machine prerequisites tool

  1. After the MED-V workspace .msi package is installed, on the Windows Start menu, select All Programs > MED-V > VM Prerequisites Tool.

    Note
    The user running the virtual machine prerequisites tool must have local administrator rights and must be the only user logged in.

The MED-V VM Prerequisite Wizard Welcome page appears.

  1. Click Next.

  2. On the Windows Settings page, from the following configurable properties, select the ones to be configured:

    • Clear users’ personal history information

    • Clear local profiles temp directory

    • Disable sounds on following Windows events: start, logon, logoff

    Note
    Do not enable Windows page saver in a group policy.

  3. Click Next.

  4. On the Internet Explorer Settings page, from the following configurable properties, select the ones to be configured:

    • Don't use auto complete features

    • Disable reuse of windows for launching shortcuts

    • Clear browsing history

    • Enable tabbed browsing in Internet Explorer 7

  5. Click Next.

  6. On the Windows Services page, from the following configurable properties, select the ones to be configured:

    • Security center service

    • Task scheduler service

    • Automatic updates service

    • System restore service

    • Indexing service

    • Wireless Zero Configuration

    • Fast User Switching Compatibility

  7. Click Next.

  8. On the Windows Auto Logon page, do the following:

    1. Select the Enable Windows Auto Logon check box.

    2. Assign a User name and Password.

  9. Click Apply, and in the confirmation box that appears, click Yes.

  10. On the Summary page, click Finish to quit the wizard

Note
Verify that group policies do not overwrite the mandatory settings set in the prerequisites tool.

How to Configure MED-V Virtual Machine Manual Installation Prerequisites

Several of the configurations cannot be configured through the virtual machine prerequisites tool and must be performed manually.

  • Virtual Machine Settings

    It is recommended to configure the following virtual machine settings in the Microsoft Virtual PC console:

    • Disable floppy disk drives.

    • Disable undo-disks (Settings > undo-disks).

    • Ensure that the image has only one virtual CPU.

    • Eliminate interactions between the virtual machine and the user, where they are not related to published applications (such as, messages requiring user input).

  • Image Settings

    Configure the following manual settings inside the image:

    1. In the Power Options Properties window, disable hibernation and sleep.

    2. Apply the most recent Windows updates.

    3. In the Windows Startup and Recovery dialog box, in the System Failure section, clear the Automatically restart check box.

    4. Ensure that the image uses a VLK license key.

  • Installing VPC Additions

    On the Action menu, select Install or Update Virtual Machine Additions.

  • Configuring Printing

    You can configure printing from the MED-V workspace in either of the following ways:

    • Add a printer to the virtual machine.

    • Allow printing with printers that are configured on the host computer.

How to Configure Sysprep for MED-V Images

In a MED-V workspace, Sysprep can be configured in order to assign unique security ID (SID), particularly when multiple MED-V workspaces are run on a single computer. It is not recommended to use Sysprep to join a domain; instead, use the MED-V join domain script action as described in How to Set Up Script Actions.

Note
Sysprep is Microsoft's system preparation utility for the Windows operating system.

To configure Sysprep in a MED-V workspace

  1. Create a directory in the root of the system drive named Sysprep.

  2. From the Windows installation CD, extract deploy.cab to the root of the system drive, or download the latest Deployment Tools update from the Microsoft Web site.

  3. Run Setup Manager (setupmgr.exe).

  4. Follow the Setup Manager wizard.

After Sysprep is configured and the MED-V workspace is created, Sysprep must be executed.

To run Sysprep

  1. From the Sysprep folder located in the root of the system drive, run the System Preparation Tool (Sysprep.exe).

  2. In the warning message box that appears, click OK.

  3. In the Sysprep Properties dialog box, select the Don't reset grace period for activation and Use Mini-Setup check boxes.

  4. Click Reseal.

  5. If you are not satisfied with the information listed in the confirmation message box that appears, click Cancel and change the selections.

  6. Click OK to complete the system preparation process.

Turning Off Microsoft Virtual PC

After all the components are installed and configured, close Microsoft Virtual PC and select Turn Off.

Creating a MED-V Image How to Set Up Script Actions