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These instructions should work regardless of the provisioning engine being used (xCATKVM, VMware, etc.).  Ignore the VMware Only sections if you are attempting to create an image using xCAT or some other bare metal provisioning engine. 

Requirements

You will need the following:

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 The following must be done before an image can be captured:

• The web, database, and management node has been installed and the management node is checking into the database.
• A computer for the machine being captured has already been added to the VCL databaseVMware Only:
• A VM host computer on which the guest is running as been added to the VCL database
• The guest VM has been assigned to the VM host via the Virtual Hosts link on the VCL website

These instructions assume you have root access and are using a bash shell.

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Create a Virtual Machine

KVM, VMware ESXi, vCenter

The instructions assume that VMware the VM host has been configured with the following bridged networks:

• VMnet0Private: bridged to private interface: eth0
• VMnet2Public: bridged to public interface: eth1

Create a Virtual Machine

VMware Server 1.x

• Launch the VMware Server console and connect to the local VMware host:

  Tip
  vmware &

• Virtual Machine Configuration: Typical
• Guest Operating System: Microsoft Windows
• Version: Windows XP Professional (select the appropriate version if you are not installing XP)
• Name: vmwarewinxp-base7-v1
• Network connection: Custom
  • /dev/vmnet0*
• Disk size: 8.0 GB
  • Allocate all disk space now: no
  • Split disk into 2GB files: yes
• Edit virtual machine settings
  • Configure the VM CD-ROM drive to use the Windows XP ISO image
  • Connection: Use ISO image: browse to path of Windows XP ISO image copied to the VMware host
• Add: Ethernet Adapter
  • Network Connection: Custom
  • */dev/vmnet2*

VMware Server 2.x

• Open the VMware Infrastructure Web Access page:

  Info
  icon false
  https://<IP address or hostname>:8333

• Click the Virtual Machine menu
• Select Create Virtual Machine
• Name and Location
  • Name: Windows XP Base
  • Datastore: standard (This causes the VM to be created under /var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines)
• Guest Operating System
  • Operating System: Windows operating system
  • Version: Microsoft Windows XP Professional (32-bit)
  • Product Compatibility: 4 (Optional - the hardware version can be set to the default value of 7 if you do not have any older VMware Server 1.x hosts in your environment)
• Memory and Processors
  • Memory Size: 1024 MB
  • Processor Count: 1
• Hard Disk
  • Click Create a New Virtual
    • Capacity: at least 20 GB (This value can be adjusted to suit the size of the VMware host's disk. It is best to create the base image with a large enough hard drive to accomodate your largest image. The hard drive of a VM can be expanded but it is a manual, time-consuming process.)
    • File Options
      • Allocate all disk space now: no
      • Split disk into 2 GB files: yes
    • Disk Mode: Independent/Persistent
• Network Adapter
  • Click Add a Network Adapter
    • Network Connection: select the name of your private network
• CD/DVD Drive
  • Click Use an ISO
    • Select the Windows ISO image you copied to the host. The ISO file must reside in /var/lib/vmware/Virtual Machines in order to be able to select it from this interface.
• Don't Add a Floppy Drive
• Don't Add a USB
• Click Finish
• Select the VM from the Inventory pane
• Click Add Hardware on the right side of the page
• Select Network Adapter
  • Network Connection: select the name of your public network
• Click Next > Finish

Use an interactive client for your hypervisor to create a VM with

• 2 NICs (use MAC addresses from a VM you've already assigned to the VM host under Virtual Hosts in the VCL web interface)
  • use e1000 as the adapter type
• disk image large enough for the OS install, updates, and any desired software (typically 50-100 GB)
• 1 to 2 cores (typically)
• 4 to 8 GB RAM (typically)
• ensure all devices are configured to be attached at power on

Example instructions specifically for VMware vSphere:

• Click File > New > Virtual Machine
• Configuration: Custom
• Name: win10
• Datastore: datastore
• Virtual Machine Version: 7
• Guest Operating System: Windows
  • Version: Microsoft Windows 10 (64-bit)
• Number of virutal sockets: 2
  
• Number of cores per virtual socket: 1
• Memory Size: 4 GB
• How many Nics: 2
  • NIC 1: Private, Adapter: E1000, Connect at Power On: Yes
  • NIC 2: Public, Adapter: E1000, Connect at Power On: Yes

• SCSI controller: LSI Logic SAS
• Disk: Create a new virtual disk
  • Capacity: 50 GB
  • Disk Provisioning: Thin Provision
  • Location: Specify a datastore or datastore cluster
    • Click Browse
    • Select the local datastore
    • Click OK
• Virtual Device Node: SCSI (0:0)
  • Mode: Not Independent (unchecked)
• Edit the virtual machine settings before completion: Yes
• In the Hardware pane, select Add...
  • Device Type: CD/DVD Drive
  • Select CD/DVD Media: Use ISO image
  • Select ISO Image:
    • Click Browse
    • Select the location datastore (were the ISO is located) 
    • Click Open
    • Select Windows10.iso
    • Click Open
  • Connect at power on: Yes (checked)

Select the New NIC (adding) entry with Private listed next to it** Under MAC Address, select Manual

• • Enter the private MAC address you retrieved earlier
  • Click Finish
• Click Finish

Start the VM and Install Windows

• Start the VM
• Follow the installation process for Windows
• When asked for an initial user
  • use root as the username
    • ensure root is an admin user
  • use a password you will remember (VCL will change it later to what is configured in /etc/vcl/vcld.conf on the management node
• Complete the installation process
• Log in as the root user

Enable RDP

• Right click on the Windows start icon
• Open Control Panel > System and Security > System
• Click Remote settings
• Select Allow remote connections to this computer
• Click OK

Connect via RDP

• Find the IP address assigned to your VM on the Public port:
  • Start->Search
  • Enter cmd
  • Run cmd
  • type ipconfig and look your public IPv4 address x.x.x.x address
• Connect to the computer using Remote Desktop
• Login to the RDP session as root

Disable User Account Control

User Account Control (UAC) is the mechanism that causes may of the pop-up windows to appear when you attempt to run programs on Windows. VCL will disable it when the image is captured but you can disable it while configuring the base image to make things a little easier.

1. Open the Control Panel
2. Click System and Security > Change User Account Control settings (Under Security and Maintenance)
3. Move the slider to the bottom: Never notify
4. Click OK
5. Reboot the computer

Addition Windows install notes (mostly outdated):

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Install Windows for a Base Image

VMware Only: Install VMware Tools

1. Power on the VM if it is not already powered on
2. Install VMWare Tools  (Note: you must have a CD-ROM drive configured for the VM in order to install VMware Tools)
   1. Click on the VM menu and select "Install VMWare Tools"
   2. Select Typical and proceed through the setup pages accepting the defaults
   3. Reboot the VM when installation is complete

Install Cygwin SSHD

Follow the steps: Install & and Configure Cygwin SSHD

Capture the Base Image

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