Lab 5: Optimizing Windows 11 Desktop

Objective and Tasks

In this lab the base image of Windows 11 is already deployed in a VM. We will follow through entering audit mode, installing VMware Tools, optimizing, generalizing, installing the Omnissa Horizon Agent, and finalizing the image to make it ready for use in Horizon.

  1. Connect to vCenter and power on the Golden Image W11BaseClean
  2. Enter Windows Audit Mode on W11BaseClean
  3. Install VMware Tools
  4. Run the Omnissa Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon to Optimize the W11BaseClean image
  5. Run the OS Optimization Tool to Generalize the W11BaseCleanRun image
  6. Install the Horizon Agent
  7. Use the OS Optimization Tool to Finalize the W11BaseClean image
  8. Optimizing the virtual machine hardware and take a VM Snapshot
Task 1: Connect to vCenter and power on the Golden Image W11BaseClean
  1. Login to ControlCenter (Landing Desktop)
    • Username: administrator
    • password : Pa$$w0rd
  2. On your ControlCenter server open the chrome browser from the Favorites bar
  3. Select the vcenter-01a shortcut to open vSphere web Client
  4. Login with the below credentials,
  5. In the vCenter Inventory, Select W11BaseClean
    • Power ON W11BaseClean
  6. Once the VM is Powered On, click on Launch Web Console to open the VM Console
Task 2: Enter Audit Mode on W11BaseClean
  1. Windows 11 operating system is pre-installed in the VM
  2. As a first step, we will enter Windows audit mode.
  3. To enter audit mode in the W11BaseClean Console where it shows country or region
    • Press CTRL+SHIFT+F3  on your keyboard
  1. When Windows reboots, it will display the System Preparation Tool dialog box
    • This dialog might be hidden behind the start menu.
  2. Cancel or close that dialog as we will leave the machine in audit mode for now
    • After a reboot, this message will reappear. Each time it does, press cancel.
Task 3: Install VMware Tools
  1. In the Chrome Browser, switch to the vCenter tab - vSphere - W11BaseClean
  2. Right click W11BaseClean
    • Go to Guest OS > Install VMware Tools
  3. In the Install VMware Tools Window, click MOUNT
  4. Once the Tools are mounted,
    • Switch to the web console of the VM by selecting the W11CleanBase tab in Chrome.
  1. In W11BaseClean VM, Open Windows Explorer
  2. Go to This PC > DVD Drive (D: ) VMware Tools > Setup
  3. This brings up the VMware Tools installation dialog window
  4. Click Next
  1. Select the Custom Setup Type
    • Select Custom
    • Click Next
  1. Deactivate the Carbon Black Helper Component If Not Required
    • Deselect Carbon Black Helper, unless you use Carbon Black.
    • Scroll down.
      • Note: If you leverage NSX, enable the NSX File and Network Introspection drivers.
  1. Exclude the Service Discovery Component
    • Deselect Service Discovery, which enables the discovery of various services running inside a virtual machine. This component is not necessary.
    • Scroll down.
  1. Exclude the Volume Shadow Copy Component
    • Deselect Volume Shadow Copy Services Support. This component is not required.
    • Click Next
  1. Begin Installation of VMware Tools
    • Click Install.
  1. Exit the Installation Wizard
    • Click Finish
  1. When prompted, restart Windows
    • Click Yes
  1. When Windows restarts, the System Preparation Tool dialog box will display again
    • Cancel or close that dialog as we will leave the machine in audit mode for now
Task 4: Optimize the Windows image using the Omnissa Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon
  1. On the W11BaseClean desktop
    • Go to Start Menu > Run
    • Type \\horizon-01a.techseals.co\Software\horizon\
    • When Prompted for username : techseals\Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
    • Access the network share\\horizon
    • Navigate to OSOptimization Tools folder
  1. In the OSOptimisation folder, Navigate to OmnissaHorizonOSOptimizationTool-x86_64-1.2.2506.xxxx.exe.
    • Select and right-click OmnissaHorizonOSOptimizationTool-x86_64-1.2.2506.xxxx.exe
      • From the dropDown
      • Select Open
  1. In the Open File - Security Warning window
    • select Run
  1. When the Omnissa Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon launches for the first time, you should accept the license agreement
    • Select the checkbox next to I accept the terms of the agreement
    • Click the Next button
  1. In the Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon
    • Select Analyze
  1. When Analyze completes, you can tune the optimizations that will be applied
    • Select Common Options
  1. Select Visual Effect, in the Common Options window side menu bar
    • In the Visual Effect area
    • Select the radio button next to Best performance
  1. Select Update, in the Common Options window side menu bar
    • We will leave all options as default to disable Windows Update functionality
  1. Select Store Apps, in the Common Options window side menu bar
    • In the Store Apps settings area
    • Leave the default option selected to Remove Windows Store Applications
    • Select the following Windows Store Applications to be kept:
    • Calculator, Sticky Notes, Paint3D, and MSTeams
  1. Select Background, in the Common Options window side menu bar
    • In the Background settings area
      • We leave the default checkboxes enabled
      • In the color pane select a preferred color.
  1. Click OK to close the Common Options Window
  2. In the Windows OS Optimization Tool for Horizon
    • In the bottom right corner, select Optimize
  1. When the Optimize tasks complete, restart Windows
    • Click the Windows Start button
    • Click on the Power icon
    • Select the option to Restart
  1. When Windows restarts, the System Preparation Tool dialog box will display again
    • Cancel or close that dialog as we will leave the machine in audit mode
    • The next task, Generalize will take Windows out of audit mode
Task 5: Generalize the Windows image using the OS Optimization Tool
  1. On the W11BaseClean desktop
    • Go to Start Menu > Run
    • Type \\horizon-01a.techseals.co\Software\horizon\
    • When Prompted for username : techseals\Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
    • Access the network share
  1. In the OSOptimisation folder, Navigate to OmnissaHorizonOSOptimizationTool-x86_64-1.2.2506.xxxx.exe.
    • Select and right-click OmnissaHorizonOSOptimizationTool-x86_64-1.2.2506.xxxx.exe
      • From the dropDown
      • Select Open
  1. When the OS Optimization Tool opens, select Generalize from the ribbon menu
    • Select the correct Time Zone and Locales.
    • Check the Automatic Restart option
    • Click Generalize

After Generalize and Sysprep completes, Windows will restart and apply updates.

Task 6: Install Horizon Agent
  1. On the W11BaseClean desktop
    • Go to Start Menu > Run
    • Type \\horizon-01a.techseals.co\Software\horizon\2503
    • When Prompted for username : techseals\Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
    • Access the network share
  1. In the File Explorer window
    • Select and right-click the Omnissa-Horizon-Agent-x86_64-2503-8.15.0-XXXXX
    • Select Open
  1. In the Open File - Security Warning window
    • Select Run
  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent deploy wizard, Welcome Wizard
    • Select Next
  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent deploy wizard, Network protocol configuration
    • Leave the default selection of IPv4
    • Select Next
  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent deploy wizard, Custom Setup configuration
    • Next to USB Redirection
      • From the dropdown
      • Select This feature, and all subfeatures, will be installed on local hard drive
  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent deploy wizard, Custom Setup configuration
    • Next to Horizon Performance Tracker
      • From the dropdown
      • Select This feature, and all subfeatures, will be installed on local hard drive
    • Select Next

Note that Instant Clone functionality is enabled by default

  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent window you will get a warning about USB redirection
    • Select OK
  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent deploy wizard, Remote Desktop Protocol Configuration
    • Leave the default selection to Enable the Remote Desktop capability on this computer
    • Select Next
  1. In the Omnissa Horizon Agent deploy wizard, Ready to Install the program
    • Select the checkbox next to Automatically restart system on successful completion
    • Click the Install button

Once the Horizon Agent has completed installation an Automatic reboot should occur.
To complete the next task, remain on your W11BaseClean

Task 7: Finalize the Windows image using the OS Optimization Tool
  1. On the W11BaseClean desktop
    • Go to Start Menu > Run
    • Type \\horizon-01a.techseals.co\Software\horizon\
    • When Prompted for username : techseals\Administrator
    • Password: Pa$$w0rd
    • Access the network share
    • Navigate to horizon>OSOptimization Tools folder
  1. In the OSOptimisation folder
    • Select and right-click OmnissaHorizonOSOptimizationTool-x86_64-1.2.2506.xxxx.exe
      • From the dropDown
      • Select Open
  1. When the OS Optimization Tool opens, select Finalize from the ribbon menu
  1. To reduce the time required to complete this lab, you will deselect several Finalize options.
    • Normally you would leave these selected to properly prepare and Finalize the image.
  2. In the Overview area, uncheck the following options:
    • Native Image Generator (NGEN)
    • Side by side Component Cleanup (DISM)
    • Compact
    • Disk Cleanup
    • Clear system event logs
    • Clean Default User Profile
  1. In the Choose information to clear area, uncheck the following options:
    • Zero empty disk space
    • Create Local Group Policies
  1. In the bottom right corner
    • Select Finalize
  1. When Finalize completes, an Information window will be displayed
    • Note the recommended next steps
    • Select OK to close the Windows OS Optimization Tool
    • Once done, shutdown W11BaseClean

You unchecked and deselected several of the Finalize tasks that normally take a long time to complete, so will complete quickly. Normally, the Finalize process can take over 30 minutes to complete.

Task 8: Configure the Windows 11 Golden Image for vTPM integration

For a full in-depth considerations regarding vTPM read the following Omnissa KB

https://kb.omnissa.com/s/article/85960

  1. On your vCenter Admin console
    • In the Host & Clusters Inventory
      • Select and right-click  W11BaseClean
      • In the drop-down menu, select Edit Settings.....
  1. In the Edit Settings window
    • In the Virtual Hardware tab, expand Security Devices
      • To the right and In line with Virtual TPM
      • Select the 3 dot icon
      • Select Remove device
    • In the Warning: data loss window, select DELETE
    • To close the Edit Settings window, select OK
  1. In the vSphere client
    • In the Host & Clusters inventory
    • Select and right-click W11BaseClean
    • From the pop-out menu select Snapshots > Take Snapshot
  1. In the Take Snapshot window
    • Next to Name, enter Production ready version 1.0
    • Select CREATE
  1. This brings you to the end of this lab

0 Comments

Add your comment

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.