Using the Imaging Wizard to create a virtual disk

Use the Imaging Wizard to automatically create the base virtual disk image from a master target device.

Prerequisites

Windows NT 6.x:

The Citrix Provisioning Imaging Wizard provides a block-based cloning solution along with the Volume Shadow Copy Service (VSS).

• Each local disk partition is cloned separately to the virtual disk. If there is a separate System Reserved partition on the local disk, it must be included as a source partition.
• Each destination partition must be equal to or larger than the source partition, regardless of the amount of available free space in the source partition. Consider:
  • If a larger destination partition is needed, after imaging completes, use Windows disk management “Extend Volume…”
  • If a smaller destination partition is needed, before imaging, the source partition can be resized using Windows disk management “Shrink Volume…”

Tip:

If a Windows reboot request message displays before the imaging process completes, ignore the request until imaging completes successfully.

Imaging Wizard limitations

The Citrix Provisioning Imaging Wizard has the following limitations:

• Choose a different name for the target device. This name is different from the host name representing the master VM you are running.
• If the master VM is a domain member, manually create a computer account for it before rebooting the master VM from the generated vDisk.
• Remember to change the cache type of the generated vDisk fromPrivatetoProductionbefore using it to stream target devices.

Imaging

The Imaging Wizard prompts for farm connection information. It includes information necessary to set the appropriate credentials/Active Directory and licensing information. This information is applied to the virtual disk.

1. From the master target device’sWindows Startmenu, selectCitrix>Citrix Provisioning > Imaging Wizard. The Wizard’sWelcomepage appears.
2. ClickNext. TheConnect to Farmpage appears.
3. Enter the hostname of a Citrix Provisioning server within the farm. Include the port used to make that connection. If you want to use a numeric IP address, then you must configure the DNS reverse lookup zones to translate the IP address to a hostname.
4. Use theWindows credentials(default), or enter different credentials, then clickNext. If using Active Directory, enter the appropriate password information.
5. On theMicrosoft Volume Licensingpage, select the volume license option to use for target devices. Or, alternately selectNoneif volume licensing is not being used.
6. Select to create a virtual disk (default), or use an existing virtual disk by entering that virtual disk’s name, then clickNext.
7. If theCreate virtual diskoption was selected, theNew vDiskdialog displays:
   1. Enter a name for the virtual disk.
   2. Select theStorewhere this virtual disk resides.
   3. Select thevDisk formatfrom the appropriate menus. If the VHDX format isDynamic, from theVHDX block sizemenu, select the block size as either2 MBor16 MB.
   4. ClickNext, then define volume sizes on theConfigure Image Volumespage.
8. ClickNext. TheAdd Target Devicepage appears.
9. Select the target device name. Include the MAC address associated with one of the NICs. This MAC address that selected when the target device software was installed on the master target device. Also include the collection to add this device to. ClickNext. If the target device is already a member of the farm, theExisting Target Devicespage appears.
10. ClickNext. ASummary of Farm Changesappears.
11. Optionally (unless the virtual disk is used to boot the VMs) select to optimize the virtual disk for use with Citrix Provisioning.
12. Verify all changes, then clickFinish. A confirmation message displays.
13. ClickYes我在确认消息开始maging process.

Optimize the hard disk

You can optimize the hard disk before imaging. This process reduces I/O instances to improve write cache functionality.

To access optimization options using the Citrix Provisioning Imaging Wizard:

1. Click the master target device’sWindows Start menu.
2. SelectCitrix > Citrix Provisioning Device Optimizer.
3. In theOptimize Hard Disk for Citrix Provisioningscreen, selectOptimize the hard disk for Citrix Provisioning before imaging.
4. ClickEdit Optimization Settngsto access more configuration options.