Create Windows VM Image (disk)

CreateWindowsVMImage.md

VirtualBox: Create Windows VM Image (disk)

Important Use a VDI disk. Otherwise VBoxManage.execannot shrink the disk!

1. Install Windows
2. sconfig.exe
   a. Set updates to manual
   b. Enabled RDP
3. Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate (Ensure that the machine is able to access www.psgallery.com)
4. Install-WindowsUpdate -Install -AcceptAll -Confirm:$false or use Get-WindowsUpdate to get a list of missing updates. And install via Install-WindowsUpdate -Install -KBArticleID #KB-Number# -Confirm:$false
5. On Windows Server Core set Powershell as the default shell Set-ItemProperty -Path 'HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon' -Name Shell -Value 'PowerShell.exe -NoExit'
6. Cleanup image
   a. Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase
   b. Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /SPSuperseded
7. Defragment image defrag.exe $env:SYSTEMDRIVE -w -f -v
8. Zero all unused sectors of the disk sdelete.exe $env:SYSTEMDRIVE -z
9. sysprep Image
10. Shrink disk VBoxManage.exe modifymedium disk "C:\path\to\disk.vdi" --compact