Vmware Windows 2012 R2 template configuration–Recommended

• Floppy Drive Removed
• Memory 4GB
• Hard Disk 40 GB – Keeping it low is good as you cannot reduce thin provisioned disk size.

Make sure Hot Add is enabled

• Enable Memory Hot Add for this Virtual Machine
• Enable CPU Hot Add only for this Virtual Machine

• Check and Upgrade Tools during Power Cycling

• Check Enable Logging

Get to Boot Screen to do some configurations –

• Boot-Time Diagnostic Screen to Enabled

Change Boot Order to  –

• Hard Drive
• Removable Devices
• CD-ROM Drive
• Network boot

Use + to Toggle or Shift ` +

Advanced –> I/O Device Configuration Serial Ports/Parallel Ports/Floppy Disabled.

• Install VMware Tools

Disabled IPv6

Allow Remote Desktop –

• Set Time to Display List of Operating Systems to 5 Seconds
• Set Time to Display recovery Options when Needed to 5 Seconds

Change Machine Name –

Make sure Windows is up to date –

• As .NET 4.6.1 is not supported for Some Applications like Exchange. Not Installing it at this point of time (Optional).

Open PowerShell Run as Administrator and Cleanup C:\Windows\WinSxS folder which contains all the Updates which is almost 8GB

Dism.exe /online /Cleanup-Image /StartComponentCleanup /ResetBase

This is a great command added with Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.  Essentially, it’s the mother of all commands. It cleanups and removes all the old superseded stuff from every component in the component store.

Change DVD ROM Drive Letter to Z: in Disk Management –

Control Panel – Notification Area Icons – Check Always Show All Icons and Notifications on the Taskbar

Power Options Set to High Performance

• Proper Time Zone Updated in Server Manager
• IE Enhance Security Configuration is set of OFF for Administrators only.

Start Run – Lusrmgr.msc – Local Administrator Account – Password Never Expires

Check – File Name Extensions

Windows Explorer – View –

Change Appropriate Date Format –

Optional – If you have Mcafee Agent Installed

cd “C:\Program Files\McAfee\Agent”

maconfig.exe –enforce –noguid

Optional – if you have Windows Update Services in the Environment – WSUS Client registration will fail if you don’t do below

HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate

Delete SusClientId

Delete SusClientIdValidation

Download sdelete https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897443.aspx

sdelete64.exe –z C:

Uncheck below on Taskbar and navigation properties –

• Store Recently Opened Programs
• Store and display recently

• Delete Temporary Profile if created (C:\users\
• IE Full Reset (inetcpl.cpl)

Clear All Event Logs

Get-EventLog -List | foreach{Clear-EventLog -LogName $_.log}

Microsoft Recommendation –

• Do not Disable User Access Control (UAC)
• Do not Disable Windows Firewall (Enable ICMPv4In alone – It will be easy while provisioning)

• Clear the IP from the NIC (Network Card)
• Shutdown Windows 2012 R2 Template server

Now Shrink the VMDK File –

putty to the host – Browse to the VMDK file of the VM. ( This doesn’t work on a VSAN Environment)

vmkfstools –K Template.vmk

• • Convert to Template

Deploy Virtual Machine From this Template –

Customization Specifications Manager to Join Domain Automatically –

Enter Local Administrator Password –

Network Settings

Enter Domain Information –

• Check Generate New Security ID (SID)

• Customize using an Existing customization Specification

Deploy Virtual Machine using Template –

Machine Joined Automatically –

Using PowerCLI – Import Multiple Virtual Machines using CSV