System Center Guide

The following is my personal checklist for building a new lab/demo environment with Virtual Server 2005 R2. I base the following on the concept of using a core Windows Server 2003 R2, Enterprise Edition installation as a Parent Disk within Virtual Server. This disk is then referenced by a Differencing Disk for any changes that I make to the original disk. By using this method, I save the time and effort of installing and configuring the operating system and other common applications and utilities on the rest of the systems I require for the demo environment. I won’t go into detail about how to create parent/differencing disks, as that topic is widely covered by other blogs.

1. Build core operating system
2. Install Virtual Machine Additions
3. Install Service Pack(s)
4. Install all critical patches from Windows Update.
5. Reboot and Re-visit Windows Update for addition critical patches based on new operating environment.
6. Reboot and Re-visit Windows Update for addition critical patches based on new operating environment. Yes, again! Continue until no new patches are required.
7. Copy i386 folder from CD/DVD to a local drive on the guest operating system. This will make it easier when it comes time to add additional components without having to have the original installation media handy and potentially reconfiguring your virtual machine configuration. Alternatively, you can use ISOs and attached to them as necessary.
8. Copy and configure BGInfo (using the registry Run key). This will help ensure you’re always looking at the right system when switching back and forth between displays. It will also help with knowing your domain name, IP address, etc.
9. Standardise the Administrator account password. For a lab environment and reduced pressure while presenting to audiences, I simplify this using ‘password’. However, this is not recommended if the lab environment will have any access to the production network. For such circumstances, also avoid common lab passwords such as Password, P@ssword and P@ssw0rd. Bear in mind that if you later make this system a domain controller, that it will then require any new accounts created to have comply with the default domain password policy. You may need to adjust that policy should you want to continue using simple passwords for use in the demo environment.
10. Install the .NET 2.0 Framework*
11. Install the .NET 3.0 Framework*
12. Update Internet Explorer (7.0)*
13. Turn on/off auto updates
14. Install PowerShell 1.0 (or 2.0 CTP)
15. Install AdminPak.MSI (see item 23)
16. Install MSXML parser 6.0*
17. Disable Secure Browsing for Administrators (again, only for demo purposes)
18. Install Office Web Components. Needed by several of the products that I work with.
19. Remove unnecessary services/applications (reduce footprint)
20. Install Microsoft Silverlight
21. Install Abobe Flash
22. Install Adobe Acrobat Reader
23. Sort Start Menu items
24. Empty Recycle Bin
25. Remove unnecessary desktop icons
26. Create a folder in the root of the C:\ drive called Sysprep.
27. Extract deploy.cab files from the installation media into the C:\sysprep folder
28. Run C:\setupmgr.exe to create a SysPrep answer file. Save this file to your Sysprep folder. Answer as much as you like, but leave the COMPUTERNAME field blank, unless you want to use auto-generated computer names.
29. Run SysPrep.exe to unseal the system, generating new SIDs upon reboot. The system should shutdown immediately following this step.
30. Power on system to complete the mini-setup. You’ll now be able to provide a unique computer name for the system.

*Can (and should) be installed via Windows Update. Service Packs for both will be made available upon your re-visit to the Windows Update site after the initial installation.

Please feel free to comment or suggest additional items I may have overlooked here.