VMware Workstation 7 and Templates/Linked Clones
Feb 15, 2010 Blogs
In my earlier post, I described how I use my laptop as a mobile server. One of the optimizations I’ve applied is the use of templates and linked clones within VMware Workstation 7. Using templates and linked clones gives you a couple of advantages:
- Saves you time: no need to install the Guest OS every time you need a clean virtual machine.
- Saves you disk space: the template takes up the normal amount of disk space, as it contains the complete Guest OS. The linked clone only takes up a relatively small amount of disk space, as it contains only the changed data.
Creating a Virtual Machine
Create a virtual machine to your liking. I’ve used the following values:
Installing a guest OS in the Virtual Machine
Install a Guest OS like you want it. I’ve installed Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise Edition SP2 in English. Make sure to install the VMware Tools. If you are planning to use this virtual machine in an Active Directory domain, you need to have a way to change the SID of the cloned machine, as VMware Workstation, unlike vCenter Server doesn’t do that for you. I’ve copied ‘newsid.exe’ to the desktop for this purpose.
Marking the VM as a template
Enabling Template Mode is merely a protection against accidental deletion of the parent VM (i.e. the template).
Make a snapshot of the VM
When you’re completely done with the virtual machine, and you’ve marked the VM as a template, you’re ready to create a snapshot.
Deploying a virtual machine based on a template
February 15th, 2010 at 18:33
Not sure if you have caught this article, but you shouldnt need to use newsid anymore.
http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2009/11/03/3291024.aspx
February 15th, 2010 at 18:35
I’ve read the article, and am aware of the discontinuation of newsid. However, I’m simply too lazy to use sysprep. For a simple scenario like above, I believe newsid suffices. For actual production environments, I continue to use Sysprep.
February 15th, 2010 at 18:42
not a problem, was just curious. i was just going through the comments, and it sparked a war among people. always good to debate stuff
February 20th, 2010 at 16:09
try using windows 2008 R2 and newsid… doesnt work anymore
(bsod) so sysprep is the only option
February 20th, 2010 at 23:03
Hmm, I didn’t know W2008r2 had such trouble with newsid. Maybe I should consider using sysprep for all windows templates..
April 13th, 2010 at 13:43
If you really red the Russinovich’s article you would find out that there rarely has been any need to change machine SID in the first place …
But thanks for a nice detailed how-to-article !
April 13th, 2010 at 16:19
Tana: there are lots of reasons to change the SID. Joining an AD is one I’ve had loads of trouble with if SID’s were identical.
May 12th, 2010 at 12:02
Hi Joep,
If you take a look at the comments to the referred article ppl have written a lot of interesting things.
Including the difference in a machine SID and a domain SID.
Also other aspects left out by the author, are discussed. As example WSUS, 3rd. party software, etc. still can cause problems.
So as others already pointed out, the recommendation to NOT change the SID is not a good recommendation for everyone.
In other words, you should keep changing the SIDs the way you normally do, only that NEWSID will not be around for vista and win 7.
(Seams like other features of NEWSID has been left out as useful, like changing and randomizing computer names, etc.)
–
Ø.S.