How to create a Golden Image using the Wyse UniPlat tool

 How to create a Golden Image using the Wyse UniPlat tool

In an ideal world, there's only a single OS Image that supports multiple hardware platforms so you have to update and patch only one Image instead of keeping multiple Images up to date.

But to stream the OS, it must include the drivers for base system components like CPU, network card and video card. To create an image that supports multiple hardware platforms, Windows must have the drivers for all of them. Wyse delivers a tool that helps you to run through the various steps of creating a so called "Golden Image".

Wyse UniPlat Tool (UPT) is part of the WSM Client Utilities package. Using the UPT, you can create a single OS image which can be used on multiple hardware platforms. After you create the golden image, you can convert it into an OS image and stream the image to multiple platforms using Wyse WSM. This process allows you to easily create a universal image for use with various platforms.

This example outlines how to create a Golden Image for the Wyse V00L/LE, R00L/LE and C00L Zero Clients.

Before you start, ensure you have:

• a VL, RL, and CLE Device, each with enough RAM to run the Windows OS.
• if the flash on your reference devices do not have at least twice the size to install and restore the OS, you can also use a 2,5" Notebook hard disk.
• an USB disk or network share, big enough to store the UniPlat backup files of the three OS-installations.
• an external USB CD/DVD Drive to install the OS on the reference devices. Alternatively you can install the OS from the Network.
• a bootable USB Key with a partition manager to create partitions and hide/unhide them. (I use Gparted in this example).
• a PS/2 Mouse and Keyboard (highly recommended).
• Windows installation CD with Volume/VDA license key.

Here are the steps to follow - more information can be found in the WSM Admin Guide.

1. Open the housing on the device you want to start with, in this example it is the V00L
2. Connect the 2,5 " hard disk
3. Boot from the USB Key and create 4 primary partitions. If you labeled them VL, RL, CL and UNIPLAT you will recognize them more easily. Hide the RL and CL partition, so Windows does not use them to store files etc. The UNIPLAT partition must be always visible
4. Unplug the USB Key, connect the USB CD-ROM and reboot the client
5. Start the Windows installation and install the OS on the VL partition
6. Install all the drivers for this Platform and tune the OS for streaming (fixed page file, disable hibernate etc.)
7. Disconnect the USB CD-ROM and connect the USB hard disk
8. Install the WSM Client utilities and run UNIPLAT
9. Create a UniPlate disk file on the USB disk and backup the C: drive to it
10. Shut down the VL, connect the hard disk to the RL device
11. Boot from the USB Key, hide the VL partition and make the RL-Partition visible
12. Repeat steps 4-8, but make sure you install Windows this time on the RL-Partition. You do not need to tune the OS at this time.
13. Run UniPlat and restore the UniPlat disk file from step 9 to the UNIPLATpartition
14. At the next boot the system will start from the UNIPLAT partition with the OS created on the VL and Windows will start to install the drivers for the RL platform. If it cannot find them automatically, point the New Hardware Wizard to the C:\windows\system32\drivers directory or the drivers installation source
15. After you have installed all the drivers, repeat step 9 and then shutdown the client,
16. Connect the hard disk on the CL device and boot from the USB Key to hide the VL & RL partition and make the CL-Partition visible. Format the UNIPLAT partition to get rid of the restored Windows OS.
17. Repeat steps 4-8, but make sure you install Windows this time on the CL-Partition
18. Run UniPlat and restore the UniPlat disk file from step 13 to the UNIPLAT partition
19. After starting the restored OS from the restored VL-RL installation, install the drivers for the CL platform Remember: you can use UniPlat to backup this state, very useful if you want to add an other Platform later!
20. Install the WSM Client and create an OS Image from the current OS Installation

If you want to create a Golden Image that runs on the old (pre 2008) and the new VL Hardware, you just need to

1. Connect the hard disk to the VL you have not used in the steps before
2. Use GParted to activate the previous VL OS Installation again
3. Boot up Windows and let the OS find the different NIC
4. Restore the UniPlat backup file for the VL-RL-CL platform and boot from it
5. Install the WSM Client and create an OS Image

Note: The Windows version installed on all reference devices must bear the same major version number. Hence Reference devices cannot have a mix between XP and Windows 7,
Furthermore, the final golden VDisk must have the lowest common HAL among all supported platforms. To change the HAL, open Device Manager, right click the Entry under Computer and select Update Driver Software / Browse my computer for driver software / Let me pick from a list of device drivers on my computer.