This article provides the recommended procedure for preparing Provisioning Services 7.x Master Target Device to be captured on a vDisk.

Instructions

Complete the following tasks on the Master Target Device that you are preparing to capture the image of an operating system. Refer to Citrix Documentation - Preparing a Master Target Device for Imaging for more details on configuring the Master Image.

1. Create a new VM to be used as the Master Image for PVS with a HDD attached that is large enough to handle a full OS installation and any apps and updates. Ensure the hardware allocated is suitable for the deployment as this machine will eventually be converted to a VM template that will be used to provision future VMs using the the XenDesktop Setup Wizard or the Streamed VM Setup Wizard.

2. Install OS, Hypervisor tools such as Hyper-V, XenServer or VMware and any required drivers. Restart the target device.

3. Install any antivirus, operating system updates and/or application updates. Restart the target device if required.

4. Install the Provisioning Services Target Device Software. Restart the target device.

5. Run the Imaging Wizard to capture the OS on a new virtual disk. For details, refer to Citrix Documentation - Using the Imaging Wizard to Create a New vDisk.
   Note: It is considered a best practice to run the PVS Optimizer tool during this process.

6. Before the target device is rebooted, change the boot order in the hypervisor for the target device to boot from the network. On VMware, select the option to enter into the BIOS the next time it reboots. On XenServer, the selection can be made while the machine is on.

7. After the machine reboots, it will automatically begin to image the HDD to a new vDisk (if that option was selected in the Imaging Wizard) using XenConvert.

8. Shut down the target device after the vDisk is successfully captured.

9. Clone the Master VM. If using the XenDesktop Setup Wizard to provision future VMs, remove the HDD from the clone. A HDD is required, if using the Streamed VM Setup Wizard, and will be used for the Write Cache drive. Create a template from the newly created clone. This template will be used by the XenDesktop or Streamed VM Setup Wizard to provision new VMs on the hypervisor. The original VM is good to keep as a reference, maintenance VM or if a new vDisk needs to be created from it at a later point in time.

10. Set the target device to boot from the network in the hypervisor and set it to boot to vDisk in the PVS console.

11. Set the newly created vDisk to Private Mode.

12. Boot the target device. You should now be streaming the newly created vDisk in Read/Write mode.

13. If using XenDesktop, install the XenDesktop Virtual Desktop Agent software. Re​start when prompted.

14. After the target device is started in private mode again, reboot the target device to ensure that no other "Found new hardware" or "Restart required" messages appear.

15. Set the virtual disk to Standard mode.

You can now use the XenDesktop Setup Wizard or the Streamed VM Setup Wizard to provision new machines from the newly created Template that will be associated to the newly created vDisk.

If you are using XenDesktop you can simplify the deployment by using the XenDesktop Setup Wizard. Refer to Citrix Documentation - Deploy virtual desktops to VMs using the XenDesktop Setup Wizard.

If you are not using XenDesktop you can simplify the deployment by using the Streamed VM Setup Wizard. Refer to Citrix Documentation - Using the Streamed VM Setup Wizard.

To deal with activation after you have vDisks, target devices, Catalogs and so on, refer to the following:

KMS Activation
CTX128276 - Configuring KMS Licensing for Windows and Office 2010 and 2013  
Citrix Blog - Demystifying KMS and Provisioning Services

MAK (not supported for PVS and Microsoft Office):
CTX129105 - How to Use Multiple Activation Key (MAK) Activation with Automatic Updates