Checklist: Creating a Windows Powered Server Appliance
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Step
Reference
Partition and format the main disk of the server appliance.
Install and configure Microsoft Windows Server 2003, including any OEM device drivers. Make sure you enable Remote Desktop to allow the server appliance to be remotely administered.
Microsoft Windows OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK), and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Configuration
Install Multilanguage User Interface (MUI) support for the languages you want to support.
Choose the Server Appliance Kit components to install.
Server Appliance Kit Components
Install the Microsoft Server Appliance Kit components.
Optional: Install custom software components.
Installation documentation for custom software components.
Perform any other configuration steps, as needed. For example, you can create default shared folders, enable Shadow Copies for data volumes, create a default DFS root, and so on.
Windows Server 2003 Help
Run the SAPrep utility to brand and restrict the server as required by your redistribution license.
Test the server appliance to verify that it meets your requirements. When you have finished testing, make sure you close all Web browsers connected to the server.
If it is not required by your appliance configuration, delete the Default Web site.
Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Help and Support
If debugging was enabled on this computer, remove the debugging registry values and restore the default inc_debug.asp file.
Remove the default certificate and any log entries created by software installation and configuration.
Removing the Security Certificate
Run the SAPrep utility without command-line options to reset the default language and boot count.
Prepare the operation system partition or volume for manufacturing.
Important
- After running sysprep for a partition, do not start the computer from that partition. To test the image, copy the image to another disk and start the computer from that disk.
Preparing the Operating System for Replication, and "Using Sysprep" in Microsoft Windows OPK
If you are creating a backup operating system image on this drive, repeat the preceding steps for the backup partition or volume.
Creating a Backup Operating System
Remove the hard disk from the computer. Copy the contents of the hard disk to destination disks by using disk-duplicating equipment or software.
"The Disk-Duplicating Method" in Microsoft Windows OPK
Test one or more disk copies by installing the disks in a target server appliance, removing unwanted peripheral devices (such as video adapter, keyboard, mouse, and removable media drives), and then starting the target server appliance.