Creating Windows Instances¶

• Creating Windows Instances
  • System install
    • Copy installer ISO /stuff/cdimages
    • Connect to instance vnc console and install the system
    • GPLPV Driver install
    • Disable TaskOffload and TX Offloas
  • Set Time
  • Notes

УСТАНОВКА | СБОРКА-ISO | НАСТРОЙКА | ОПЕРАЦИИ | ЛИЦЕНЗИЯ | СОСТОЯНИЕ
in English: OVERVIEW | INSTALL | BUILD-ISO | SETUP | OPERATIONS | GITMAGIC | LICENSE | STATUS

System install¶

Copy installer ISO /stuff/cdimages¶

Download the iso image via the network or plug in the usb-flash with the image (it will be automatically mounted to /media/usb).
Place the image into /stuff/cdimages.

To transfer the files you can use the visual file manager "mc".

If you wish to make the copy of a real CD-ROM, then use the command

 
# dd if=/dev/cdrom of=/stuff/cdimages/Image.iso 

The name of the CD-drive may be /dev/cdrom, /dev/scd0 or other. To figure out the drive's device name, plug in the CD-ROM into the drive, then wait several seconds and check the log of the kernel:

 
# dmesg|tail -20 

hЗ. Add new instance

gnt-instance add -t drbd --disk=0:size=20g --net=0:link=xen-lan -H xen-hvm:cdrom_image_path=/stuff/cdimages/ru_win_srv_2008_r2_sp2.iso,boot_order=cd,disk_type=ioemu,use_localtime=true -o windows+default -B memory=8g --no-ip-check --no-name-check -n gnt1:gnt2 w2k8

Connect to instance vnc console and install the system¶

You should use vncviewer to connect vnc console(e.g. from xtightvncviewer package).
address and port:

# gnt-instance info INSTANCE|grep vnc

On windows we recommend to use ultravnc:
http://www.uvnc.com/downloads/ultravnc/100-download-ultravnc-10962.html

GPLPV Driver install¶

After install you should add the PV-drivers in system.
We suggest to use the signed drivers from Uniention: http://wiki.univention.de/index.php?title=Installing-signed-GPLPV-drivers
This drivers are already placed into your distribution in the file /stuff/cdimages/gplpv.iso, you don't need to download them again.
There is no additional actions after install.
You must reboot twice and check that disks in device manager your disk drives have disk type consist XEN word.

Execute:

# gnt-instance modify -H cdrom_image_path='/stuff/cdimages/gplpv.iso' ИНСТАНС

and reboot the instance.

Upon the drivers installation no additional manipulations are needed.
After the installations you should reboot the instance twice and then check the "Devices" in the "Computer/Properties" - the disk should contain the word "XEN".

With the pv-drivers installed, the system will support the correct instance shutdown from the gom0 via the commands "gnt-instance shutdown" and "xm shutdown".

After install you may detach the iso image:

# gnt-instance modify -H boot_order=c cdrom_image_path='' INSTANCE

Disable TaskOffload and TX Offloas¶

Without it there will be lags in rdp and in other tasks.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en/windowsserver2008r2management/thread/77397541-608f-4d1c-9856-1593f2186f5b
http://support.cloudcentral.com.au/KB/a32/fix-slow-stuttering-intermittent-windows-server-2008.aspx
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888750

1. Load the Windows Registry editor - regedit.
2. Add a new DWORD key named DisableTaskOffload with a value of 1 to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters
3. Restart server.

TX Offload May be disabled in NIC settings.

Set Time¶

Upon the instance setup via above instructions, the system time should set up correctly.

If the system time is wrong, you need following:

• Set "use_localtime=true" in the hypervisor parameters (as in the "instance add" example)
• Set timezone in Windows
• Set proper local time in Windows (via standard clock tool)
  this will set the time shift which will be saved upon shutdown
• Reboot to verify that time shift is saved and taken in effect

Notes¶

RDP-6 in 32bpp generate less traffic than 24bpp and sometimes not more than 16bpp.
http://ericomguy.blogspot.com/2008/06/rdp6-performance-improvements-and-how.html

Default bpp policy setup:
http://blog.dhampir.no/content/remote-desktop-does-not-support-colour-depth-24-falling-back-to-16

Performance Tuning Guidelines for Windows Server 2008 R2
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/hardware/gg463392.aspx