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This article contains information about the Macrium viBoot feature, and how it can be used to "update" a golden image.
What is Macrium viBoot?
Macrium viBoot enables you, to instantly create, start and manage Microsoft Hyper-V and VirtualBox virtual machines using a Macrium Reflect image file as the basis of the virtual machine storage sub-system.
Macrium viBoot can be used to boot a golden image as a virtual machine, make the necessary changes and updates to a golden image, then using the viBoot UI; create a new golden image of the virtual machine. This enables software and operating system updates to be rapidly performed and new software to be installed, ensuring that the golden images are up-to-date and ready for deployment.
Installing Macrium viBoot
Macrium viBoot can be installed during the Site Manager or SiteDeploy® installation. This requires either Microsoft Hyper-V or Virtual Box installed as the hypervisor for the virtual machine creation.
For existing Macrium Site Manager and SiteDeploy® installations, Macrium viBoot can be installed by navigating to the control and then selecting ‘Programs and Features’. Select ‘Macrium Site Manager with SiteDeploy’ from the list of installed programs, then select ‘Change’.
In the wizard that opens, select ‘Next’ then ‘Modify’. On the next page of the wizard, additional installation options can be specified. Ensure that ‘Install viBoot’ is selected, then select ‘Next’ and then ‘Install’.
Tip for Site Manager Users
If Macrium viBoot is already installed via Macrium Site Manager, then no further actions need to be taken. The viBoot application will already be installed and can be used with Macrium SiteDeploy® golden images.
Once Macrium viBoot has been installed, the Macrium viBoot program can be launched using the desktop shortcut.
Booting an image using Macrium viBoot
The Macrium viBoot UI is shown below:
The 'New Virtual Machine' wizard can be launched by selecting 'New...' in the top left corner of viBoot.
The golden image that will be used as the basis for the virtual machine can be selected on the second page of the New Virtual Machine wizard. Select 'Add' and then navigate to where the golden image is located:
Info
The path to where golden images are located in the structure of the golden image store is StoreName\DeploymentImages\Store.
Once the image has been selected, it will be shown in the viBoot UI with the partitions that were included in the golden image.
The final page of the New Virtual Machine wizard is where the settings for the virtual machine are specified:
If 'Automatically power on the virtual machine after creation' is selected, the virtual machine window will open automatically following its creation.
Using Macrium viBoot with a Sysprepped image
It is recommended that the reference computer is Sysprepped prior to the golden image being created. As a result, when the golden image is booted as a virtual machine, the operating system will enter the Out of Box Experience (OOBE), this is where the first-time configuration for a newly installed operating system is performed.
To make changes to the image, the computer should be put into Audit Mode when the OOBE starts, this will avoid the need to complete the OOBE. Audit Mode can be entered using the key combination of CTRL + SHIFT + F3.
Once the computer has entered Audit Mode, you will be presented with the normal desktop experience. You can now make additional changes to the virtual machine.
Once the changes have been made to the virtual machine, shut the virtual machine down using the viboot UI, select the virtual machine, and then select 'Backup...'.
Currently, only full images can be used as golden images. Select 'Create a Full Backup' to create an image of the virtual machine that includes the changes that were made.
This "updated" image can then be moved into the import folder of the golden image store. The image will then be available in the SiteDeploy® UI.
Using viBoot with a non-Sysprepped image
Macrium viBoot can also be used to boot a non-Sysprepped image as a virtual machine. Since the Sysprep was not run prior to the image being created, the operating system in the virtual machine will not enter the OOBE on startup, as a result, the key combination above is not needed.
Once the virtual machine has booted, the necessary changes can be made to the virtual machine.
Once the changes have been made to the virtual machine, shut the virtual machine down, select the virtual machine, and then select 'Backup...'.
Currently, only full images can be used as golden images. Select 'Create a Full Backup' to create an image of the virtual machine that includes the changes that were made.
This "updated" image can then be moved into the import folder of the golden image store. The image will then be available in the SiteDeploy® UI.