I'm new to Windows servers and usually work with Proxmox and Linux VMs where setting things up is straightforward. I'm trying to create a new Windows build server by cloning a domain-joined VM. I currently have a local admin account on the Windows VM that I cloned in Proxmox. Here are the specifics of my situation:
- I don't have control over the domain or a domain user.
- I only have one Windows VM.
- My plan is to unjoin the original VM from the domain, disable internet access, clone it, and then revert the original VM back to its normal state.
- On the cloned VM, I want to change the IP address and hostname and hopefully rejoin it to the domain.
I have a few questions regarding this:
1. What issues might come up with this plan?
2. How does Windows manage SIDs in cloned VMs?
3. Is there a way to test my approach without needing to purchase additional licenses?
2 Answers
Here's a quick rundown on your cloning plan:
- First, clone the original VM, then unjoin it from the domain and rename it.
- After renaming, reboot to clear any domain-specific settings.
- Do some housekeeping: remove old agents, clear out profiles, and uninstall any unnecessary apps.
- After that, take a snapshot and run Sysprep in generalize mode.
- Clone again for your new build server. If you want more automation, you can supply an unattend.xml to set up new computer names automatically.
Alternatively, you could grab a fresh ISO from Microsoft and create a new VM directly, which might simplify things without needing the original environment adjustments.
You should ideally use Sysprep on the original VM before cloning. This prepares the system for imaging, ensuring that the domain info doesn't get carried over. Just keep in mind that the VM shouldn’t be domain-joined when you clone it; otherwise, rejoining later might be problematic without proper permissions. If your cloning process gets messy, you might run into issues like SID conflicts, especially if the VM's domain settings are preserved.
Great point about Sysprep! Just to clarify, it generalizes the install for deployment, right? I guess I need to make sure I clone it offline to avoid trouble.
I want to keep all my apps intact since it’s a build machine. Is there a way to ensure that functionality remains without those SID or network conflicts?