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4. Create a Windows Virtual Machine from a Template

In the previous section, you created a Windows template complete with pre-configured storage, networking and operating system settings. Now, you will use this template to deploy a pre-installed virtual machine.
To create a Windows virtual machine from a template
  1. Navigate to the Tree pane and click Expand All. Click the VMs icon in the Default cluster under the Default data center. On the Virtual Machines tab, click New Desktop.
    Clone a Windows desktop
    Figure 76. Clone a Windows desktop

    1. On the General tab, select your newly created Windows template called FinanWinDesk from the Based on Template list.
    2. Enter a suitable Name and Description, and accept the default values inherited from the template in the rest of the fields. You can change them if needed.
  2. Retain all other default setting and click OK to create the virtual machine. The virtual machine displays in the Virtual Machines list with a status of "Image Locked" until the virtual disk is created. The virtual disk and networking settings are inherited from the template, and do not have to be reconfigured.
  3. Click the Run icon to turn it on. This time, the Run Once steps are not required as the operating system has already been installed onto the virtual machine hard drive. Click the green Console button to connect to the virtual machine.
  4. The Windows virtual machine goes through the unattended setup process to apply the customized settings set by sysprep using the answer file provided. When this process ends, log in to the machine. You can see that the virtual machine has joined the Active Directory domain.
You have now learned how to create Windows virtual machines with and without templates. Next, you will learn how to access these virtual machines from a user portal.