Windows 8 and Server 2012

Windows 8 and Server 2012 - Optimization Guide

With the recent release of XenDesktop 7, we set up a list of recommended optimizations for Windows 8 and Server 2012 /8.1 positions XenDesktop virtual desktop on X. 7. the purpose of this blog is to provide a list of optimizations commonly applied and provide assistance to their implementation through a script - yes, you read correctly, a sCRIPT 😉

Although not all settings can apply to all use cases, most of these parameters should be applied to Windows 8 / 8.1 and Server 2012 virtual machines running on XenDesktop 7. x

This blog is divided into four sections: service parameters settings computer user settings and awesome script .

Service Settings

The following services are recommended to be evaluated to be set to off

• Application Layer Gateway Service
• Background Intelligent Transfer Service
• BitLocker Drive service Encryption
• backup engine block level of service
• Bluetooth Service
• Computer Browser
• apparatus Service Association
• Service Manager device Setup
• diagnostic policy Service
• link tracking Client Distributed
• Family Safety
• Fax
• publication Function Discovery Resource
• HomeGroup Listener
• HomeGroup Provider
• Microsoft Software Shadow Copy Provider
• offline files
• Optimize Drives
• Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol Service
• security Center
• sensor monitoring service
• Shell Hardware Detection
• SNMP Trap Service
• SSDP Discovery
• Superfetch
• Telephony
• host UPnP device
• Volume Shadow Copy
• backup Windows
• Windows system colors
• Windows Connect Now - Config Registrar
• Windows Defender service
• Windows Error Reporting Service
• player Media Network Sharing windows Service
• Windows Update
• WLAN AutoConfig
• WWAN AutoConfig

the following services are recommended to be evaluated to be set to auto

• Network services list

computer settings

the recommended baseline computer settings and optimizations

• set up the event to 1028KB and retention newspapers set to "replace"
• configure CPU resources for better performance "Programs"
• set visual Effects to "best performance"
• Disable automatic updates of drivers from Windows updates
• boot log and animation Disable startup
• Disable Execution prevention data
• default screen saver Disable system
• Disable discs
disk timeouts
• Disable hibernation
• Disable Internet Explorer first Run Wizard and RSS Feeds
• Disable Internet Explorer Enhanced Security
• account Disable machine Changes Password
• Disable New network dialog
• Disable NTFS Last Access timestamps
• Disable system restore
• Disable TCP / IP / wide Send Offload
• Disable the ability to erase the pagefile on shutdown
• disable UAC prompt secure desktop
• disable background layout function
• disable CIFS Change Notifications
• Increase / O Disk I Timeout 0 seconds
• Increase startup timeouts Service
• Set Popup error mode to "Ni"
• Set Power Saving Scheme to "High Performance"
• Set Recovery Dump "Small"
• Turn off Windows slide Show and install NetFX3

Disable the following scheduled Tasks :

• AitAgent
• AnalyzeSystem
• AutoWake
• BfeOnServiceStartTypeChange
• BthSQM
• ConfigNotification
• Consolidator
• DiskDiagnosticDatacollector
• DiskDiagnosticResolver
• FamilySafetyMonitor
• FamilySafetyRefresh
• GadgetManager
• HotStart
• KernelCeipTask
• MobilityManager
• ProgramDataUpdater
• Proxy
• RacTask
• RegIdleBackup
• ResolutionHost
• planned
• SessionAgent
• StartupAppTask
• SystemDataProviders
• UninstallDeviceTask
• UpdateLibrary
• Upload
• UPnPHostConfig
• UsbCeip
• Windows Filtering
• WinSAT

user settings

the recommendations user settings for Windows 8 / 8.1 and Server 2012 in XenDesktop 7 environments:

• Disable Action Center
• Disable the blinking cursor
• Disable Internet Explorer persistent cache
• Disable screensaver
• power off screen composition in Internet Explorer
• Reduce show menu within 150 milliseconds

Note: user settings when applied in a profile are made only for that user. For policies of the user base to apply to all users, user profile modified to replace the default user profile, information on this process is available here (use this link if the other works not). Optionally, the profile can be deployed as a model profile through a profile management solution such as Citrix Profile Management.

Normal

Recommended

Another thing worth mentioning is that we strongly recommend the implementation of the July 2013 Hotfix Rollup Microsoft. This fixes a memory leak problem in Windows 8 and Server 2012, which eventually causes the server to exhaust its resources and slow down to a crawl.

The Awesome Script

And now for the part you probably scroll all the way down to get to ... the great script that does all of the above for you. The "Windows8and2012VDIBaseline.vbs" file is a VBS script that will perform optimizations highlighted in this automated fashion blog. This script is designed to run on your (aka. Basic Image) "Golden Image" which is used to create or MCS PVS flow clones. Another file, "Windows8and2012VDIBaselineGPO.zip" is also available as a GPO template. The files are available here

Note :. After running the script, a reboot is required for the script registers to apply correctly. As with any script, we strongly encourage understand what the script does before you run. Citrix nor the authors are responsible for all matters that come as a result of the execution of this script so please be sure to make backups of your registry and file of the machine VHD or Virtual before run the script, just in case something goes wrong 😉

a big thank you to Jonathan Bennett (AutoITScript) to create a wonderful optimizer tool and Jeff Stokes (MSFT) to create the basic script of original Windows 7 we have benefited as a basis for the script provided above.

For more information on XenDesktop 7, please refer Citrix eDocs. For optimizations applicable to Windows 7 machines, please consult the Windows 7 Optimization Guide for Desktop Virtualization Citrix white paper.

Until next time

Feel free to leave comments below regarding these optimizations, comments on the script or other recommendations that we would have missed so we can update accordingly. Optimizations and the script is a continuous work in progress so feedback is greatly appreciated!

-Pablo & Steven

Pablo Legorreta, Architect, Citrix Consulting

Steven Krueger, Senior Consultant, Citrix Consulting

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