Windows 11

[Rotoi]

Hi,

I'm looking to make a Windows 11 23H2 golden image, that I will use as a parent VM for Horizon instant clones in a desktop pool.

Windows 11 requires vTPM. However, according to VMware, it shouldn't be added in the golden image as seen in this article https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/85960

With these two methods :

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/88320

https://techzone.vmware.com/using-automation-create-optimized-windows-images-vmware-horizon-vms

But here is another article showing Windows 11 golden image creation with a vTPM added to it.

https://techzone.vmware.com/resource/manually-creating-optimized-windows-images-vmware-horizon-vms#c...

So can vTPM be added in the golden image ? If we have no use for it, can it not be added at all, even in Horizon ?

If needed, can it be added in the golden image then removed before publishing the snapshot in Horizon, since bitlocker is not used ?

Or is it necessary to use one of the two methods linked above to make the golden image without vTPM ?

Thanks

[Mickeybyte]

There are indeed some different methods which makes it confusing. 

Bottom line: vTPM is not strictly needed, but to have a supported configuration it must have a vTPM.

Also, you can't clone a VM with a vTPM switch, that's why you have the option in Horizon to add a vTPM on the VDIs while provisioning. So, for me, the best way is to have your golden image without vTPM and use the option on the desktop pool to add a vTPM during provisioning. 

To setup your golden image initially, you can either choose to do a workaround and install Windows 11 on a VM without vTPM, or you can create a VM with vTPM, install Windows 11 and then remove the vTPM after installation.