January 29th a new version of the VMware OS Optimization Tool has been released. The tool can be downloaded at https://flings.vmware.com/vmware-os-optimization-tool
The VMware OS Optimization Tool helps prepare and optimize Windows 10/8/7 and Windows Server 2019/2016/2012/2008 systems for use with VMware Horizon.
The optimization tool includes customizable templates to enable or disable Windows system services and features, per VMware recommendations and best practices. Since most Windows system services are enabled by default, the optimization tool can be used to easily disable unnecessary services and features to improve performance and user experience.
You can perform the following actions using the VMware OS Optimization Tool:
- Analyze/Optimize
- Remote Analyze
- Optimization History and Rollback
- Managing Templates
- Generalize (Sysprep)
- Finalize
This release contains the following changes:
January, 2020, b1140
Includes various bug fixes.
Optimize Results
- A new button has been added to the results page that displays once an optimization job has completed. This Export button allows you to save the results page as an HTML file.
Generalize
- New option and button that simplifies the task of running Sysprep using a standard answer file. You can edit the provided answer file before running Sysprep with it.
Finalize
- New option and button to automate many common tasks that are typically run as a last step before you shut down Windows to use the VM in Horizon. These include the system clean up tasks (NGEN, DISM, Compact and disk clean up) that were previously provided in the Common Options dialog. This also includes clearing event logs, KMS information and releasing the IP address.
Common Options
- System clean up tasks have been removed from the common options so will now not run during optimize but instead should be run as part of the Finalize process.
- New tab for Security options. This allows for the quick selection of common settings that might need to be left enabled depending on the security requirements. This offers control over Bitlocker, Firewall, Windows Defender, SmartScreen, HVCI.
Command Line
- Added command line parameter to allow the tool to run without applying optimizations. This is part of the -o parameter called none that then allows you to run things like the system cleanup tasks (NGEM DISM, etc.) without also having to optimize at the same time.
- VMwareOSOptimizationTool.exe -o none -t template -systemcleanup 0 1 2 3
WebCache - Changed default to not disable Webcache. In testing this was shown to break Edge and IE browsers ability to download and save files. The settings are still available in the Windows 10 templates if you want to disable Webcache.
Guides
- Updated OSOT user guide: VMware Operating System Optimization Tool Guide.
- Updated Creating an Optimized Windows Image for a VMware Horizon Virtual Desktop guide coming soon.
