moka5

Optimizing a new Windows LivePC

To do the install, you will need a Windows Install CD. Most computers today come with a recovery CD but not an install CD, so you will likely NOT be able to use any CD that came with your computer. You will also need a product key.

To create a Windows LivePC:

  1. Start the LivePC Engine and click '+Add New LivePC' at the bottom.
  2. Click on the arrow button for 'Make your own LivePC' in the 'Add a new LivePC' window.
  3. Select the operating system and its flavor using the 'OS type' drop down menus under 'Create a new LivePC from an install CD or DVD'. Then click on the arrow beside the options. If you are creating a Windows XP LivePC check the box for 'Perform unattended install'. It will complete the install for you.
  4. Name the LivePC and choose an install option. You can click on 'Create' now or you can click on 'Advanced Options' to modify settings such as:
    1. User Files (under the Advanced tab): Checking this will enable you to access your LivePC's My Documents folder even when the LivePC is off.
    2. IDE Drives (under the Storage tab): Consider making the system and user disks smaller if you are creating this LivePC on a USB drive.

For more thorough instructions please see our LivePC Creator Guide.

The LivePC engine will list your newly created LivePC. Ensure that the Windows install CD is in your computer's CD drive and click the 'Play' button on LivePC in the Engine to start the LivePC. The LivePC should boot into the Windows installer.

Some decisions you'll have to make in the installer include:

  • Windows will ask you what partitions to create and what size to make them. Create an NTFS partition.
  • Windows will ask for an Administrator password. Don't use any valuable passwords that you're using elsewhere.

After rebooting and installing, Windows will ask more questions:

  • It will ask you how you connect to the Internet. Tell it you connect to the Internet through a LAN.
  • Don't activate the copy of Windows just yet. You may want to reinstall if something gets botched.
  • A username for the user you will normally log in as. Feel free to use your regular username.

Installing VMware Tools

VMware Tools comes with the drivers and utilities needed to optimize your Windows LivePC. You can find the VMware Tools here. Extract the windows.iso file.

Installing and configuring the moka5tools

More information on installing the moka5tools can be found in the Creator Guide.

Separating System and User State

If you plan on publishing the LivePC for others to use, and you wish to be able to update the LivePC so others can pick up the most up-to-date version, you need to modify the user profile.

  1. Start the LivePC, inside the LivePC you should see the user disk. We'll call the normal login user 'user X'.
  2. Log in as an administrator, NOT as 'user X'.
  3. Edit the registry entry below to point to the user disk local.vmdk: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\ProfileList
  4. For example, it could be 'E:\Documents and Settings'.
  5. Copy the profile for 'user X' to new location.
  6. Restart the LivePC, log in as 'user X'.
  7. Test it out as 'user X'. Try saving a file on the desktop; double-check that the new file now goes to the user disk.
  8. Your LivePC is now ready for publish and share with other users!