Image

Name and version the golden image and point to the Windows 11 installation media.

Image name Used for the build VM and the output folder, for example vdi-win11-finance.

Version Written to the image manifest, for example 2026.09.1.

Windows edition index Index inside install.wim. Check it with dism /Get-WimInfo.

Installation media optional here

Leave these empty to pass them to Packer at build time. The ISO never leaves your Hyper-V host.

ISO path or URL

ISO checksum

Build VM

The temporary Hyper-V VM that Packer creates to install Windows. It is deleted after the image is exported, so its size does not decide the size of your desktops.

vCPUs

Memory

System disk The disk every desktop in the catalog gets.

Hyper-V virtual switch Needs internet access for WinGet. Generation 2 with Secure Boot is always used.

Language and region

Applied by the unattended answer file during Windows setup. The display language must exist in your ISO.

Display language

Formats and keyboard

Time zone

Applications

Pick a starting profile, then tick or untick single applications. Everything installs silently with WinGet for all users.

Start from a profile

Applications in the image

Citrix Optimizer

Citrix Optimizer removes Windows features and services a pooled desktop does not need. The build runs it only if you staged the official engine in the guest.

Run Citrix OptimizerRecommended for pooled desktops. Test the result before production. Do not optimizeKeep Windows as installed.

Template AutoSelect picks the template for the installed Windows build.

Machine catalog

Machine Creation Services clones the image into desktops. Their names, domain, and OU come from here, not from the image.

Plan an MCS catalogAdds a Citrix SDK script for you to review and run. Image onlyYou create or update the catalog yourself in Studio.

Catalog

Catalog name

Provisioning scheme

Hosting unit The name under XDHyp:\HostingUnits.

Desktop experience

Random, pooledUsers get any free desktop. Changes are discarded at logoff. Static, assignedEach user keeps the same desktop. Changes are kept.

Machines

Number of machines

vCPUs per machine

Memory per machine

Active Directory computer accounts

Account naming scheme

Domain

Organizational unit

Summary

What the build does

Files

Save the files into the project folder and run the commands on your Hyper-V host. This page never contacts a hypervisor or a Citrix site.