This article is contributed by Jeff Woolsey, our Virtual Server 2005 Program Manager. Thanks Jeff!

To increase the performance of the OS install (F6 option) when using emulated SCSI disks you can create a diskette to load the faster SCSI drivers that are included with the Virtual Machine Additions.

To create the disk:

1. From the Virtual Server Web Administration application, create a Virtual Floppy Disk (.vfd). 
2. Attach the .vfd to a running virtual machine with a CD-ROM drive.
3. Attach the Virtual Machine Additions ISO to the virtual machine listed in the previous step.
4. In the running virtual machine, navigate to the floppy drive
5. Create a new file called TXTSETUP.OEM and copy and paste the following contents:

[Disks]

d1 = "Microsoft VM Accelerated Additions Driver Disk", \msvmscsi, \
d2 = "Microsoft VM Accelerated Additions Driver Disk (NT4)", \msvmscsi, \nt4
d3 = "Microsoft VM Accelerated Additions Driver Disk (Windows 2000)", \msvmscsi, \Win2000
d4 = "Microsoft VM Accelerated Additions Driver Disk (Windows XP)", \msvmscsi, \WinXP
d5 = "Microsoft VM Accelerated Additions Driver Disk (Windows Server 2003)", \msvmscsi, \Win2003

[Defaults]

scsi = MSVMSCSI_2003

[scsi]
MSVMSCSI_2003 = "(Windows Server 2003) Additions Accelerated SCSI Driver", msvmscsi
MSVMSCSI_2000 = "(Windows 2000) Additions Accelerated SCSI Driver", msvmscsi
MSVMSCSI_XP = "(Windows XP) Additions Accelerated SCSI Driver", msvmscsi
MSVMSCSI_NT = "(nt4) Additions Accelerated SCSI Driver", msvmscsi

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_NT ]
driver = d2, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d2, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d2, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_2000 ]
driver = d3, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d3, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d3, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_XP ]
driver = d4, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d4, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d4, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_2003 ]
driver = d5, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d5, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d5, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[HardwareIds.scsi.MSVMSCSI_NT]
id = "PCI\VEN_9004&DEV_7078&SUBSYS_70781414&REV_02","msvmscsi"

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_NT ]
driver = d2, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d2, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d2, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[HardwareIds.scsi.MSVMSCSI_2000]
id = "PCI\VEN_9004&DEV_7078&SUBSYS_70781414&REV_02","msvmscsi"

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_2000 ]
driver = d3, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d3, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d3, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[HardwareIds.scsi.MSVMSCSI_XP]
id = "PCI\VEN_9004&DEV_7078&SUBSYS_70781414&REV_02","msvmscsi"

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_XP ]
driver = d4, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d4, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d4, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

[HardwareIds.scsi.MSVMSCSI_2003]
id = "PCI\VEN_9004&DEV_7078&SUBSYS_70781414&REV_02","msvmscsi"

[Files.scsi.MSVMSCSI_2003]
driver = d5, msvmscsi.sys, msvmscsi
inf    = d5, msvmscsi.inf
catalog = d5, vmadd_msvmscsi_sys.cat

6. Create a batch file in the guest operating system called setupf6.cmd and copy and paste the following contents:

Set cddriveletter = d
If not “%1” == “” set cddriveletter=%1
Md a:\nt4
Md a:\Win2000
Md a:\WinXP
Md a:\Win2003
Dir > a:\msvmscsi
Copy %cddriveletter%:\windows\windows\vmadd\winnt\*msvmscsi* a:\nt4
Copy %cddriveletter%:\windows\windows\vmadd\win2k\*msvmscsi* a:\win2000
Copy %cddriveletter%:\windows\windows\vmadd\Winxp\*msvmscsi* a:\WinXP
Copy %cddriveletter%:\windows\windows\vmadd\Win2k3\*msvmscsi* a:\Win2003

7. Execute the batch file
a. If your virtual CDROM drive letter is d just execute setupF6.cmd
b. If your virtual CDROM drive letter is a different letter execute setupF6.cmd <driveletter>.  (i.e.  If the virtual CDROM drive letter is “x” type “setupF6.cmd x”
8. Remove the virtual floppy from the virtual floppy drive
9. This disk can now be used as an ‘F6’ floppy disk during OS setup.