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feat(windows): Windows 11 automated build, minification, and more - #1698

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SamuelMarks wants to merge 3 commits into
chef:mainfrom
SamuelMarks:win11
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feat(windows): Windows 11 automated build, minification, and more#1698
SamuelMarks wants to merge 3 commits into
chef:mainfrom
SamuelMarks:win11

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@SamuelMarks

@SamuelMarks SamuelMarks commented Sep 7, 2026

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  • Add WINDOWS.md documentation covering disk minification, lifecycle operations, and shared folders
  • Add windows-11-builder.sh for automated build, runner, box packaging, and real-time serial debugging
  • Implement aggressive multi-layer disk minification (CompactOS, reserved storage disabled, hibernation disabled, WinRE purge, AppX debloat, WinSxS cleanup, zero-fill, and pigz-9 compression) reducing .box size from 16-20+ GB down to 9.0 GB
  • Fix Windows 11 client serial port by disabling kernel EMS, enabling reliable COM1 logging
  • Configure OpenSSH server and Vagrant insecure public key for passwordless vagrant ssh
  • Add virtual_size metadata for seamless vagrant-libvirt integration

Description

Windows support. I also have ARM support ./windows-11-builder.sh --arch aarch64. Windows Server doesn't have an official ARM version so if you're running this on normal hypervisors on macOS you likely require this.

Related Issue

N/A

Types of changes

  • Bug fix (non-breaking change which fixes an issue)
  • New feature (non-breaking change which adds functionality)
  • Breaking change (fix or feature that would cause existing functionality to change)
  • Chore (non-breaking change that does not add functionality or fix an issue)

Checklist:

  • I have read the CONTRIBUTING document.
  • I have run the pre-merge tests locally and they pass.
  • I have updated the documentation accordingly.
  • I have added tests to cover my changes.
  • If Gemfile.lock has changed, I have used --conservative to do it and included the full output in the Description above.
  • All new and existing tests passed.
  • All commits have been signed-off for the Developer Certificate of Origin.

…ebugging

- Add WINDOWS.md documentation covering disk minification, lifecycle operations, and shared folders
- Add windows-11-builder.sh for automated build, runner, box packaging, and real-time serial debugging
- Implement aggressive multi-layer disk minification (CompactOS, reserved storage disabled, hibernation disabled, WinRE purge, AppX debloat, WinSxS cleanup, zero-fill, and pigz-9 compression) reducing .box size from 16-20+ GB down to 9.0 GB
- Fix Windows 11 client serial port by disabling kernel EMS, enabling reliable COM1 logging
- Configure OpenSSH server and Vagrant insecure public key for passwordless vagrant ssh
- Add virtual_size metadata for seamless vagrant-libvirt integration

Signed-off-by: Samuel Marks <807580+SamuelMarks@users.noreply.github.com>
…and rsync shared folders

- Update .gitignore with wildcards for debugging artifacts, screenshots, test scripts, and environments
- Fix QEMU hardware acceleration parameter (-machine virt,highmem=on,accel=hvf/kvm)
- Bypass empty UEFI pflash NVRAM variable loops by setting firmware_format = nil
- Map storage drive interface to NVMe to match Windows 11 installation controller
- Configure passwordless SSH key authentication and native PowerShell shell
- Install portable rsync in guest and enable Vagrant rsync synced folder out-of-the-box
- Add .env.template for configuring ISO paths and build storage targets

Signed-off-by: Samuel Marks <807580+SamuelMarks@users.noreply.github.com>
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