# Quick bento query

**URL:** <https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921>\
**Category:** Chef Infra (archive)\
**Created:** [September 25, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921 "2015-09-25T14:10:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 8\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sean\_Farrow1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@Sean\_Farrow1](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Sean_Farrow1)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 2:10pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/1 "2015-09-25T14:10:50Z")

</div>

Hi,

How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?  
I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.  
Any explanations appreciated.  
Kind regards  
Sean.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![martinb3](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/martinb3/32/34_2.png) [@martinb3](https://discourse.chef.io/u/martinb3)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 2:28pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/2 "2015-09-25T14:28:18Z")

</div>

Hi Sean,

I ended up following this doc:

[http://kitchen.ci/blog/test-kitchen-windows-test-flight-with-vagrant/](http://kitchen.ci/blog/test-kitchen-windows-test-flight-with-vagrant/)

It has instructions for building a Windows box for test-kitchen. I’m assuming that’s what you’re trying to do.

Cheers,

- Martin

* * *

From: Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk)  
Sent: Friday, September 25, 2015 9:10 AM  
To: chef  
Subject: [chef] Quick bento query

Hi,

How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?  
I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.  
Any explanations appreciated.  
Kind regards  
Sean.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jdunn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/jdunn/32/1800_2.png) [@jdunn](https://discourse.chef.io/u/jdunn)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2015, 4:55pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/3 "2015-09-25T16:55:35Z")

</div>

The bento project doesn't support Windows boxes... yet. The boxcutter  
project has working definitions I've used in the past, though:

> **[GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in...](https://github.com/boxcutter/windows)**
>
> Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripting/JScript - GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripti...

- Julian

On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Sean Farrow  
[sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?
> 
> I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.
> 
> Any explanations appreciated.
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Sean.

--  
[Julian C. Dunn [jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com) \* Sorry, I'm ]  
[WWW: [http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian](http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian) \* only Web 1.0 ]  
[gopher://sdf.org/1/users/keymaker/ \* compliant!]  
[PGP: 91B3 7A9D 683C 7C16 715F 442C 6065 D533 FDC2 05B9]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sean\_Farrow1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@Sean\_Farrow1](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Sean_Farrow1)\
**Post date:** [September 27, 2015, 10:36am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/4 "2015-09-27T10:36:12Z")

</div>

Hi,

Would windows support be something you'd be interested in? What would be involved in doing this--I'm happy to contribute if this is wanted.  
Cheers  
Sean.

-----Original Message-----  
From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
Sent: 25 September 2015 17:56  
To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query

The bento project doesn't support Windows boxes... yet. The boxcutter project has working definitions I've used in the past, though:

> **[GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in...](https://github.com/boxcutter/windows)**
>
> Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripting/JScript - GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripti...

- Julian

On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?
> 
> I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.
> 
> Any explanations appreciated.
> 
> Kind regards
> 
> Sean.

--  
[Julian C. Dunn [jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com) \* Sorry, I'm ]  
[WWW: [http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian](http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian) \* only Web 1.0 ]  
[gopher://sdf.org/1/users/keymaker/ \* compliant!]  
[PGP: 91B3 7A9D 683C 7C16 715F 442C 6065 D533 FDC2 05B9]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jdunn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/jdunn/32/1800_2.png) [@jdunn](https://discourse.chef.io/u/jdunn)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:05am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/5 "2015-09-28T00:05:01Z")

</div>

At the moment, I have to say that the boxcutter project is pretty good and has shaved a lot of the requisite yaks already. Speaking as someone who has worked on bento in the past (though I’m no longer a maintainer due to ENOTIME) I’m a little reluctant for us to duplicate work unless there’s a compelling reason — e.g. we bring a vastly different philosophy to the table than another box-building project.

One of those differentiating factors might be if we were able to somehow build Windows bento boxes in the CI we have set up for Bento, much as we do for almost all the other Linuxes. The challenges to that are:

- Microsoft doesn’t let us distribute finished boxes publicly due to their restrictive EULA
- The ISO images aren’t publicly accessible

We realize this makes the experience of using Test Kitchen with Windows guests pretty poor, but it is a legal issue not a technical one IMO. So far we’ve not had luck convincing MSFT counsel to see the light.

- Julian

> On Sep 27, 2015, at 6:36 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Would windows support be something you'd be interested in? What would be involved in doing this--I'm happy to contribute if this is wanted.  
> Cheers  
> Sean.
> 
> -----Original Message-----  
> From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
> Sent: 25 September 2015 17:56  
> To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
> Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query
> 
> The bento project doesn't support Windows boxes... yet. The boxcutter project has working definitions I've used in the past, though:  
> [GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripting/JScript](https://github.com/boxcutter/windows)
> 
> - Julian
> 
> On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?
> > 
> > I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.
> > 
> > Any explanations appreciated.
> > 
> > Kind regards
> > 
> > Sean.
> 
> --  
> [Julian C. Dunn [jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com) \* Sorry, I'm ]  
> [WWW: [Julian Dunn's Blog - Commentary on media, technology, and everything in between.](http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian) \* only Web 1.0 ]  
> [gopher://sdf.org/1/users/keymaker/ \* compliant!]  
> [PGP: 91B3 7A9D 683C 7C16 715F 442C 6065 D533 FDC2 05B9]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sean\_Farrow1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@Sean\_Farrow1](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Sean_Farrow1)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 7:47am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/6 "2015-09-28T07:47:40Z")

</div>

Hi,

That's all fair comment, the only thing I would disagree with is demonstration windows iso's are available. Would these be usable as they can run without a product key for 120 days.  
Cheers  
Sean.  
-----Original Message-----  
From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
Sent: 28 September 2015 01:05  
To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query

At the moment, I have to say that the boxcutter project is pretty good and has shaved a lot of the requisite yaks already. Speaking as someone who has worked on bento in the past (though I’m no longer a maintainer due to ENOTIME) I’m a little reluctant for us to duplicate work unless there’s a compelling reason — e.g. we bring a vastly different philosophy to the table than another box-building project.

One of those differentiating factors might be if we were able to somehow build Windows bento boxes in the CI we have set up for Bento, much as we do for almost all the other Linuxes. The challenges to that are:

- Microsoft doesn’t let us distribute finished boxes publicly due to their restrictive EULA
- The ISO images aren’t publicly accessible

We realize this makes the experience of using Test Kitchen with Windows guests pretty poor, but it is a legal issue not a technical one IMO. So far we’ve not had luck convincing MSFT counsel to see the light.

- Julian

> On Sep 27, 2015, at 6:36 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> Would windows support be something you'd be interested in? What would be involved in doing this--I'm happy to contribute if this is wanted.  
> Cheers  
> Sean.
> 
> -----Original Message-----  
> From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
> Sent: 25 September 2015 17:56  
> To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
> Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query
> 
> The bento project doesn't support Windows boxes... yet. The boxcutter project has working definitions I've used in the past, though:  
> [GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripting/JScript](https://github.com/boxcutter/windows)
> 
> - Julian
> 
> On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?
> > 
> > I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.
> > 
> > Any explanations appreciated.
> > 
> > Kind regards
> > 
> > Sean.
> 
> --  
> [Julian C. Dunn [jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com) \* Sorry, I'm ]  
> [WWW: [Julian Dunn's Blog - Commentary on media, technology, and everything in between.](http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian) \* only Web 1.0 ]  
> [gopher://sdf.org/1/users/keymaker/ \* compliant!]  
> [PGP: 91B3 7A9D 683C 7C16 715F 442C 6065 D533 FDC2 05B9]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jdunn](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.chef.io/jdunn/32/1800_2.png) [@jdunn](https://discourse.chef.io/u/jdunn)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 11:26am UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/7 "2015-09-28T11:26:47Z")

</div>

That is true, although my experience has been that MSFT generally only makes the latest eval (i.e. Server 2012r2 at the moment) available publicly. Once a version of Windows is older, the ISO gets stuck behind the MSDN paywall.

- Julian

> On Sep 28, 2015, at 3:47 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> That's all fair comment, the only thing I would disagree with is demonstration windows iso's are available. Would these be usable as they can run without a product key for 120 days.  
> Cheers  
> Sean.  
> -----Original Message-----  
> From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
> Sent: 28 September 2015 01:05  
> To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
> Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query
> 
> At the moment, I have to say that the boxcutter project is pretty good and has shaved a lot of the requisite yaks already. Speaking as someone who has worked on bento in the past (though I’m no longer a maintainer due to ENOTIME) I’m a little reluctant for us to duplicate work unless there’s a compelling reason — e.g. we bring a vastly different philosophy to the table than another box-building project.
> 
> One of those differentiating factors might be if we were able to somehow build Windows bento boxes in the CI we have set up for Bento, much as we do for almost all the other Linuxes. The challenges to that are:
> 
> - Microsoft doesn’t let us distribute finished boxes publicly due to their restrictive EULA
> - The ISO images aren’t publicly accessible
> 
> We realize this makes the experience of using Test Kitchen with Windows guests pretty poor, but it is a legal issue not a technical one IMO. So far we’ve not had luck convincing MSFT counsel to see the light.
> 
> - Julian
> 
> > On Sep 27, 2015, at 6:36 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> > 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > Would windows support be something you'd be interested in? What would be involved in doing this--I'm happy to contribute if this is wanted.  
> > Cheers  
> > Sean.
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----  
> > From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
> > Sent: 25 September 2015 17:56  
> > To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
> > Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query
> > 
> > The bento project doesn't support Windows boxes... yet. The boxcutter project has working definitions I've used in the past, though:  
> > [GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripting/JScript](https://github.com/boxcutter/windows)
> > 
> > - Julian
> > 
> > On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> > 
> > > Hi,
> > > 
> > > How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?
> > > 
> > > I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.
> > > 
> > > Any explanations appreciated.
> > > 
> > > Kind regards
> > > 
> > > Sean.
> > 
> > --  
> > [Julian C. Dunn [jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com) \* Sorry, I'm ]  
> > [WWW: [http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian](http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian) \* only Web 1.0 ]  
> > [gopher://sdf.org/1/users/keymaker/ \* compliant!]  
> > [PGP: 91B3 7A9D 683C 7C16 715F 442C 6065 D533 FDC2 05B9]

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Sean\_Farrow1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7ea924/32.png) [@Sean\_Farrow1](https://discourse.chef.io/u/Sean_Farrow1)\
**Post date:** [September 28, 2015, 12:14pm UTC](https://discourse.chef.io/t/quick-bento-query/6921/8 "2015-09-28T12:14:48Z")

</div>

Hi Julian,  
I can still get Windows 7, 8, 8.1, and all the server variants. I am an msdn subscriber but have trial links as well.  
Just thinking it might simplify the test kitchen/windows situation as things like boxcutter are good, but complex.  
Sean.

-----Original Message-----  
From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
Sent: 28 September 2015 12:27  
To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
Subject: [chef] Re: RE: Re: Quick bento query

That is true, although my experience has been that MSFT generally only makes the latest eval (i.e. Server 2012r2 at the moment) available publicly. Once a version of Windows is older, the ISO gets stuck behind the MSDN paywall.

- Julian

> On Sep 28, 2015, at 3:47 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> 
> Hi,
> 
> That's all fair comment, the only thing I would disagree with is demonstration windows iso's are available. Would these be usable as they can run without a product key for 120 days.  
> Cheers  
> Sean.  
> -----Original Message-----  
> From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
> Sent: 28 September 2015 01:05  
> To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
> Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query
> 
> At the moment, I have to say that the boxcutter project is pretty good and has shaved a lot of the requisite yaks already. Speaking as someone who has worked on bento in the past (though I’m no longer a maintainer due to ENOTIME) I’m a little reluctant for us to duplicate work unless there’s a compelling reason — e.g. we bring a vastly different philosophy to the table than another box-building project.
> 
> One of those differentiating factors might be if we were able to somehow build Windows bento boxes in the CI we have set up for Bento, much as we do for almost all the other Linuxes. The challenges to that are:
> 
> - Microsoft doesn’t let us distribute finished boxes publicly due to their restrictive EULA
> - The ISO images aren’t publicly accessible
> 
> We realize this makes the experience of using Test Kitchen with Windows guests pretty poor, but it is a legal issue not a technical one IMO. So far we’ve not had luck convincing MSFT counsel to see the light.
> 
> - Julian
> 
> > On Sep 27, 2015, at 6:36 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> > 
> > Hi,
> > 
> > Would windows support be something you'd be interested in? What would be involved in doing this--I'm happy to contribute if this is wanted.  
> > Cheers  
> > Sean.
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----  
> > From: Julian C. Dunn [[mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com)]  
> > Sent: 25 September 2015 17:56  
> > To: [chef@lists.opscode.com](mailto:chef@lists.opscode.com)  
> > Subject: [chef] Re: Quick bento query
> > 
> > The bento project doesn't support Windows boxes... yet. The boxcutter project has working definitions I've used in the past, though:  
> > [GitHub - boxcutter/windows: Virtual machine templates for Windows written in legacy JSON and Batch Scripting/JScript](https://github.com/boxcutter/windows)
> > 
> > - Julian
> > 
> > On Fri, Sep 25, 2015 at 10:10 AM, Sean Farrow [sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk](mailto:sean.farrow@seanfarrow.co.uk) wrote:
> > 
> > > Hi,
> > > 
> > > How does bento create windows vm’s using packer?
> > > 
> > > I took a look at the GitHub repo and this didn’t seem to make sense.
> > > 
> > > Any explanations appreciated.
> > > 
> > > Kind regards
> > > 
> > > Sean.
> > 
> > --  
> > [Julian C. Dunn [jdunn@aquezada.com](mailto:jdunn@aquezada.com) \* Sorry, I'm ]  
> > [WWW: [Julian Dunn's Blog - Commentary on media, technology, and everything in between.](http://www.aquezada.com/staff/julian) \* only Web 1.0 ]  
> > [gopher://sdf.org/1/users/keymaker/ \* compliant!]  
> > [PGP: 91B3 7A9D 683C 7C16 715F 442C 6065 D533 FDC2 05B9]