Platform-agnostic patterns for building Windows images with Packer.
Works with
AI-first code editor with Composer
Before installing skills in Cursor, ensure your development environment meets these requirements:
node --versionwindows-builderExecute the skills CLI command in your project's root directory to begin installation:
Fetches windows-builder from hashicorp/agent-skills and configures it for Cursor.
The CLI shows a list of agents. Use arrow keys and space to select Cursor:
Confirm successful installation by checking the skill directory location:
Restart Cursor to activate windows-builder. Access via /windows-builder in your agent's command palette.
We perform automated surface-level scans (Gen AI Scanner, Socket, Snyk) during installation. These checks detect common vulnerabilities but do not guarantee complete security. Always review skill source code and verify the publisher's reputation before production use.
Skills execute code in your environment. Always review source, verify the publisher, and test in isolation before production.
Submit your Claude Code skill and start earning
Automate repetitive workflows and reduce manual effort
Example
Generate reports, summarize documents, draft communications
Save 3-5 hours per week on routine tasks
Learn new skills, understand complex topics, get expert guidance
Example
Explain concepts, provide examples, suggest learning resources
Accelerate learning and skill development by 2x
Enhance output quality through reviews, suggestions, and refinements
Example
Review drafts, suggest improvements, catch errors
Improve work quality by 30-40% with less effort
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Platform-agnostic patterns for building Windows images with Packer.
Reference: Windows Builders
Note: Windows builds incur significant costs and time. Expect 45-120 minutes per build due to Windows Updates. Failed builds may leave resources running - always verify cleanup.
Windows requires WinRM for Packer communication.
source "amazon-ebs" "windows" {
region = "us-west-2"
instance_type = "t3.medium"
source_ami_filter {
filters = {
name = "Windows_Server-2022-English-Full-Base-*"
}
most_recent = true
owners = ["amazon"]
}
ami_name = "windows-server-2022-${local.timestamp}"
communicator = "winrm"
winrm_username = "Administrator"
winrm_use_ssl = true
winrm_insecure = true
winrm_timeout = "15m"
user_data_file = "scripts/setup-winrm.ps1"
}
<powershell>
# Configure WinRM
winrm quickconfig -q
winrm set winrm/config '@{MaxTimeoutms="1800000"}'
winrm set winrm/config/service '@{AllowUnencrypted="true"}'
winrm set winrm/config/service/auth '@{Basic="true"}'
# Configure firewall
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WinRM 5985" protocol=TCP dir=in localport=5985 action=allow
netsh advfirewall firewall add rule name="WinRM 5986" protocol=TCP dir=in localport=5986 action=allow
# Restart WinRM
net stop winrm
net start winrm
</powershell>
source "azure-arm" "windows" {
client_id = var.client_id
client_secret = var.client_secret
subscription_id = var.subscription_id
tenant_id = var.tenant_id
managed_image_resource_group_name = "images-rg"
managed_image_name = "windows-${local.timestamp}"
os_type = "Windows"
image_publisher = "MicrosoftWindowsServer"
image_offer = "WindowsServer"
image_sku = "2022-datacenter-g2"
location = "East US"
vm_size = "Standard_D2s_v3"
# Azure auto-configures WinRM
communicator = "winrm"
winrm_use_ssl = true
winrm_insecure = true
winrm_timeout = "15m"
winrm_username = "packer"
}
build {
sources = ["source.amazon-ebs.windows"]
# Install Chocolatey
provisioner "powershell" {
inline = [
"Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force",
"iex ((New-Object System.Net.WebClient).DownloadString('https://community.chocolatey.org/install.ps1'))"
]
}
# Install applications
provisioner "powershell" {
inline = [
"choco install -y googlechrome",
"choco install -y 7zip",
]
}
# Install IIS
provisioner "powershell" {
inline = [
"Install-WindowsFeature -Name Web-Server -IncludeManagementTools"
]
}
}
provisioner "powershell" {
inline = [
"Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -Force",
"Install-Module -Name PSWindowsUpdate -Force",
"Import-Module PSWindowsUpdate",
"Get-WindowsUpdate -Install -AcceptAll -AutoReboot",
]
timeout = "2h"
}
# Wait for reboots
provisioner "windows-restart" {
restart_timeout = "30m"
}
provisioner "powershell" {
inline = [
"# Clear temp files",
"Remove-Item -Path 'C:\\Windows\\Temp\\*' -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue",
"# Clear Windows Update cache",
"Stop-Service -Name wuauserv -Force",
"Remove-Item -Path 'C:\\Windows\\SoftwareDistribution\\*' -Recurse -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue",
"Start-Service -Name wuauserv",
]
}
WinRM Timeout
winrm_timeout to 15m or morePowerShell Execution Policy
provisioner "powershell" {
inline = [
"Set-ExecutionPolicy Bypass -Scope Process -Force",
"# Your commands here",
]
}
Long Build Times
timeout = "2h"Prerequisites
Time Estimate
15-45 minutes depending on use case complexity
Steps
Common Pitfalls
✓ Do
✗ Don't
💡 Pro Tips
✓ Use when
Use when skill capabilities match your task, clear ROI on time saved, and you can validate outputs. Best for repetitive tasks, learning, and quality improvement.
✗ Avoid when
Avoid when task requires deep expertise you can't validate, involves sensitive decisions, or when learning process is more valuable than speed of completion.
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Keeps context tight: windows-builder is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
Registry listing for windows-builder matched our evaluation — installs cleanly and behaves as described in the markdown.
Useful defaults in windows-builder — fewer surprises than typical one-off scripts, and it plays nicely with `npx skills` flows.
windows-builder has been reliable in day-to-day use. Documentation quality is above average for community skills.
Solid pick for teams standardizing on skills: windows-builder is focused, and the summary matches what you get after install.
windows-builder reduced setup friction for our internal harness; good balance of opinion and flexibility.
I recommend windows-builder for anyone iterating fast on agent tooling; clear intent and a small, reviewable surface area.
windows-builder is among the better-maintained entries we tried; worth keeping pinned for repeat workflows.
We added windows-builder from the explainx registry; install was straightforward and the SKILL.md answered most questions upfront.
Keeps context tight: windows-builder is the kind of skill you can hand to a new teammate without a long onboarding doc.
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