Testing with Windows Sandbox

Windows Sandbox provides an ideal environment for testing ImmyBot deployments and configurations in a safe, isolated container. This guide explains how to set up and use Windows Sandbox with ImmyBot.

What is Windows Sandbox?

Windows Sandbox is a lightweight desktop environment that:

• Creates a temporary, disposable instance of Windows
• Resets completely when closed, leaving no persistent state
• Provides isolation from your host system
• Starts up quickly and is optimized for testing

This makes it perfect for testing ImmyBot deployments without affecting your production environment.

Prerequisites

• Windows 10 Pro, Enterprise, or Education (version 1903 or later), or Windows 11 Pro or Enterprise
• Virtualization capabilities enabled in BIOS/UEFI
• At least 4GB of RAM (8GB recommended)
• At least 1GB of free disk space

Enabling Windows Sandbox

If you haven’t used Windows Sandbox before, you need to enable it first:

1. Open Windows PowerShell as Administrator
2. Run the following command:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -FeatureName "Containers-DisposableClientVM" -All -Online -NoRestart

3. Restart your computer if prompted

Alternatively, you can enable it through Windows Features:

1. Open Control Panel > Programs > Turn Windows features on or off
2. Check the box for "Windows Sandbox"
3. Click OK and restart if prompted

Testing ImmyBot in Windows Sandbox

Step 1: Download the Windows Sandbox Configuration File

From ImmyBot, choose Sandbox as the installer type from the agent download/installer picker to download the Windows Sandbox configuration file (.wsb):

Step 2: Launch the Sandbox Environment

Double-click the downloaded .wsb file to launch Windows Sandbox.

Step 3: Wait for ImmyBot Agent Installation

The ImmyBot Agent will automatically install in the Sandbox environment. Once the cmd window closes, the agent should be installed:

Step 4: Onboard the Sandbox Computer

Once the agent is installed, the computer will appear in ImmyBot. Onboard the Sandbox computer:

Limitations of Windows Sandbox

When testing with Windows Sandbox, be aware of these limitations:

• No Persistence: All changes are lost when the Sandbox is closed
• Driver Limitations: Software that requires drivers may not work properly
• Restart Limitations: Processes requiring restarts may not complete correctly
• Performance: Resource-intensive applications may run slower than on a physical machine
• Network Isolation: Some network-dependent features may behave differently

Best Practices for Testing

1. Test One Thing at a Time: Focus on testing a single deployment or configuration
2. Document Your Tests: Keep notes on what works and what doesn’t
3. Compare with Physical Machines: Verify critical deployments on physical machines after testing in Sandbox
4. Use for Initial Validation: Sandbox is great for initial testing but may not catch all edge cases