chore: remove windows annual VHD build inputs

.github/workflows/validate-windows-binary-signature.yaml

@@ -32,14 +32,3 @@ jobs:
         shell: powershell
         run: |
           ./vhdbuilder/packer/test/windows-files-check.ps1 2025
-
-  check-files-for-ws23H2:
-    name: Check for Windows 23H2
-    runs-on: windows-latest
-    steps:
-      - name: Check out repository code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v6
-      - name: Run check script for 23H2
-        shell: powershell
-        run: |
-          ./vhdbuilder/packer/test/windows-files-check.ps1 23H2

.pipelines/.vsts-vhd-builder-pr-windows.yaml

@@ -74,9 +74,6 @@ stages:
       # 2022 gen1 is the default, so build that for PRs
       build2022containerd: True
       build2022containerdgen2: False
-      # 23H2 gen1 is the default, so build that for PRs
-      build23H2: True
-      build23H2gen2: False
       # 2025 gen2 is the default, so build that for PRs
       build2025: False
       build2025gen2: True

.pipelines/.vsts-vhd-builder-release-windows.yaml

@@ -25,14 +25,6 @@ parameters:
     displayName: Build 2022 containerd Gen 2
     type: boolean
     default: True
-  - name: build23H2
-    displayName: Build 23H2
-    type: boolean
-    default: True
-  - name: build23H2gen2
-    displayName: Build 23H2 Gen 2
-    type: boolean
-    default: True
   - name: build2025
     displayName: Build 2025
     type: boolean
@@ -86,8 +78,6 @@ stages:
       buildVmSize: ${{ parameters.buildVmSize }}
       build2022containerd: ${{ parameters.build2022containerd }}
       build2022containerdgen2: ${{ parameters.build2022containerdgen2 }}
-      build23H2: ${{ parameters.build23H2 }}
-      build23H2gen2: ${{ parameters.build23H2gen2 }}
       build2025:  ${{ parameters.build2025 }}
       build2025gen2:  ${{ parameters.build2025gen2 }}
       skipExtensionCheck: ${{ variables.skipExtensionCheck }}

.pipelines/templates/.build-and-test-windows-vhds-template.yaml

@@ -5,12 +5,6 @@ parameters:
   - name: build2022containerdgen2
     displayName: Build 2022 containerd Gen 2
     type: boolean
-  - name: build23H2
-    displayName: Build 23H2
-    type: boolean
-  - name: build23H2gen2
-    displayName: Build 23H2 Gen 2
-    type: boolean
   - name: build2025
     displayName: Build 2025
     type: boolean
@@ -124,52 +118,6 @@ stages:
       csePackageDir: ${{ parameters.csePublishDir }}
       cseFileName: ${{ parameters.cseFileName }}
 
-  - template: ./.build-and-test-windows-vhd-template.yaml
-    parameters:
-      stageName: win_23H2_v1
-      artifactName: 23H2
-      imageName: windows-23H2
-      windowsSku: 23H2
-      hyperVGeneration: V1
-      architecture: X86_64
-      buildVmSize: ${{ parameters.buildVmSize }}
-      build: ${{ parameters.build23H2 }}
-      vhddebug: ${{ parameters.vhddebug }}
-      dryrun: ${{ parameters.dryrun }}
-      installOpenSshServer: ${{ parameters.installOpenSshServer }}
-      skipExtensionCheck: ${{ parameters.skipExtensionCheck }}
-      windowsBaseImageUrl: $(WINDOWS_23H2_BASE_IMAGE_URL)
-      windowsNanoImageUrl: $(WINDOWS_2022_NANO_IMAGE_URL)
-      windowsCoreImageUrl: $(WINDOWS_2022_CORE_IMAGE_URL)
-      windowsContainerImageJsonUrl: ${{ parameters.windowsContainerImageJsonUrl }}
-      overrideBranch: ${{ parameters.overrideBranch }}
-      useOverrides: ${{ parameters.useOverrides }}
-      csePackageDir: ${{ parameters.csePublishDir }}
-      cseFileName: ${{ parameters.cseFileName }}
-
-  - template: ./.build-and-test-windows-vhd-template.yaml
-    parameters:
-      stageName: win_23H2_v2
-      artifactName: 23H2-gen2
-      imageName: windows-23H2-gen2
-      windowsSku: 23H2-gen2
-      hyperVGeneration: V2
-      architecture: X86_64
-      buildVmSize: ${{ parameters.buildVmSize }}
-      build: ${{ parameters.build23H2gen2 }}
-      vhddebug: ${{ parameters.vhddebug }}
-      dryrun: ${{ parameters.dryrun }}
-      installOpenSshServer: ${{ parameters.installOpenSshServer }}
-      skipExtensionCheck: ${{ parameters.skipExtensionCheck }}
-      windowsBaseImageUrl: $(WINDOWS_23H2_GEN2_BASE_IMAGE_URL)
-      windowsNanoImageUrl: $(WINDOWS_2022_NANO_IMAGE_URL)
-      windowsCoreImageUrl: $(WINDOWS_2022_CORE_IMAGE_URL)
-      windowsContainerImageJsonUrl: ${{ parameters.windowsContainerImageJsonUrl }}
-      overrideBranch: ${{ parameters.overrideBranch }}
-      useOverrides: ${{ parameters.useOverrides }}
-      csePackageDir: ${{ parameters.csePublishDir }}
-      cseFileName: ${{ parameters.cseFileName }}
-
   - template: ./.build-and-test-windows-vhd-template.yaml
     parameters:
       stageName: win_2025_v1

e2e/components/components_test.go

@@ -52,30 +52,6 @@ func TestWs2025Nanoserver(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Len(t, serverCoreVersions, 2)
 }
 
-func TestWs23H2ServerCore(t *testing.T) {
-	serverCoreVersions := GetWindowsContainerImages("mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:*", "23H2")
-	t.Logf("found servercore version %v", serverCoreVersions)
-	require.Len(t, serverCoreVersions, 2)
-}
-
-func TestWs23H2Nanoserver(t *testing.T) {
-	serverCoreVersions := GetWindowsContainerImages("mcr.microsoft.com/windows/nanoserver:*", "23H2")
-	t.Logf("found servercore version %v", serverCoreVersions)
-	require.Len(t, serverCoreVersions, 1)
-}
-
-func TestWs23H2ServerCoreGen2(t *testing.T) {
-	serverCoreVersions := GetWindowsContainerImages("mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:*", "23H2-gen2")
-	t.Logf("found servercore version %v", serverCoreVersions)
-	require.Len(t, serverCoreVersions, 2)
-}
-
-func TestWs23H2NanoserverGen2(t *testing.T) {
-	serverCoreVersions := GetWindowsContainerImages("mcr.microsoft.com/windows/nanoserver:*", "23H2-gen2")
-	t.Logf("found servercore version %v", serverCoreVersions)
-	require.Len(t, serverCoreVersions, 1)
-}
-
 func TestWs2022ServerCore(t *testing.T) {
 	serverCoreVersions := GetWindowsContainerImages("mcr.microsoft.com/windows/servercore:*", "2022-containerd")
 	t.Logf("found servercore version %v", serverCoreVersions)
@@ -107,8 +83,6 @@ func TestWindowsImagesHaveServercoreAndNanoserverSpecified(t *testing.T) {
 	windowsImages := []*config.Image{
 		config.VHDWindows2022Containerd,
 		config.VHDWindows2022ContainerdGen2,
-		config.VHDWindows23H2,
-		config.VHDWindows23H2Gen2,
 		config.VHDWindows2025,
 		config.VHDWindows2025Gen2,
 	}

e2e/config/vhd.go

@@ -281,23 +281,6 @@ var (
 		Gallery: imageGalleryWindows,
 	}
 
-	VHDWindows23H2 = &Image{
-		Name:            "windows-23H2",
-		OS:              OSWindows,
-		Arch:            "amd64",
-		Distro:          datamodel.AKSWindows23H2,
-		Gallery:         imageGalleryWindows,
-		UnsupportedGen2: true,
-	}
-
-	VHDWindows23H2Gen2 = &Image{
-		Name:    "windows-23H2-gen2",
-		OS:      OSWindows,
-		Arch:    "amd64",
-		Distro:  datamodel.AKSWindows23H2Gen2,
-		Gallery: imageGalleryWindows,
-	}
-
 	VHDWindows2025 = &Image{
 		Name:            "windows-2025",
 		OS:              OSWindows,

e2e/scenario_win_test.go

@@ -16,8 +16,9 @@ import (
 	"github.com/Azure/azure-sdk-for-go/sdk/resourcemanager/compute/armcompute/v7"
 )
 
-func EmptyBootstrapConfigMutator(_ *Cluster, configuration *datamodel.NodeBootstrappingConfiguration) {}
-func EmptyVMConfigMutator(vmss *armcompute.VirtualMachineScaleSet)                        {}
+func EmptyBootstrapConfigMutator(_ *Cluster, configuration *datamodel.NodeBootstrappingConfiguration) {
+}
+func EmptyVMConfigMutator(vmss *armcompute.VirtualMachineScaleSet) {}
 
 func DualStackConfigMutator(_ *Cluster, configuration *datamodel.NodeBootstrappingConfiguration) {
 	properties := configuration.ContainerService.Properties
@@ -145,117 +146,6 @@ func Test_Windows2022Gen2AzureOverlayNetworkDualStack(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func Test_Windows23H2AzureNetwork(t *testing.T) {
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows Server 23H2 with Azure Network",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:                ClusterAzureNetwork,
-			VHD:                    config.VHDWindows23H2,
-			VMConfigMutator:        EmptyVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: EmptyBootstrapConfigMutator,
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateWindowsVersionFromWindowsSettings(ctx, s, "23H2")
-				ValidateWindowsProductName(ctx, s, "Windows Server 2022 Datacenter")
-				ValidateWindowsDisplayVersion(ctx, s, "23H2")
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/k/kubeletstart.ps1", "--container-runtime=remote")
-				ValidateWindowsProcessHasCliArguments(ctx, s, "kubelet.exe", []string{"--rotate-certificates=true", "--client-ca-file=c:\\k\\ca.crt"})
-				ValidateCiliumIsNotRunningWindows(ctx, s)
-				ValidateWindowsSystemServicesRestartConfiguration(ctx, s)
-				ValidateCollectWindowsLogsScript(ctx, s)
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func Test_Windows23H2AzureOverlayNetworkDualStack(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip("Dual stack tests are not working yet")
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows Server 23H2 with Azure Overlay Network Dual Stack",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:                ClusterAzureOverlayNetworkDualStack,
-			VHD:                    config.VHDWindows23H2,
-			VMConfigMutator:        DualStackVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: DualStackConfigMutator,
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateWindowsVersionFromWindowsSettings(ctx, s, "23H2")
-				ValidateWindowsProductName(ctx, s, "Windows Server 2022 Datacenter")
-				ValidateWindowsDisplayVersion(ctx, s, "23H2")
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/k/kubeletstart.ps1", "--container-runtime=remote")
-				ValidateWindowsProcessHasCliArguments(ctx, s, "kubelet.exe", []string{"--rotate-certificates=true", "--client-ca-file=c:\\k\\ca.crt"})
-				ValidateCiliumIsNotRunningWindows(ctx, s)
-				ValidateWindowsSystemServicesRestartConfiguration(ctx, s)
-				ValidateCollectWindowsLogsScript(ctx, s)
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func Test_Windows23H2Gen2AzureNetwork(t *testing.T) {
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows Server 23H2 with Azure Network - hyperv gen2",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:                ClusterAzureNetwork,
-			VHD:                    config.VHDWindows23H2Gen2,
-			VMConfigMutator:        EmptyVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: EmptyBootstrapConfigMutator,
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateWindowsVersionFromWindowsSettings(ctx, s, "23H2-gen2")
-				ValidateWindowsProductName(ctx, s, "Windows Server 2022 Datacenter")
-				ValidateWindowsDisplayVersion(ctx, s, "23H2")
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/k/kubeletstart.ps1", "--container-runtime=remote")
-				ValidateWindowsProcessHasCliArguments(ctx, s, "kubelet.exe", []string{"--rotate-certificates=true", "--client-ca-file=c:\\k\\ca.crt"})
-				ValidateCiliumIsNotRunningWindows(ctx, s)
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/AzureData/CustomDataSetupScript.log", "CSEScriptsPackageUrl used for provision is https://packages.aks.azure.com/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-current.zip")
-				ValidateWindowsSystemServicesRestartConfiguration(ctx, s)
-				ValidateCollectWindowsLogsScript(ctx, s)
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func Test_Windows23H2Gen2AzureOverlayDualStack(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip("Dual stack tests are not working yet")
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows Server 23H2 with Azure Overlay Network Dual Stack - hyperv gen2",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:                ClusterAzureOverlayNetworkDualStack,
-			VHD:                    config.VHDWindows23H2Gen2,
-			VMConfigMutator:        DualStackVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: DualStackConfigMutator,
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateWindowsVersionFromWindowsSettings(ctx, s, "23H2-gen2")
-				ValidateWindowsProductName(ctx, s, "Windows Server 2022 Datacenter")
-				ValidateWindowsDisplayVersion(ctx, s, "23H2")
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/k/kubeletstart.ps1", "--container-runtime=remote")
-				ValidateWindowsProcessHasCliArguments(ctx, s, "kubelet.exe", []string{"--rotate-certificates=true", "--client-ca-file=c:\\k\\ca.crt"})
-				ValidateCiliumIsNotRunningWindows(ctx, s)
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/AzureData/CustomDataSetupScript.log", "CSEScriptsPackageUrl used for provision is https://packages.aks.azure.com/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-current.zip")
-				ValidateWindowsSystemServicesRestartConfiguration(ctx, s)
-				ValidateCollectWindowsLogsScript(ctx, s)
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func Test_Windows23H2Gen2CachingRegression(t *testing.T) {
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows 23H2 VHD built before local cache enabled should still work - overwrite the CSE scripts package URL",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:         ClusterAzureNetwork,
-			VHD:             config.VHDWindows23H2Gen2,
-			VMConfigMutator: EmptyVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: func(_ *Cluster, nbc *datamodel.NodeBootstrappingConfiguration) {
-				nbc.ContainerService.Properties.WindowsProfile.CseScriptsPackageURL = "https://packages.aks.azure.com/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v0.0.52.zip"
-				// Secure TLS Bootstrapping isn't supported on this CSE script package version
-				nbc.SecureTLSBootstrappingConfig.Enabled = false
-			},
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/AzureData/CustomDataSetupScript.log", "CSEScriptsPackageUrl used for provision is https://packages.aks.azure.com/aks/windows/cse/aks-windows-cse-scripts-v0.0.52.zip")
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
 func Test_Windows2022CachingRegression(t *testing.T) {
 	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
 		Description: "Windows 2022 VHD built before local cache enabled should still work - overwrite the CSE scripts package URL",
@@ -465,53 +355,6 @@ func Test_Windows2022Gen2_k8s_133(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	})
 }
-func Test_Windows23H2_Cilium2(t *testing.T) {
-	t.Skip("skipping test for Cilium on Windows 23H2, as it is not supported in production AKS yet")
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows Server 2022 with Containerd",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:         ClusterCiliumNetwork,
-			VHD:             config.VHDWindows23H2Gen2,
-			VMConfigMutator: EmptyVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: func(_ *Cluster, configuration *datamodel.NodeBootstrappingConfiguration) {
-				// cilium is only supported in 1.30 or greater.
-				configuration.ContainerService.Properties.OrchestratorProfile.OrchestratorVersion = "1.30.9"
-				configuration.ContainerService.Properties.OrchestratorProfile.KubernetesConfig.EbpfDataplane = datamodel.EbpfDataplane_cilium
-			},
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateFileHasContent(ctx, s, "/k/kubeletstart.ps1", "--container-runtime=remote")
-				ValidateWindowsProcessHasCliArguments(ctx, s, "kubelet.exe", []string{"--rotate-certificates=true", "--client-ca-file=c:\\k\\ca.crt"})
-				ValidateCiliumIsRunningWindows(ctx, s)
-				ValidateWindowsSystemServicesRestartConfiguration(ctx, s)
-				ValidateCollectWindowsLogsScript(ctx, s)
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
-func Test_Windows23H2Gen2_WindowsCiliumNetworking(t *testing.T) {
-	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
-		Description: "Windows Server 23H2 Gen2 with Windows Cilium Networking (WCN) enabled",
-		Config: Config{
-			Cluster:         ClusterAzureNetwork,
-			VHD:             config.VHDWindows23H2Gen2,
-			VMConfigMutator: EmptyVMConfigMutator,
-			BootstrapConfigMutator: func(_ *Cluster, configuration *datamodel.NodeBootstrappingConfiguration) {
-				if configuration.AgentPoolProfile.AgentPoolWindowsProfile == nil {
-					configuration.AgentPoolProfile.AgentPoolWindowsProfile = &datamodel.AgentPoolWindowsProfile{}
-				}
-				configuration.AgentPoolProfile.AgentPoolWindowsProfile.NextGenNetworkingEnabled = to.Ptr(true)
-				configuration.AgentPoolProfile.AgentPoolWindowsProfile.NextGenNetworkingConfig = to.Ptr("")
-			},
-			Validator: func(ctx context.Context, s *Scenario) {
-				ValidateWindowsCiliumIsRunning(ctx, s)
-				ValidateWindowsSystemServicesRestartConfiguration(ctx, s)
-				ValidateCollectWindowsLogsScript(ctx, s)
-			},
-		},
-	})
-}
-
 func Test_Windows2022_McrChinaCloud_Windows(t *testing.T) {
 	RunScenario(t, &Scenario{
 		Tags: Tags{