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BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Sysprep does not seem to be available

Hi,

A relative new VMWare vSphere environment with 3 ESXi 4.1 servers and one (virtual) vSphere server.

The vSphere server is a Windows 2008 R2 Ent server.

I am using the vSphere client local on the vSphere server but using the client on my laptop produces the same result.

I have installed all the proper sysprep versions in C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\

I want to clone a production server XXXserver and rename it to YYYserver

The production server is part of a Windows AD and is Running Windows 2003 R2 Enterpise

When I start to configure the clone operation options I end up at the screen where I need to enter the new server name etc. but...

Windows customization resources were not found on the server

Which resources need to be on the running server, Sysprep? Is that not why I installed all Sysprep versions in the C:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\ folder in the first place? Or do I need to copy them somewhere else?

According to http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100559... I have done everything as I should.

I've also shut down the Windows server before trying to clone it but that too had the same result.

What am I missing, what am I doing wrong?

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pauljawood
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

Just a quick thought is have you restarted your VC server services since you put the sysprep files on the server.

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VTsukanov
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

If you unpacked (not installed) deploy.cab to directory "c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\" and restart services vc & converter, you should get the possibility of customization Windows 2003 x86

BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Just restarted my whole Vcenter server to make sure. I still cannot customize the new clone machine. Smiley Sad

I did unpack all syspep files I downloaded using the /x switch.

Attached the directory listing of my sysprep directory. Does anyone see something that seems odd?

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VTsukanov
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

The correct content for the directors of the following:

....

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\cvtarea.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\deploy.chm

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\factory.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\oformat.com

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\readme.txt

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\ref.chm

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\setupcl.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\setupmgr.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\sysprep.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003\wfinf_guide.doc

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\deploy.chm

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\factory.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\readme.txt

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\ref.chm

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\setupcl.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\setupmgr.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\sysprep.exe

c:\ProgramData\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64\wfinf_guide.doc

....

BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hmmm.

There is maybe a bug in the article I quoted above. The instructions are:

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Change to the directory where the .exe file is saved.

Enter the name of the .exe file with the /x switch to extract the files. For example:

WindowsServer2003-KB926028-v2-x86-ENU.exe /x

When prompted, choose a directory for the extracted files.

Browse the directory and copy the extracted files directly to the Sysprep Directory or extract the files from the deploy.cab and copy to the Sysprep Directory.

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Is specificaly says ... OR extract the files from the deploy.cab and ...

If I read your post right it should be copy the extracted files AND extract the CAB file to the sysprep directory.

Should there be any subdirectories in the svr2003 directory or should all of it be in one directory?

I'll try putting it all in one directory for now.

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

for W2K8,try this path

C:\Users\All Users\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1005593

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BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi,

Ok, that did the trick. I put all of the files in one directory. I might have more files then I need right now but I won't know until VMware ammends the knowlegebase article. At least this seems to work.

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BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Troy,

No the path you quote is for a Windows 2003 (R2) server. As of Windows 2008 the path for all users is C:\Program Data\

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

I pulled that path off my W2K8 Host. Show hidden files, folders and drives. ALso, uncheck the hide protected operating system files and Hide extensions for known file types in windows explorer.

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RaZaKKaZaR
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hello BonnoB,

No subdirectory is necessary. It is best to obtain the files from the deploy.cab from the CD or ISO that you used to install the OS on those VMs.

Just double-click on the Deploy.cab file and copy the file contents to the appropriate sub-folder on your vCenter server.

Regards,

Trevor

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BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Hi Troy,

If that is an upgraded server then I understand. To see what windows thinks is the ALLUSERS path open a command prompt and do SET

Look at the top where the ALLUSERSPROFILE parameter is.

I think I understand the KB article better now but it needs better explanation. For some older sysprep downloads (xp 32bit) there is no deploy.cab, just using the /x switch on the downloaded file will give you all the files that need to go in the proper sysprep directory. For the later versions there is indeed a complete installer etc and all VMWare needs is the content of the deploy.cab file.

However, the way it is written now implies that it is up to the user which option to use, whereas it is depending on the downloaded package.

VMWare, please clarify the http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=100559... article so future users dont make the same mistake.

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

If that is an upgraded server then I understand. To see what windows thinks is the ALLUSERS path open a command prompt and do SET

Look at the top where the ALLUSERSPROFILE parameter is.

nope... Like I said, follow the instruction above and you'll see the path

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VTsukanov
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Am I correct in understanding that customization Windows 2003 is working now?

As to kb article, I agree, perhaps should be clarified that sysprep.exe and other files from deploy.cab should be directly in the catalog of relevant OS (svr2003 svr2003-64 etc)

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BonnoB
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Yes, everything is working as it should. Problem solved. Points awarded. Smiley Wink

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Troy_Clavell
Immortal
Immortal

- nevermind!

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charvoworld
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

For win 2k3 download deploy.cab http://www.microsoft.com/en-in/download/details.aspx?id=14830 . and follow these steps charvo cloud: Vmware view Sysprep customization steps

Believe,

Charvo Benjamin

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