Customization specification doesn't rename the Guest OS

[PaChilds]

I have just set up some Templates in a new vCenter and ESXi setup and I have been trying out some deployments to the servers. I set up some customaizations within the Customization Specification Manager for my systems. I have also moved the sysprep files for the OS into the C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003 folder. Is there something else that I am supposed to have done for this to work? When the template is fully deployed and I log in to the Guest OS it still retains the original name for the Guest OS, not the name of the virtual machine.

[Troy_Clavell]

in your customization specs did you check the box that says "use the virtual machine name". After deployment did you happen to watch the console of the VM to see if the VMware Customization process ran?

[puzzledtux]

Have you restarted the VC services after you placed the sysprep files? You probably may need to do that! Also check if the customization script actually ran by logging into the virtual machine, check some other parameters which you had set for customization.

[PaChilds]

The VC Service has been restarted several times since the sysprep files were placed (as well as a few reboots). I do not see any evidence that the system was customized, but I do see a sysprep folder that is sitting on the C: Drive. I would have thought if the machine was customized the sysprep folder would have been removed during the process.

I have checked the "use the virtual machine name" option in the customized specification.

In the sysprep folder there is a sysprep.inf file that shows the correct customizations, including the name I want the machine to be. But I don't see a sysprep.exe file there. I know the sysprep.exe file is on the server in the "C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\xp". Should it not have been placed on the machine so it could run?

[PaChilds]

It would appear from the logs that some file is not accessable that sysprep needs, but which I am not sure. I looked at my toolsDeployPkg.log and it states that all files were transfered successfully:

1. Starting deploy pkg operation

Extracting C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw1.tmp to C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\guestcustutil.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\imgcust-reboot.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\bootrun.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\bootrunMsg.dll

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\cmdlines.txt

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\finalizationsetup.bat

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\finalize.bat

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\guestcustutil.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\imgcust-reboot.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\i386\$OEM$\loginblocker.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprep\sysprep.inf

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\deploy\setupcl.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\deploy\sysprep.exe

Expanding C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\sysprepDecrypter.exe

Package command = guestcustutil.exe customize -sealparam "-quiet -mini -reseal -reboot" -nics 4000 -schedulenativeunobfusc

Running expanded command: C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmw2.tmp\guestcustutil.exe customize -sealparam "-quiet -mini -reseal -reboot" -nics 4000 -schedulenativeunobfusc

Command completed with exit code -1

Package deploy was successful

1. Closing log

That being said I see no sysprep.exe or setupcl.exe in the sysprep directory on the VM.

I then look at the guestcust.log and see errors in the last three lines:

Customization in progress set to 1 at 2009-Apr-15 15:50:52

Rpci: Sending request='deployPkg.update.state 4 0 C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-imc\guestcust.log'

Rpci: Sent request='deployPkg.update.state 4 0 C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-imc\guestcust.log', reply='', len=0, status=1

Successfully opened key SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\

Size of reg_multi_sz 21.

Read multi_sz value from registry autocheck autochk *, size 21.

string value from registry autocheck autochk *.

Returning 1 elements

Got BootExecute from session mgr.

Native App sysprepDecrypter.exe, arguments ''

Copied file sysprepDecrypter.exe to C:\WINDOWS\system32\sysprepDecrypter.exe

Updated boot execute value.

Successfully created/opened key SOFTWARE\VMware, Inc.\Guest Customization\

New boot execute:

autocheck autochk *

sysprepDecrypter.exe

System Drive: C:

Deleting directory C:\sysprep if it already exists

Moving directory sysprep to C:\sysprep

select * from win32_networkadapter where Manufacturer != 'Microsoft' and manufacturer is not null and MACAddress is not null

Found 1 objects. Pointer c00318. return code 0(0x0)

Found 1 objects. Pointer c02008. return code 0(0x0)

Found 1 objects. Pointer c00730. return code 0(0x0)

Found 0 objects. Pointer 0. return code 1(0x1)

Returning value 00:50:56:87:39:2A for system property

Returning value 1C:0B:20:52:41:53 for system property

Returning value 00:50:56:87:39:2A for system property

Setting dhcp for nic # 0

Returning value
WINXP\ROOT\CIMV2:Win32_NetworkAdapter.DeviceID="1" for system property

ASSOCIATORS OF {
WINXP\ROOT\CIMV2:Win32_NetworkAdapter.DeviceID="1"} where ResultClass = Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration

Found 1 objects. Pointer c02008. return code 0(0x0)

Found 0 objects. Pointer 0. return code 1(0x1)

Clearing gateway ip addresses.

Enabling DHCP on the computer

Returning value
WINXP\ROOT\CIMV2:Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration.Index=1 for system property

Setting DNS Server to ip <none>

Getting method object for method name SetDNSServerSearchOrder

Set status called with flag 0, result 0

Returning value
WINXP\ROOT\CIMV2:Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration.Index=1 for system property

Setting dhcp for nic # 1

Returning value
WINXP\ROOT\CIMV2:Win32_NetworkAdapter.DeviceID="11" for system property

ASSOCIATORS OF {
WINXP\ROOT\CIMV2:Win32_NetworkAdapter.DeviceID="11"} where ResultClass = Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration

Found 1 objects. Pointer c00318. return code 0(0x0)

Found 0 objects. Pointer 0. return code 1(0x1)

Clearing gateway ip addresses.

Rpci: Sending request='deployPkg.update.state 4 101 C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-imc\guestcust.log@The system cannot find the file specified.' Rpci: Sent request='deployPkg.update.state 4 101 C:\WINDOWS\TEMP\vmware-imc\guestcust.log@The system cannot find the file specified.', reply='', len=0, status=1 error number 0, The system cannot find the file specified.

Any thoughts on what is going on here would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Troy_Clavell]

have you tried not to sysprep your template? Just great your gold image, then shutdown the VM, and convert to template, then deploy off that. Let the VMware Customization do the rest. As long as your sysprep files are in the right place, you shouldn't have any issues.

[PaChilds]

I am not sysprepping my template. I have a base image that I shutdown and convert into a template. I deploy that template and when it is deployed the VM has a C:\sysprep folder that doesn't exist in my template. That folder has a sysprep.inf file that shows my customizations, but those customizations are not done. However, there is no sysprep file in the C:\sysprep folder. So I assume the system never could sysprep since the file was never placed there by the deployment process.

I do have the sysprep files placed in the correct directory on the vCenter Server. So the files are in place for in the WinXP, Win2003, and 1.1 directories.

[PaChilds]

It would appear that the problem that is preventing me from customizing

my templates when they are deployed is that the my templates have Anti

Virus software installed on them. I found a note in the release notes

that suggested that this could be a problem. I disabled the Anti Virus

software and it still failed. I then removed the Anti Virus software

and my machine customized as it was supposed to.

[PaChilds]

Anti Virus software that is installed on a template was interfering with the machine customization during the deployment of the templates. Removed the Anti Virus software and the templates customized correctly.

[rpas2915]

Thanks, i've spend 3hours to figure what is wrong! It was AV!