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azuberi
Contributor
Contributor

Guest Customization Windows 10 1803 starts but doesnt finish

I am building a new Windows 10 1803 template and using the same guest customization that I have used with previous builds of Windows 10. The vm is cloned from the template and applies sysprep successfully but the machine never reboots/renames or gets added to the domain.

I have rebuilt the Guest Customization settings from scratch and still get the same result.

Any ideas?

22 Replies
daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

There are known issues with guest customizations not entirely working with this build of Windows 10. I don't think there are any known workarounds presently. What version of vSphere (vCenter and ESXi) are you running?

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azuberi
Contributor
Contributor

We are currently using vSphere Web Client Version 6.7.0.1150 Build 8170132 and ESXi 6.0.0, 3380124.

Whats odd is that the sysprep seems to go through and then everything just stops.

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daphnissov
Immortal
Immortal

This may also be attributed to the fact that you are 2.5 *years* behind on ESXi patches for the release you're on.

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azuberi
Contributor
Contributor

I am upgraded now and running VMware ESXi, 6.5.0, 8294253. My customization script is still not working. I cannot rename and add the vm to the domain using the customization.

Has anyone been able to get a Windows 10 1803 vm to rename and join domain automatically?

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FreddyFredFred
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

I've had no issues with my 1803 template when doing my customization via vRealize Orchestrator. It changes the name/joins the domain without issue. This is working on a cluster with an older 6.0U2 and on a cluster with a mix of 6.5 and 6.7 hosts. VMware tools version is 10.2.5 in all cases.

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jdonsbach
Contributor
Contributor

I am having the same issue. Found this thread here in my Google searching. I am running VSphere 6.0U3. I just tried upgrading to the latest VMTools 10.3.2 but that hasn't appeared to solve it for me.

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touimet
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Same issue with my environment as well.

The C:\Windows\Temp\guestcust.log reads the following:

DEBUG] Executing command C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /quiet /generalize /oobe /reboot /unattend:C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml

DEBUG] Successfully executed command C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /quiet /generalize /oobe /reboot /unattend:C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml

My environment:

VCSA 6.7 9433931

ESXi 6.7 9484548

Windows 10 1803 September Release

VMware Tools 10.3.2

If you drop the command C:\Windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /quiet /generalize /oobe /reboot /unattend:C:\Windows\Panther\unattend.xml into a command prompt it will run as expected.

rkoria2007
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

your vmtools version is too old so it could be problem.upgrade vmware tools and try it should work.

You can change the virtual machine name in the Virtual Machine Name panel in the Virtual Machine Properties dialog box.

Changing the name does not change the name of any virtual machine files or the name of the directory that the files are located in.

after rename vm perform vmotion, and change current datastore to different datastore after vmotion your all vm files and directory that the files are located in will b rename and if you want to change datastore to previous datastore again perform vmotion.your files and directory will remain renamed.

Thanks

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touimet
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

rkoria2007, I think you responded to the wrong thread.

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KuChGi
Contributor
Contributor

Did anybody ever find an answer to this?

DominikGeb
Contributor
Contributor

Hello, I had the same problem. This problem appers, trought the Windows 10 Apps, which are installed per User / User Profile. In one of your user accounts, is the installation (upgrading) from this apps not finished. That is the problem. Windows needs for sysprep clean user profiles. The easiest way to solve this, is to create a new local admin account. After this, you delete all other accounts and profiles. Then you test the new admin account and if it work, you can shutdown the virtual machine. Then you convert the machine to a template and starts the cloning. Now should the cloning prozess work.

Chromstahl
Contributor
Contributor

Hey Guys, in my Case it was the .NET 3.5 witch i had installed through Control Panel (Software -> Windows-Features). 

Remove it and the Deployment was sucessfull (in my case).
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Suchaname
Contributor
Contributor

Hey Chromstahl,

your Solution does't worked for me. Tested a few minutes ago.

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Suchaname
Contributor
Contributor

The error does not occur in Windows 10 1809! I have edited my template the same way but with 1809 it works.

Maybe this is a Solution/Workaround for you.

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mkaetm
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

We are facing the same issue in our environment with vSphere 6.5 Update 2 and vRealize Automation 7.3 and Windows 10 1803 in UEFI Mode (Secure Boot enabled).

The cloning is done, vSphere starts the customization and then suddenly the VMs are powered off.

When I start them manually the customization kicks in & the VMs get a correct hostname, are joined to our AD and get their IP address (assigned by vRealize Automation), but the VMs are useless then for vRealize Automation.

Sometimes they are booting into the Windows Recovery environment.

This is kind of weird and it does not make sense for me, because the original template is just running smoothly (was rebooted several times, even on different hosts).

It does not always happen. I already got some successful deployments.

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

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NVHospital
Contributor
Contributor

I am having the same issue VCSA 6.7.0 Build 11727113. In my case, it won't take the nor of the OS customization (Network settings, Computer Name, Product Key) . I am adding my 50 cents to keep track of a possible solution on this issue.

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ldasilva1028
Contributor
Contributor

I am having the same issue on Windows 10 Build 1803. The system seems to detect that the customization event started, but it does not proceed. In my case, I am creating several Linked Clones from the Master VM. In average, if I create 10 Win10 linked clones then at least 3 will have this issue.

From the Event log I can see that the customization starts, but I don't see that it continues:

Started customization of VM PNC2547-29. Customization log located at C:/Temp/vmware-imc/guestcust.log in the guest OS.

Any help on this will be greatly appreciated!

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mitzone
Contributor
Contributor

"Hello, I had the same problem. This problem appers, trought the Windows 10 Apps, which are installed per User / User Profile. In one of your user accounts, is the installation (upgrading) from this apps not finished. That is the problem. Windows needs for sysprep clean user profiles. The easiest way to solve this, is to create a new local admin account. After this, you delete all other accounts and profiles. Then you test the new admin account and if it work, you can shutdown the virtual machine. Then you convert the machine to a template and starts the cloning. Now should the cloning prozess work."

This worked for me.

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jdonsbach
Contributor
Contributor

Saw this reply the other day. I upgraded my master VM image to the 1809 update (had to remove VMWare Tools before upgrading to prevent a bluescreen of death during the upgrade), but doing so did not solve the problem. It appears to partially run the customization in that it changes to the network settings to DHCP. And, it says that the "sysprep" successfully ran although I am not sure if it did or not. But, it fails to change the Hostname, join the new VM to the domain and then reboot.

Still looking for a solution here ....

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