14 Replies Latest reply on Dec 7, 2018 6:50 AM by cegjd

Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 5, 2018 3:50 AM

I am recreating my templates from our old vRA 6.2.3 to the new one 7.3

Old templates were P2V physical machines with our internal image.

On the new setup I am creating a blank Win7 x86 template. It is installed and set as template.

Our Guest customisation script does 2 things - sets the hostname to the VM name, assigns an IP from vRA IPAM. These both work.

The issue is, the VM completes but the OS itself sits at the setup page waiting for the following answers: Locales & TimeZone, Username, Password, EULA.

None of the other W7 templates do this, using the same Cust scripts.

I know I can recreate the cust script and add a sysprep answer file - though not needed to in the past - but I'm unsure this will do what I need for the hostname (you lose that option to use the VM name).

So does 7.3 process the Guest Customisation differently? How can I get the VM to complete and boot into the OS without any questions?

I have also done the following:

1. Run a full sysprep on the VM before saving as template

2. Tested an old Win7 template (P2V Image) that didn't do this on the old vRAC - and this worked fine using the same Guest Cust script.

3. Added custom properties such as

1. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 5, 2018 4:50 AM (in response to cegjd)

I have also compared the unatend.xml file at c:\windows\panther and they are the same on a working sysprepped W7 image and the non working one:
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2. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

daphnissov Dec 5, 2018 6:04 AM (in response to cegjd)

You don't need any of those custom properties when using a clone or linked clone workflow from vRA. You need to simply shut down your Windows 7 VM, convert it to a template, and call that from a blueprint naming the appropriate customization spec. There shouldn't be anything else needed.
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3. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 5, 2018 6:32 AM (in response to daphnissov)

Hi

thanks, yeah ive never bothered with custom properties before, just use the script.

The script works for most of my templaes just not this fresh win7 build.

Checking the sysprep logs after suggest it should have worked, but it isn't. Odd
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4. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

daphnissov Dec 5, 2018 6:34 AM (in response to cegjd)

What "script" are you using here?
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5. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 5, 2018 6:56 AM (in response to daphnissov)

Guest Customisation Script in VMWare

Same one we've always used. No sysprep answers in it at all.
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6. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

daphnissov Dec 5, 2018 6:58 AM (in response to cegjd)

Can you show screenshots of how you have that configured?
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7. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 5, 2018 7:42 AM (in response to daphnissov)

Sure

Same as we have always used. Same one works ok with multiple other Win7 Templates too.
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8. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

daphnissov Dec 5, 2018 7:47 AM (in response to cegjd)
Couple of suggestions:

Are you really not joining a domain? That needs to be done in the customization spec.
Network doesn't need to be custom. vRA will send the payload to the spec with the proper networking information.
NIC. Don't select prompt user if this is called through vRA.
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9. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 5, 2018 7:58 AM (in response to daphnissov)

Thanks

1. No Domain - this is isolated test kit
2. I was under the impression (as it worked previously) that in order for IPAM to distribute an IP you set the NIC to "Prompt User"
3. As above

I will try it differently now though in case its something that works different from 6.2 to 7.3
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10. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

daphnissov Dec 5, 2018 7:58 AM (in response to cegjd)

No and No
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11. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

Jiju_25 Dec 5, 2018 8:31 PM (in response to cegjd)

Does the same template and custom spec works fine if its deployed directly from vCenter SErver?
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12. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 6, 2018 1:24 AM (in response to Jiju_25)

thanks both for the responses.

So:

Removing the NIC settings from the Guest Cust Script or changing to DHCP. Both result in an APIPA issue and is still prompting for EULA, Locale etc

Manually creating a VM from template and running against the script - Stuck at the setup questions again.

All the logs are showing that it has skipped the EULA, User setup etc when it isn't. I think the issue is maybe with my image and for whatever reason the Guest Cust isn't overriding it.
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13. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

daphnissov Dec 6, 2018 5:48 AM (in response to cegjd)

I think your problem is your template. Are you sure you're not running sysprep manually before shutting down? Do you have any boot time scripts running? Sounds like a template issue.
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14. Re: Win7 Guest Customisation

cegjd Dec 7, 2018 6:50 AM (in response to daphnissov)

Hi, definitely not running sysprep pre shutdown or any scripts. built straight off ISO. VMTools installed. An admin account added then shutdown.

I have downloaded an older version os Win7 ISO - installed and all working ok.

Thanks for the help
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