Horizon 7.12 linked clone customization stuck

[SebastianK8]

Hi Community,

I have a Horizon 7.12 lab with vSphere 7. I want to test a linked clone pool of Windows 10 (1909) but the cusomization stuck without error. The maschines were deployed and they are running, but it seems the domain join is not working, I tried quickprep and sysprep with VM customization. With sysprep customization the hostname is changed, but no domain join.

I tried the domain join from inside the vm with success, I also tried the VM customization policy for domain join with a vm template and it works as well.

It´s only not working within horizon deployment. Does anyone has the same issue?

Which logfile should I check?

Best regards

Sebastian

[MrBeatnik]

You want to have a look in composer log file (for QuickPrep): C:\Windows\Temp\VMware\vmware-viewcomposer-ga-new.log

Make sure your OU is setup correctly for your pool, and the service account you have created for managing VMware desktops in the Horizon environment has permissions to create objects in that area.

Depending how you built the image, it's unlikely this is the issue, but this article may still be relevant: VMware Knowledge Base

[EricMonjoin]

I'd rather make test using Instant clone instead of Linked clone as it's depreciated.

But yes look at the log, and

- ensure you selected "Linked Clone" when you installed Horizon Agent

- ensure you have a KMS server otherwise check VMware Knowledge Base

- ensure the account use by Composer is able to add/delete account in AD

[SebastianK8]

Hi,

I tried some things:

- create new Windows 10 (1909) template with latest Optimation Tool and without Optimization (1x vHW15 and 1x vHW17) -> not working

- Reinstalled Composer Software -> not working

- Replaced Composer certificate and checked connectivity in Horizon Admin Console -> not working

- Deploy on different Datastore -> not working

- manual join AD within template with same Account -> success

- create instant pool -> success

I can see that new AD objects are created, but the linked clone VMs doestn`t start correct. When I want to login on the linked clone VM via vSphere Client I only see a black screen, it seems the VMs doesn't start correct. Unfortunately I don´t have a logfile on the composer under C:\Windows\Temp\VMware\ I event dont have the VMware Directory...

Any Ideas?

[sjesse]

Can you share versions of everything installed, including the connection server and agent versions.

[Shreyskar]

Please share the quickprep log from the machine which is stuck in customization. The file is under %systemdrive%:\Windows\Temp\VMware\vmware-viewcomposer-ga-new.log on that VM. Also provide the netsetup and netlogon log files from %systemdrive%:\windows\debug folder.

[SebastianK8]

Hi,

installed are the following components:

- vSphere 7.0 Build 15843807

- vCenter Build 16189207

- Connection Server on Server 2019 with Horizon 7.12

- Windows 10 (1909) with Horizon Agent 7.12.0

Attached are the logfiles from the Linked Clone VM, thanks for your help!

I never had such problems with a Horizon 7.10 installation on vSphere 6.7 with Windows 10 1909 😕

Kind regards

Sebastian

[EricMonjoin]

Try a "back to basic"

Install OS + Tools + Agent, and make a try without Guest Customization

Enable Composer verbose logging (VMware Knowledge Base )

Ensure you deploy your VMs in a OU with as less as possible GPO applied

Check : VMware Knowledge Base

Eric

[SebastianK8]

Hi,

I tried a basic setup, just OS + Updates + Tools (11296) + Horizon Agent 7.12, doesnt work

Unfortunately the KB article for changing composer loglevel isn´t reachable:

https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/1010388

I cant even create a logbundle from composer server, I get the error "MSVCR71.dll missing"

I have another Horizon deployment on vSphere 6.7 + vSAN next 2 weeks, we will try Horizon 7.12 as well and I will update this post asap.

Thanks for your help

Sebastian

[Shreyskar]

Did you try reinstalling composer server and check? I say this because when you are collecting logs, it is failing with DLL missing error, wondering if composer itself has problem.

[SebastianK8 · Accepted solution]

Hi all,

I found the issue. I had another Horizon installation on vSphere 6.7 + vSAN and got the same error, the customization stuck and timet out.

I checked the composer logs and there was an issue with mounting / writing the personality disk (20MB).

I configured the golden image with an nvme controller and that wasnt correct, I replaced the nvme controller with an paravirtual and now its working

Same problem was on my vSphere 7 environment, replaced the scsi controller and everything is fine.

Its strange because the nvme controller is the default controller for windows vms on vsphere 7 I hope it will be fixed or supported soon.

best regards

Sebastian

[bjohn]

Since when is Linked clones deprecated???

[sjesse]

I can't find it but I thought it was when long lived instant clones where released, which fixed some of the things instant clones couldn't do.