I created a Windows Server 2012 R2 VM (skunkVanilla), no services installed, no Windows updates, not joined to a domain. I cloned it to a virtual machine while it was running and used a customization specification to set the VM name, admin password and generate a new SID. No problem cloning at all.
I joined the skunkVanilla VM to a domain and cloned to a virtual machine again using the same customization specification. On the third reboot I get a Windows Setup dialog, "Windows Setup could not configure Windows to run on this computer's hardware."
I ran this test after failing to create a VM from another VM that's a member of a domain. I have no problem cloning a 2008 R2 VM to a virtual machine, just 2012 R2.
Any thoughts?
