Creating windows 2008 using sysprep

[erinlove]

Hi there,

I have some expereince on windows 2003 intergration virtual center with sysprep, how do i do it for windows 2008 where were do i get the sysprep?

Thanks

[geddam]

Sysprep has apparently been changed in Windows 2008/Vista.From this version onwards it requires a answer file for sysprep...Follow the below link for same....

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766514%28WS.10%29.aspx

Even though Sysprep for Windows 2008 is supported for vSphere4 onwards, for me still the old workaround works just beautifully.

1. Build your Server 2008 VM until it’s ready to become a template

2. Before changing it to a template change the operating system type in
   the “Edit Settings” window to Vista 64 bit

3. Turn the VM into a template

4. Create a customization specification, and / or deploy and customize
   the new VM.

5. Before booting the new VM change the OS type back to Windows Server
   2008

Also follow this link as well...

http://vinf.net/2009/07/09/how-to-deploy-a-windows-2008-server-from-a-template-with-vsphere/

Thanks,,

Ramesh. Geddam,

VCP 3&4, MCTS(Hyper-V), SNIA SCP.

Please award points, if helpful

[AndreTheGiant]

You will need only a vCenter Server that support the Windows Server 2008 guest.

Then it will be able to do the customization (without any additional files).

Same for Vista, 7 and 2008 R2.

Andre

[Alethay · Accepted solution]

Hi Andre,

so when i deploy a vm from a 2008 template i can customize the vm including the new SSID without any additional file to copy in vcenter directory?

This is because win 7, 2008 and 2008 R2 have sysprep also installed?

Thanks a lot

Ale

[AndreTheGiant]

Right.

Andre

[dpkressin]

We are running vSphere update 1 and are running Windows 2008 R2 Standard and Enterprise. We have built templates of both Standard and Enterprise. When we build a VM from template and use a customization file or even customize the new VM manually the template builds completely. However, after powering on the template and the VM reboots the first time to run Sysprep we receive the message that the unattend file is missing. We did not check the box to include an unattend file while creating the customization file yet it is acting like we did. Is the unattend file mandatory if you want to build Windows 2008 R2 VMs from template?