Customization operation timed out : where to start looking ?

[Sergei13]

Hi,

I am having a weird problem with a newly created linked clones pool of WIndows 7 x64 machines.

For some strange reasons, as much as my others XP pools work OK, this one works randomly.

If a request 5 machines, I might get 1 or 3 or 4, if I request 26, I might get 5 or 20, and all the others get Customization operation timed out after more than 30 minutes with the customizing status.

I am running View 5 and I would like to know where to start looking for some real logs with real infos as opposed to the View Manager events DB ?

Many thanks.

[Sergei13]

After a lot of digging, googling and testing, it appears that VMXNET3 has an issue with Windows 7 SP1 and requires a Hotfix from Microsoft, information found here (http://pubs.vmware.com/view-50/index.jsp?topic=/com.vmware.view.administration.doc/GUID-EA862DA1-9DA...) with a link to Microsoft here (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2550978).

The funny thing is it requires leaving your email so MS send you a link to download the patch ... and the link doesn't work !!!

Assuming I am not the only one having this issue according to the comments found on the 1st link, has someone else been facing it and how did you download this :smileyangry::smileydevil::smileyconfused: patch ?

Thanks

[mittim12]

I clicked on the support link but got an error regarding the hot fix system when I tried to register.   Maybe they are simply having issues and it will be cleared up in a day or two.

On a side note what did your customization logs on the guest say when customization was failing? 

[Sergei13]

I eventualy managed to download the fix but when running it on my master, it says it doesn't need to be installed !!!!!

I have done so many tests that I can't precisely recall all the messages but lately this was mainly can not reach domain.

The last tests I did today bring me machines with no network card ... which doesn't help to contact the domain !!!!

One thing I noticed is often, console logging to clones not completed was asking for a restart to finish setup.

An other thing is if the network is OK, it shows IP v6 enabled with an address even if it is disabled on the master.

So I have wasted to much time on this I have decided to build a new master from scratch, which I am busy doing now.

And the 1st step was quite interresting. According to VMware View documentation, you have to set VMXNET3 network card (with the famous hotfix !) and I add no network card what so ever at the end of the OS install :smileyangry:

So got rid of it and added an E1000 ... so far so good, but still in the configuration phase !

[royberk]

Did you happen to change the name or IP of your VC machine recently?

[cshells]

@Sergei13

I am very curious to see if you have found the problem to this. I am having the same problem as you. On my master image I disable IPv6 and set the DNS to point to my domain DNS. When deploying linked clones they fail during customization. When I log into one of the linked clones it asks me to restart to finish setup. When I check my network setting IPv6 has been enabled and my DNS option is not there.

I have changed setting and tinkered with the master to no avail. Here is something wierd too, I set the default DHCP in the advanced network options, that setting seems to stay intact. While those others settings are resetting. I have been using VMXNET3 in my master also.

[Sergei13]

I haven't found any reasons yet.

When I migrated from 4.6 to 5.0, I indeed changed the vCenter's name and IP address but the Windows 7 x64 master setup was made long after that so shouldn't have any impact.

To try to move forward, I decided to setup a new master. For some reasons, the VMXNET3 never gave me any result, no network adapter detected, and the only one working is E1000 ?!?!?!

I just did a quick test with a pool with this new machine ans so far so good ! Not very reassuring ...

[Sergei13]

A couple of month mater, I am still there.

Some improvements have been made, but still far from a normal situation, even if I don't have the feeling I am trying to do something special.

Amongh the improvements and in case that would help others

• The vmxnet3 thing has been sorted out. Just make sure you request the pacth from Microsoft from a PC with the same type of OS than the one to pacth, otherwise you might get a wrong patch (or one that applies to the type of machine you requested it from !)
  
• When using Sysprep, you need to indicate your domain admin with the format admin@fqdn_domain_name. I was using domain\admin and for some reasons, on accasion this doesn't work !
  
• Dual screen connection from Zero Client had issues when moving a window from 1 screen to an other. Got a patch from Teradici and a line to add to .vmx file
  

Now, I am stuck with hoppefully one last issue. On accasion, the sysprep doesn't kick off, or seems like.

In the c:\windows\temp\vmware-imc directory\guestcust.log, I get Moving SysprepDir from sysprep to C: failed.Err:21

If someone has any idea regarding this issue, he/she is very WELCOME :smileycool:

Cheers