VMware Horizon Community
KetekGroup
Contributor
Contributor

Deploying WIndows 10 Proof of Concept - Guest Customization Does Nothing - PLEASE HELP!!!

Hi Everyone,

I have come here in desperate need of help.

I am setting up a Proof of Concept for ESX 6 /w Horizon View 6.2

I have the basic system up and running. I have the Desktop pool created for a Windows 10 Deployment (Full VM's not Linked-Clones).

For my test I have taken a raw WIndows 10 Installation and I have installed VMtools and View Agent then created a Template of it used for deployment.

Right now other then the fact that sometimes the VM when it is created it gets stuck on customization (still working out details as to how I can get it fully prepared and made "available" once created... I thought if you had agent installed and VMtools installed this is all that was required) but anyways the MAIN issue I have was that all VM's generated had the same Computer name so it sent our company DC's into a frenzy shifting VM's all over the company looking for the next DC to handle the same name.

I started working with Guest Customization but nothing seems to work.

I tried making the customization by cloning my gold image so I could add the customization to it at that point and then template it for deployment. This did not seem to do anything (no name changes or domain join or anything). As far as I could tell nothing worked.

Next I tried to make the customization in vCenter and then apply it to each VM created in View as they are generated (Using the guest customization option when creating the Desktop Pool). This produced the same results... no name changes or joining the domain...

I am using both Windows 10 Pro and Windows 10 Enterprise (Evaluations) for testing on both of these configurations.

I had read that Windows 10 has a problem As stated here: https://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=10265...

I set it to disable the activation in the hopes that the customization would work. Still nothing works.

Do I need to sysprep it for Guest Customization to work (Is this a requirement)?

I hope all you VMware guru's can help me. This is my first experience with using Horizon View and I have been tasked with transitioning the company to this system in coming months.

What am I overlooking... what am I doing wrong? I would appreciate any information you guys can provide in assisting me otherwise I might need to go to VMware directly for these issues (Since I am int he process of lining up all our licensing with them on this product but I can not even show the system fully working yet). Please load me up with details so I can get my head around this.

Thank You!

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4 Replies
KetekGroup
Contributor
Contributor

I would like to note that I have been using Version 6 vCenter (Not 6.0u1b) VMware-VIMSetup-all-6.0.0-2562643

Looks like it was released just after I started work on this project.

From what I read Here:

http://partnerweb.vmware.com/programs/guestOS/guest-os-customization-matrix.pdf

Yes1

=  Supported  from  Update 1

I am in process of downloading latest vCenter and will re-test again. If I have been beating my head on a wall for 3 days and this was the problem I am going to be upset Smiley Wink

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KetekGroup
Contributor
Contributor

Ok Everyone, I have made some progress but I REALLY need some help now.

So with an updated vCenter to 6U1b it seems to work at processing the VMware Unattended settings but there is a problem.

Here is the message I am getting when the VM is starting up and configuring after being automatically generated in the pool:

Windows could not parse or process the unattend answer file for pass [specialize]. The settings specified in the answer file cannot be applied. The error was detected while processing settings for the component [Microsoft-WIndows-Shell-Setup].


Now here is the setting I set in my VMware custom profile added in vCenter and selected in Horizon View for the Desktop pool to use:


1) Set a Name and Company Name

2) Use Virtual Machine Name

3) Added Enterprise Product Key (Checked Include Server License Information) - Server License Mode - Per Server Max 5 connections

4) For Admin Account I entered a password to use (I assume this is the new Admin Password to use and not an existing pw... the Template has an account created called: LocalAdmin and no other accounts created)

5) Set Proper Timezone

6) No Commands to Run

7) Typical Network Settings

:smiling_face_with_sunglasses: Entered Windows Server Domain Name

9) Inserted Domain Account/PW that is authorized to add a computer to domain

10) Generate New Security SID is Selected


Am I missing anything here?


EDIT:


Ok so the problem seemed to be with Inserting the Product Key into the Unattended Config. As soon as I left it blank and did the registry change the new VM's work perfectly and become available with the Computer Name changes and Joins the Domain just fine.


I am curious why it does not work if a key is provided... anyways.




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deepchandra040
Contributor
Contributor

hi,

i am also facing the same issue which you have faced in past. i am assuming you got the solution of your question below if yes indeed i am seeking for your help?   

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szilagyic
Hot Shot
Hot Shot

There have been many multiple posts on this issue.  We had the exact same problem and after upgrading to Horizon 7 and ESXi 6 update 2, it was resolved.

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