Sysprep failed to run

[ChrisLopes]

Hi,

When I deploy the machine from the template, it give me another VM and sysprep is not running automatically.

Thanks

[Craig_Baltzer]

When you select "Deploy Virtual Machine from this template..." in the VI client are you picking either "Customize using the Customization Wizard" or "Customize using an existing customization specification" when you get to the guest customization options screen?

If you're picking one of those two options then VC can see the SYSPREP files. A few other things that I've seen go wrong...

1. Depending on the network settings the VM may need to "sit" powered on for 3-5 minutes before sysprep starts to run. Usually this is caused by the network in the VM being set to use DHCP and there is no DHCP server available (the services all have to finish starting before sysprep runs)

2. Do not login to the VM while you're waiting for sysprep to run, just wait for it to do its thing and reboot the VM

3. Some old versions of sysprep (from the original W2K3 CDs without SP1/SP2) don't seem to work. has an updated version of sysprep if you don't have access to a W2K3 w/SP2 CD

[krival96]

i had this issue

kris

http://www.vdi.co.nz

http://www.vipl.co.nz

[Jasemccarty]

What ESX/VirtualCenter versions are you using?

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[polysulfide]

I have issues with sysprep not running automagically when my new VM doesn't have enough RAM. Try giving at least 1024 to your template if it doesn't have it already.

If it was useful, give me credit

Jason White - VCP

[ChrisLopes]

Hi,

i'm using esx 3.5 update 2 and VC 2.5

[admin]

I had the problem at the customer with XP that only sysprep files was used if i save them in the 1.1 folder.

[K-MaC]

Hey Chris, if you have anti virus software on the template I would suggest removing it from the template. I had issues with this, it is also best practice to not have it installed on your template. If you search the forums you will find threads relating to this. Search is not working for me currently or I would have provided you a link or 2.

Cheers

Kevin

[Jasemccarty · Accepted solution]

I deploy guests all the time that have 256MB of RAM on initial deployment.

I don't think that's it.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[Jasemccarty]

If everything worked before VC 2.5 Update 2 then that's probably your problem.

The guestcustutil.exe that comes with VC 2.5 Update 2 has some issues.

Either grab a guestcustutil.exe from a VC 2.5 Update 1 installation, or simply upgrade to VC 2.5 Update 3.

That method has helped a couple people so far.

But if you leave things alone, because of guestcustutil.exe, you will not be 100% on the customization process.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Co-Author of VMware ESX Essentials in the Virtual Data Center

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

[marcelo_soares]

Make sure VMWare tools are installed and up-to-date.

Remove any anti-virus and anti-spyware that disallow sysprep from touching the windows register.