Start VM and wait WF, Does not connect VM to Vds (Windows 2008 R2)

[pratt26]

Hi,

Seeing a strange issue with only a Windows 2008 R2 Template. When using the built-in "Start VM and wait" workflow to start a VM (After conversion from a template either manually or via workflow) the VM's NIC (tried VMXNET3 and e1000 both) does not connect to the Vds. Problem can be reproduced in a different VCenter, thus ruling out the vds. I've also created multiple Windows 2008 r2 templates and all exhibit this problem.

If the template is converted and started outside of VRO, it get's an IP and is connected to the VDS immediatley

Tried add/removing the NIC from the template

Tried relocating the guest to different hosts

Tried creating a new template from scratch

NOTE: Windows 2012 R2 does not have this problem in the same environments, the only constant is Windows 2008 R2 being started by VRO.

Has anyone seen this before?

[pratt26 · Accepted solution]

I found this article and it fixed my issue VMware KB: Registering or deploying a virtual machine template fails apparently a problem in ESX 5.1, fixed in 5.5 (i used the work around option and things are good)