VM Password Reset not working. Guest Customizations

[AnthonySpiteri2]

Hey there all.

I saw this happen in vCD 1.01 and thought it might be just a bug, but i've come across it in vCD1.5 now as well.

I've got a Windows Server 2008 R2 Web (Server Core) VM clean install that initially works ok with the default password. Once i've installed VMware Tools and enabled Guest Customizations with a password reset the listed password doesn't work. Also got a situation where if I shutdown the VM and try to reset the password as shown in the screen dump link below, that password doesn't work either. Obvisouly my initial password also doesn't want to work.

Any ideas?

http://files.anittel.com.au/11099541709/vc_1.JPG

[admin · Accepted solution]

If you had already powered this on and THEN changed the customization settings you need to power it off, and slect 'Power on and FOrce Re-Customization'.

Once the first power on is issued there is no longer any additional customization done even if you update the settings unless you force re-customization.  Power it off, update the password and try with the force-recustomization that will almost always work, and is a bit undocumented for sure that changes do not take effect unless you do.  That option is available only on the VM level not the vApp level.