Guest Customization Failure in 3.5/2.5

[Vandalay]

First VM deployment from a template on ESX 3.5i/VC2.5 for us and I understand the sysprep/customization process changed in 3.5/2.5. The template is Windows 2003 Std R2 SP2 x64. When we deploy it and use Guest Customization, the resulting VM is identical to the original template - no customization occurs. No errors are reported. On first boot, we do not see the sysprep mini-setup.

However, whenever it's shut down or boots we see a flash of a grayish screen with the words "VMware image customization is in progress...". It's only there for a second and then the system will go ahead and boot or shutdown as usual. But, no customization ever occurs.

I went ahead and manually sysprep'd one of the VMs and it went normally, but the flash of "VMware image customization is in progress..." still occurs every time on boot up and shut down.

We've done this several times now with the same results. We confirmed we have the correct sysprep files on the VC server and in the right directory in "\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep\svr2003-64".

Is this a bug? Anyone else seeing it? Should I be concerned about those VMs deployed now that flash "VMware image customization is in progress..." every time the boot?

[haen]

If you get a "sysprep incompatible" message, then you need to download the correct sysprep files from Microsoft and put them onto your VI Management Server.

Basically every ServicePack release also brought a new release of the sysprep package, so if you want to deploy Windows2003 SP2 server, you have to download the corresponding sysprep package. If you use the sysprep from the original Windows2003 CD's, that will probably not work to deploye a Windows2003 SP2 Template.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/892778

SP1 version http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=A34EDCF2-EBFD-4F99-BBC4-E93154C332D6&displa...

SP2 version http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=93F20BB1-97AA-4356-8B43-9584B7E72556&displa...

I would assume that the SP2 version of sysprep can also be used to deploye a SP1-Template, but I have not tested this, my templates are on SP2 and I downloaded and use the SP2 version of sysprep.

Kind Regards, Herbert

PS: the other gues customization problem was caused by Antivirus/Antispyware tools like Symantec Endpoint Protection. That software can prevent sysprep from working, so you may have to remove it from your templates. I only have SEP antivirus version installed (without anti-spyware modules), and that works. The version with Anti-Spyware module did prevent guest customization for Windows2003.

[PaulSvirin]

Here is also some information about not functioning sysprep with VC 2.5 U2:

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