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mawillis
Contributor
Contributor

Deploy Server 2008 from Template and Customize

I am running a Virtual Center 2.5 and ESX server 3 environment. I have just created a new Windows Server 2008 RTM (32bit) Template and would like to deploy using the customization wizard within Virtual Center 2.5. When I get to the customization screen, I see the following message:

"Warning: Customization of the guest operating system 'winLonghornGuest' is not supported in this configuration. Microsoft Vista (TM) and Linux guests with Logical Volume Manager are supported only for recent ESX host and VMware Tools versions."

I have a Vista Template that I am able to use the customization wizard with. Has any body else seen this problem with a Server 2008 template?

Thanks.

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48 Replies
mawillis
Contributor
Contributor

For anyone else with this problem, I am able to work around it for the time being by changing the specified Guest Operating System for the VM in VirtualCenter, from Windows 2008 to Vista. This at least allows me to deploy this windows 2008 server VM from a template. I do not know if there are any side affects to doing this though so would still appreciate any advice on how to fix the original problem.

Thanks.

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Garfied
Contributor
Contributor

Hi,

same problem here. Is there any explaination about this kind of issue? I'm looking for it for days but i could not find anything.

Thanks,

Enry

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piercelynch
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Probably simply because it is not a support OS for the customisation wizard yet... remember it has only just been released.

P.

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Michelle_Laveri
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I can confirm the same error message...

I found setting the guest OS type to Vista, and then copying the sysprep.exe files from W2K3 allowed the guest customization process to go ahead...

After it completing - I powered of the VM, and set it back to being Windows 2008

Regards

Mike

Regards
Michelle Laverick
@m_laverick
http://www.michellelaverick.com
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Michelle_Laveri
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

Actually, I spoke to soon... although I got the VMware Image creation - the netbios name remained the same, IP settings did not take affect, and it didn't join the domain.

I think we will be running sysprep manually (like we used to with Vista) until we get offical support...

Regards

Mike

Regards
Michelle Laverick
@m_laverick
http://www.michellelaverick.com
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Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

Hey Mike,

Vista doesn't require any sysprep type files to customize a Windows Vista guest.

And the current workaround, is to change the guest type to Vista, from Windows 2008.

I've comfirmed in my environment that this works.

Thanks,

Jase

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
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Michelle_Laveri
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

mmm, thats funny. I was told by VMware a couple of weeks - to put the vista sysprep files in the 1.1 directory to get sysprep working for vista - specifically related to VDM...

As for W2K8. When I tried that work around it ran sysprep but ignored the customization settings utterly.

I wonder what it is I am doing differently. Where have you put your W2K8 sysprep files in All Users?

Regards

Mike

ps not upgraded to update 1 yet. Maybe that has something to do with it?

Regards
Michelle Laverick
@m_laverick
http://www.michellelaverick.com
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Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

Mike I might have mispoken... But let me quantify by detailing the files that I have...

Sysprep files are in the standard location:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\VMware\VMware VirtualCenter\sysprep

I have the 1.1, 2k, svr2003, & XP loaded with the appropriate sysprep files.

But... I removed them to test my comments.

Even after removing the above mentioned files, I was able to clone a Windows 2008 Server, and customize the settings.

The reason this works, is because the method in which Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are sysprepped, is different than the way Windows 2000/XP/2003 are sysprepped.

Vista and Server 2008 have the sysprep functionality built into the OS.

Here's a link with more information on how the Vista/Server 2008 sysprep process works:

Thanks,

Jase

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
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5truja
Contributor
Contributor

But what did you remove? Did you pick a certain directory or did you remove all files? What is the winning combination in order to be able to have both (w2k3 and w2k8) cutomisation spec working Smiley Wink

Thanks in advance

MCTIP,VCP3,VCP4,VCP5,VCA-CLOUD,VCP-CLOUD,VTSP
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Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

I didn't have to remove anything.

The SYSPREP process for Vista and Windows 2008 doesn't require any additional files. The required files are included in the installation of Vista or Windows 2008 (inside the guest).

The only issue I have personally witnessed, is that you have to change the OS Type from Windows 2008 to Vista. I will mention that some others have seen some issues (at least it looks that way in some of the posts), but I haven't seen any personally.

Additionally, I don't actively have a requirement for any Windows 2008 boxes, so my success has only been with deploying test systems.

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

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

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
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RickPollock
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

On the template VM I just ran sysprep and selected shutdown after completed. After the OS shutdown I created a template from that VM. I am able to successfully deploy Windows 2008 Server from this template with the Guest OS set to Windows 2008

Rick

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Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

I'm wondering if something has changed with some of the last round of patches...

Wait a minute... Are you using the customization process in VirtualCenter are you? Or are you running SYSPREP from inside the guest, shutting down the guest, converting it to a template, and then deploying from there?

If that's true, that's not where the issue is. The issue is that currently VC 2.5 (& U1) doesn't allow the use of the Customization Specifications with Windows 2008.

If not, then what's your setup?

Jase McCarty

http://www.jasemccarty.com

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

(ISBN:1420070274) from Auerbach

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
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5truja
Contributor
Contributor

Thanks a lot

5truja :smileycool:

MCTIP,VCP3,VCP4,VCP5,VCA-CLOUD,VCP-CLOUD,VTSP
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Jasemccarty
Immortal
Immortal

Thanks a lot?

Jase McCarty - @jasemccarty
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5truja
Contributor
Contributor

Sorry this was ment to RickPollock Smiley Wink

MCTIP,VCP3,VCP4,VCP5,VCA-CLOUD,VCP-CLOUD,VTSP
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scerazy
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

What I noticed is that after W2K8 server is deployed from template (marked as Vista) & customized, the newly created VM must be started & then rebooted again for the changes to actually happen.

On the first boot the customized bits are simply not yet applied.

Second boot & all works fine

Seb

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sfont3n
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

any update to this topic?

trying to clone a 2k8 box and running it through the customization wizard

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Michelle_Laveri
Virtuoso
Virtuoso

I'm out of the office at the moment. On my annual vacation so hopefully I won't be checking my email quite so much as when I am working!

If you need to contact me urgently - then by all means call on my mobile. If you prefer a text message that's fine as well.

I will back to regular access to email on 21st July.

Regards

Mike Laverick

RTFM Education

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Regards
Michelle Laverick
@m_laverick
http://www.michellelaverick.com
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scerazy
Enthusiast
Enthusiast

Yes, it works just fine (as per my message above)

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