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cjberlin
Contributor
Contributor
‎04-22-2010 02:51 AM

Win 7 guest won't join domain after deploying from template

Hi All,

I am new here so please advise if I should violate any rules of this Community, be it written or unwritten - thanks in advance!

Scenario:

  • vCenter Server 4.0.0 U1 (208111) managing an ESXi host 4.0.0 U1 (244038).

  • I am trying to deploy a Windows 7 machine from a template using a guest customization specification.

  • the template (i.e. machine it originates from) was NEVER joined to the domain

  • deployment including domain join works beautifully with XP SP3 templates

  • I have created a customization specification similar to the XP one - identical, in fact, just leaving out the serial key part

  • the guest customization script on Win 7 does run, i.e. changes customer info, compuetr name etc

Problem:

  • the newly-deployed machine won't be joined to the domain.

  • there are NO errors in the guestcust.log - the domain join part is just missing

  • there are NO errors in the Event Log either

  • if I join it manually, it joins without issue

Did anybody run into this and find a solution or at least the cause?

I know (and have successfully verified) that I can script domain join after deployment but I would rather use the on board stuff.

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3 Replies
cjberlin
Contributor
Contributor
‎04-23-2010 07:56 AM

OK, solved. Although the deployed VMs join the domain just fine using the DOMAIN and DOMAIN\userwhojoins notation, you apparently have to use both domain.tld and userwhojoins@domain.tld notation in the guest customization.

Thanks to Dave Bisson from the Mark Minasi Readers' Group for the tip! We actually tried the DNS notation for the domain but didn't get so far as to rewrite the username in UPN as well...

Case closed, on to the next Smiley Happy

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sastre
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
‎05-14-2010 05:38 AM

Thank you! Using:

Windows Server Domain: <insert the fqdn of the domain>

Username: user@fqdn

solved the problem with my Windows 2008 x86 box joining the domain. Perhaps it is the solution for all images/builds from Vista / 2008 onwards?

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justinsmith
Enthusiast
Enthusiast
‎12-16-2010 04:49 PM

Im having the same issues with all of my templates (XP for VMView, Windows Server 2008 R2, etc) not joining the domain...

Im not sure WHAT to change, I'm just using the customization option when rolling out a template. I've tried to use domain\username and password, I've tried using username and password option, and neither seem to join it to the domain once it spins up the VM.     

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