Windows 2008 Sysprep

[JFWilmer]

I need to create a Windows 2008 64bit template. We are running ESXi 3.5u4 with vCenter 2.5u4.

My problem is with sysprep. I am told that even though VMWare now supports using customization scripts with 2008, not to use them.

I was told to create the machine, patch it do any custom setup steps,,, then run Windows sysprep with OOBE, Generalize and shut down.

Then turn it into a template.

Does anyone have any experience with this, any help is appreciated

[JPeluso]

Jeez I've been deploying straight from a template using a Customization file in VM. Then just selecting the option to generate a new SID on my domain.

What extra features are you looking for that the Vmware customization doesn't give you?

Jim

[JFWilmer]

I am not looking for any new features, I would prefer to use the script.

I was told that in some cases the new windows lic process can get corrupted.

I am not sure if this is correct

[JPeluso]

Hey JF,

I've been using Server 2008 since August of 08 using the 3.5 Guest Customizations. I haven't had any trouble with licensing. I'm using x64 and x86 Windows Server 2008 data center editions. I have a KMS server setup thats doing all my licensing (it's a vm). I know there is an issue where if you do not have enough unique hardware registered that your KMS server will not activate.

Hope this helps,

Jim

[VMmatty]

For those that aren't familiar with what JPeluso is talking about, take a look at the following:

Specifically, the following section:

KMS can activate both physical and virtual computers, but to qualify for KMS activation a network must have a minimum number of physical computers, called the activation threshold. KMS clients activate only after this threshold is met. To ensure that the activation threshold is met, a KMS host counts the number of physical computers requesting activation on the network. The count of activation requests is a combination of both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 computers. However, each of these operating systems begins activating after a different threshold is met. The Windows Server 2008 KMS client threshold is five (5) physical computers. The Windows Vista KMS client threshold is twenty-five (25) physical computers. Virtual computers do not contribute to the activation count, but virtual computers are activated by KMS after the physical computer threshold is met.

The KMS does not consider virtual machines to be physical servers so it doesn't count them against the 5 required for KMS to function. That said, in my experience Windows Server 2008 x64 counts as a physical server even if it is run in a VM.

[JPeluso]

Hey JF,

Follow up again check out Jeremy Waldrop's tutorial on creating a Server 2K8 template. If you scroll to number 65 it gives you an explanation on customizations.

Waldrop Tutorial Server 2008 Template

"65. Create a Windows 2008 Customization Specification for Windows 2008.

You do not need to worry about the sysprep files. In Vista and Windows

2008 sysprep is in C:\Windows\System32\sysprep. When the guest OS type

is set to Vista VMware VC knows that the sysprep files are already on

the OS."

Thanks,

Jim

[sullivanindy]

Kind of Catch 22..

VMWare 3.5u5 VC 2.5u5

Windows 2008R2 Guest

I like what the VMWare guest customizations have to offer and they work great like naming the the Computer after the Virtual Machine name. This I can not do with a custom unattend.xml.

However I would like to setup the default profile with some customizations and now the old "copy the profile to the default user profile" is not supported:

The supported method is to create create a custom unattend.xml with the copyprofile option set to true then c:\windows\system32\sysprep\sysprep.exe /generalize /oobe /unattend:path to unattend.xml .. That works great, after a reboot and a mini setup the customized profile is there.

But supplying a custom sysprep file to the guest customization wizard only gives you that, the custom sysprep file abilities.

Is there a way to have the best of both worlds?

Mark-

[sullivanindy]

2008 R2 issue answered over here..