Composer will not install in Windows 2016 Server

[Marino_S]

Hi all,

I was trying to install Horizon 7.7 on Windows 2016, and for some reason the installation fails.    Virtualisation Based Security is not enabled (and was never enabled on this VM).

The install fails with an event 7000.  I've tried it joined to a domain, not a domain member.  On windows 2012 R2 composer installs without an issue..    The only thing I haven't tried is upgrade the Windows 2012R2 box to Windows 2016 and  see what happens.

Are there any other people here that have the same experience with installing Horizon composer 7.7 on Windows 2016 Server?

Any advice will be greatly appreciated

Thank you

kind regards

Marino

[techguy129]

Do you have VMware converter install on this server? If you no longer need it, I would remove it and try the composer installation again.

[Marino_S]

Thank you for your reply.. 

Converter was never on that system:   it's a new VM, we've only put the Server 2016 iso in it, and ran the composer install.

[techguy129]

Do you have secure boot enabled? Can you try disabling that.

[Marino_S]

No.  VBS is not enabled for that VM.    What I have is a brand new VM, created on esxi 6.7 update 1, running the VMware tools that come with it,   No VBS that's enabled ,but a fresh windows 2016 install.

Because the VBS article is the first one that I discovered, but it's not applicable to the situation I'm having.   I have the issue on a nutanix 3060 block, and I can reproduce it on my homelab 4x Intel nucs.

Both ended with the same result.

[BenFB]

From the documentation can you "Verify that no other Horizon 7 component, including Connection Server, security server, Horizon Agent, or Horizon Client, is installed on the machine on which you intend to install View Composer".

Install the View Composer Service

[Marino_S]

Hi  Ben,

Thank you for your reaction. 

But no: it's a new virtual machine, VBS is not selecting, I didn't do the os changes to enabke vbs in windows. It's a fresh 2016 install,  with all current windows updates, no antivirus, domain joined (tried with another that's never seen the domain, and got the same failure), no software installed,  except the VMware tools that come with the esxi version

And it won't work.     If I try the same on a win 2012R2 VM it installs without any issue

I'm thinking of upgrading the 2012R2 to 2016, and see what happens

Or maybe I should 2019

Regards

Marino

[BenFB]

Server 2019 is not supported at this time for the Connection Server or Composer.

Supported Operating Systems for Horizon Connection Server

Supported Operating Systems for View Composer

[sjesse]

Try the install again and look at the %TEMP%\vmmsi.log_date_timestamp..log says, you may have the previous ones

VMware Knowledge Base

[Marino_S]

Hi,

I know 2019 is not in the supported OS list,,   2016 is, and it's not working.    Some maybe it does work in 2019

Wat scares me is the fact that I seem to be the only guy in the world that is having this problem..

[BenFB]

If you could share the installer log we might be able to identify the failure. Have you opened an SR with VMware to review the logs?

[Marino_S]

No not yet

No , not yet.

I'll try to dig up the logs

[coopmal · Accepted solution]

Do have secure boot enabled on your Windows Server 2016? It's a know bug that the composer installation fails when Secure boot is enabled.

You can re-enable Secure Boot after completing the View Composer installation.

To disable Secure boot do this :

1. Shut down you VM
2. Browse to the virtual machine in the vSphere Client inventory.
3. Right-click the virtual machine and select Edit Settings.
4. Click the VM Options tab, and expand Boot Options.
5. Under Boot Options, ensure that firmware is set to EFI.
6. Deselect the Secure Boot check box to disable secure boot.
7. Click OK.

Note: Enabling/Disabling Secure Boot for a virtual machine is available with vSphere 6.5 and higher.

[Marino_S]

Hi,

Thank you, and that was it..  

The problem was me mixing "secure boot" with "virtual machine based" security".....

Stupid..    but fixed it -> so Many Thanks!!!

The secure boot is well hidden...