We have recently upgraded from VC2.02 to VC2.5u3.
Following the upgrade our template deployments with customization specifications were working OK for about a week, however for some unknown reason deployments have now started to fail at the sysprep stage, here's what happens:
1. I deploy a new VM using as existing template and customization specification for either windows XP or server 2003 (both of these are known good templates)
2. The new VM gets created OK
3. The new VM restarts and boots to the Windows mini-setup program
4. At this stage you would expect the sysprep answer file (created from the customization specification) to be read and the mini-setup to complete, however this is not happening and the VM is just waiting at the mini setup welcome screen. Upon investigation it would appear that the answer file (C:\sysprep\sysprep.inf) has not been created. I can complete the setup wizard manually and the VM build completes, however I cannot get the build to complete in an automated manor as it should.
Like I say, this was working and has suddenly stopped for all templates except for one !! It is also occurring on newly created templates !
Here's what I have tried so far....
- Updated all sysprep files on the VC to the recent/correct version
- Removed and reinstalled VM Tools from the templates
- Created a new template - problem persists
- Recreated customization specifications - problem persists
- Tried deployment from various different hosts/clusters - problem persists
I have one template that does work, however even if I deploy from this and create a new template, the new template fails. However if I copy the working template using converter (but do not customize it) the copy still works.
Has anyone out there experienced such problems?
Any advice/input greatly appeciated - this is becoming exteremely frustrating...!
Thanks in advance,
P.S - I also have a VMware support call open for this.