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Windows Server 2008 and SYSPREP in a VMware enviroment
Posted on January 13th, 2009 7 commentsAfter we have allowed Windows 2008 Servers in our VMware VI enviroment, we been having problems sysprepping Windows 2008 Server.
So here is a quick guide to sysprep a Windows 2008 server in a VMware VI enviroment.
(Use this workaround until VMware VI allows you run sysprep against a WIN2008 Server)- Change the source or templates Guest Operating Systemsetting to “Vista (32 bit)” or “Vista (64 bit)” depending on the installation of the Windows 2008 server installation.
- Clone the VM or template and you are now able to customize your Win2008 server with sysprep.
- After the cloning is done Power On the new VM and let the customization complete.
- Shutdown the VM and change the Guest Operating Systemsetting back to “Windows Server 2008 (32/64 bit)”
The reason the above workaround works is that Vista and Server 2008 has sysprep build into the OS and the sysprep in both OS’s and are based on the same technology.
Read more here
http://www.vmwareinfo.com/2008/05/sysprep-windows-2008-in-vmware.html
http://communities.vmware.com/message/934733#934733
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc766514.aspx
ESX, Tools, Virtual Center, White Papers 2008, esx, guest, operating, server, sysprep, system, vc, virtual, vista7 responses to “Windows Server 2008 and SYSPREP in a VMware enviroment”
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I have try implementing this solution but found out that when the template has 4 processors the esx becomes confuse and stops all actions towards the template.
I had to manually edit the template configuration file and change the guest operating system back to windows server 2003.
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This only works for Win2008 not Win2003.
Are you running ESX 3.5 U3 ? -
Michel Zehnder April 27th, 2009 at 08:03
This should now be supported with U4 without changing guest os to vista
Cheers
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Thanks for the update, I haven’t had time to verify it jet.
\\Anders -
NerdFrenzy August 18th, 2009 at 14:03
Still need to change to Vista with ESX 4.0. Strange that it is supported under ESX 3.5u4 but not ESX 4.0
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Tested on ESX 3.5 U4 and it still doesn’t show the right OS in VC.
Haven’t upgraded til vSpher 4.0 yet so don’t know if it has been fixed…
A. Mikkelsen -
Clone from Win2k8 template without change Guest Operating System to Vista worked on vSphere 4 & vCenter Update 1.
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Daniel Quintero January 14th, 2009 at 14:17