A. Mikkelsen

After 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)

1. 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.
2. Clone the VM or template and you are now able to customize your Win2008 server with sysprep.
3. After the cloning is done Power On the new VM and let the customization complete.
4. 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

Yesterday I by mistake added the VirtualCenter servers local Users group to a folder in VC with ReadOnly permissions.

This resulted in that I couldn’t delete or change any permissions on the folder.

To solve the problem do the following (On a MSSQL2000 – should be almost the same on MSSQL2005):

• Open the SQL Server Enterprice Manager and browse to the VC_DB (or what you have called the VC database)
• Locate the table VPX_ACCESS and right click it and choose Open Table -> Return all rows
• In the buttom of the table you should be able to locate the wrong permissions entery – make a note of the ID.
  If you can’t find the user/group, you can browse the VPX_ENTITY table to locate ENTITY_ID you need.
• Open the SQL Query Analyzer an choose the VC database
• To delete the row that contains the wrong permissions run the below SQL code or modify it for you liking.
  To only delete row 221 from the table

  DELETE FROM esx.VPX_ACCESS WHERE ID = 211

  To delete all rows containing a specific user/group from the table

  DELETE FROM esx.VPX_ACCESS WHERE PRINCIPAL = 'your_user or group'

After you have deleted or updated all the permissions you need, you have to restart the VC server service before the changes will take effect.

Disclamer…..
All changes to the VC database should be avoided at all time.
Always make a backup of the database before making ANY changes to it.
All changes to the VC database using examples on this website is at your own risk.