Folks -
I have an ESXi 4.1 environment. I have a Windows 2008 64bit R3 template. If I clone it will boot up fine until you run sysprep. After sysprep is run manually or via guest custommization wizard the VM reboots and bombs on skipping autochk , then BSOD, then just keeps rebooting. sysprep is doing something to trash the VM. Anyone run into this before?
Safemode, last known good, all bomb as well.
Well - blew away the template and recreated it. Cant duplicate the problem now. Go figure.
I am experiencing the exact same error after sysprep-ing a W2K8 R2 Std 64bit VM. I have cloned an existing VM (fresh build + windows updates, but that's it), I then run sysprep with the generalise and shutdown options selected on the clone. When I try to power it back on I get the exact same screens displayed as above. Have tried it several times and each time the same error occurs after syspreping. Anyone have any ideas?
I should mention that each time i've tried the clone was been performed whilst the VM was running. Havent tried cloning whilst it is shutdown yet.
It appears to not like cloning from a running VM. When I cloned from the VM when it was shutdown and then performed a sysprep with generalise and shutdown selected the resulting machine powers on without problem.
So to create a template from an existing W2K8 VM:
Shutdown to-be-cloned VM
Clone whilst shutdown
Startup clone and perform sysprep with generalise and shutdown options
Convert clone to template
Ran into this yesterday.
2008 R2 server live cloned - clone booted up fine but then the sysprep occured and kaboom. BSOD with the autochk missing error.
Best Regards
Patricio Cerda
Fixed by clearing nodefaultdriveletter volume attribute via:
use win2k8 iso to enter repair mode ...
run command prompt
diskpart
list volumes
select volume 1
attributes volume
attributes volume clear nodefaultdriveletter
good luck ...
Thank you, ubadog.
Your solution works fine for me.
ubadog: Works like a charm !
Thanks for posting and saving us from multiple reinstalls !