Hi all

I have a problem with a new install of SCVMM 2012 R2. I have created templates for 2008 R2, 2012 and 2012 R2. I have an issue with the unattend.xml losing some of its configuration when the 2012 and 2012 R2 templates are built, this issue however doesn't occur on a 2008 R2 template build.

I have generated unattend.xml files for all 3 OS's using System Image Manager in the latest AIK using the original install.wim from each OS media.

In the unattend.xml file I have specified language settings, and a few other bits but the issue I have is when I configure autologon with local admin and password. I specify a logon count of 1, I also specify a GUIRunOnce command in SCVMM and not the answerfile. The problem is the resulting merged unattend.xml has a logon count of 999 and no GUIRunOnce command. I have tried different variations where I specify GUIRunOnce in the xml and not SCVMM, applying the autologon to the Template or Guest OS profile and all end with the resulting xml with logon count of 999 and no GUIRunOnce. If I remove the autologon part then GUIRunOnce gets parsed and works correctly.

As mentioned this only happens with Server 2012 and 2012 R2, 2008 R2 works correctly.

Any ideas?

Hi Kevin

I am struggling with the same thing during bare metal installs of Hyper-V hosts. In my case I have managed to narrow it down to the language settings in the oobe pass. If I include them, parsing of the unattend file halts (without an explicit error anywhere) and the host fails to join the domain. Could you try to leave out the language settings in oobe pass and see if it then completes as expected? Would be interesting to see if it actually is the same issue with a slightly different flavour :)

EDIT: Got a bit further now with the new release of WS2012 R2. All the testing I've done has been with the 05182 build. Stumbled across KB2913316 which stated that a new build (31419) was released december 11th. Allthough the KB does not directly apply to our issue I thought I'd give it a go, so I went about building a new vhdx-image. Low and behold - the first test went smoothly applying all the settings in the unattend file! I'm going to continue testing to make sure the successful run wasn't just a fluke.

• Edited by TrondWH Friday, December 13, 2013 1:40 PM
• Proposed as answer by Cheng Wei Thursday, December 19, 2013 6:04 PM

Hi

Thanks for your reply.

I have tried again with the latest updates and unfortunately I still have the same issue. I have tried leaving out all the settings apart from autologon and it still parses 999 for the logon count.

During the VM creation you can access the generated unattend.xml at around 80% of the creation if you look in the same folder where the VM is being created. It creates a iso that contain the xml and mounts it to the VM. If you are quick you can grab a copy before its deleted so you can examine how VMM has merged your settings. The resulted unattend.xml for me has a logon count of 999 instead of 1. I have tried various entries with the result always being 999.

As mentioned this only happens on 2012 or 2012 R2 templates. 2008 R2 works as expected.

Hi

What it the build number on the iso you used to build the image or use during install? You write that you had another go with the latest updates, but afaik the updates are the same for the OS whether you use the 05182 (bad build) or the new 31419 (hopefully good build). All unattend.xml parsing errors vanished for me after I created a vhdx image based on the 31419-build.

In my case I downloaded the new build from the MS volume licensing site. Compairing the old and new build showed a difference in size of about 176MB, so it's substancially bigger! Can you try to download the latest build and give it a new try?

/Trond

• Proposed as answer by Cheng Wei Thursday, December 19, 2013 6:04 PM

Yeah sorry, mis-read the KB. Will try using the newer VL release and post back to see if that fixes my 2012 R2 issue.

Issue remains with 2012 though.....

Hi Kevin!

Have you had time run a test with the new version of the ISO yet?

Hi,

I have the same problem with the latest version of the Windows 2012 R2 ISO.

Has anyone found a solution to this problem ?

I'm trying to bring additional disks online by executing a diskpart /s at first logon.

The only thing that works at the moment is setting this command in the GUIRunOnce and deleting the autologon part in the unattend.xml file but this forces me to manually logon the server.

I currently don't know of another way to bring those disks online (my VM has 4 additional disks). If you have a workaround for this, I'd be glad to use it.

Thanks