Guest operating system customization does not complete when deploying a Windows 2008 R2 template

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• After deploying a Windows 2008 R2 template, you see that the guest operating system/virtual machine customization did not complete
• In the C:\windows\system32\sysprep\panther\setupact.log file, you see the error:
  
  Error [0x0f0082] SYSPRP LaunchDll: Failure occurred while executing 'C:\Windows\System32\slc.dll, SLReArmWindows', returned error code -1073425657
  
  Error [0x0f0070] SYSPRP RunExternalDlls: An error occurred while running registry sysprep DLLs, halting sysprep execution. dwRet = -1073425657

Cause

This issue occurs if the Microsoft Windows Software Licensing Rearm program has run more than three times in a single Windows image that has not been licensed.

 

Microsoft allows an installed guest operating system to be cloned until 180 days after the installation. Also, the system can only be cloned from the original template twice before Microsoft locks the guest operating system for cloning.

Resolution

This is a known issue affecting vCenter Server.

Currently, there is no resolution.

To work around this issue, use one of these options:

• Activate the guest operating system with a valid Microsoft Volume License Key, so that the operating system is activated and can convert the virtual machine to a template.
  
  To activate the guest operating system:
   
  1. Right-click the virtual machine and click Convert to Virtual Machine.
  2. Log in to the guest operating system.
  3. Navigate to Start > Control Panel.
  4. Activate Windows 2008 R2 with a valid Microsoft Volume License key
  5. Click Start, right-click Computer, and click Properties.
  6. In the Properties window, verify that the operating system is now licensed.
  7. Shutdown the guest operating system.
  8. Right-click the virtual machine and click Convert to Template.
• Reset SkipRearm in the guest operating system.
  
  To reset SkipRearm in the guest operating system:
• 1. Right-click the virtual machine and click Convert to Virtual Machine.
  2. Log in to the guest operating system.
  3. Click Start > Run, type cmd, and click OK. The Command Prompt window opens.
  4. Run the cd\ command.
  5. Run this command to reset SkipRearm:
     
     c:\slmgr -rearm
     
     Note: slmgr.vbs can be located at C:\windows\system32.
      
  6. Click Start > Run, type %temp%, and click OK.
  7. Delete all contents in this directory.
  8. Shutdown the guest operating system.
  9. Right-click the virtual machine and click Convert to Template.
     
     Note: You now have 180 days, per Microsoft licensing, to use and deploy this template before it becomes unusable. The Rearm process can be performed 3 times for Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 7 and Windows Vista before it needs to be activated.
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Additional Information

Windows 2008 R2 テンプレートのデプロイ時にゲスト OS のカスタマイズが完了しない
部署 Windows 2008 R2 模板时，客户机操作系统自定义未完成