When deploying from template the clone fails at 97% with the error: Invalid configuration for device '0'

Products

• VMware vCenter Server

Issue/Introduction

Symptoms:

• When deploying from template, the clone fails at 97% and you see the error:
  
  Invalid configuration for device '0'
  
  
• This issue occurs if:
  • You deployed a virtual machine from a template and you have already confirmed that you do not have an ISO attached to the CD-ROM of the template. For additional information, see Cannot deploy a template or mount an ISO image to a Virtual Machine. (1002735).
  • You are attempting to replace the hard disk of the virtual machine with an RDM (Raw Device Mapping / Raw Disk Mapping) file.
  • You follow a process similar to:
    1. You deploy the virtual machine from a template.
    2. In the Deploy wizard, you select Edit the virtual hardware before proceeding, remove the existing hard disk, and add an existing hard disk that is a previously created RDM.

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 5.0.x

Cause

As stated in the Deploy wizard, editing the virtual machine hardware is experimental and may cause issues.

Resolution

To work around this issue:

1. Deploy the virtual machine from a template.
2. When the virtual machine is deployed, SSH into the host on which it resides.
3. Change directory to the where the virtual machine resides on the datastore.
4. Clone the .vmdk to an RDM with a command similar to:
   
   vmkfstools -i /vmfs/volumes/datastorename/foldername/vmname.vmdk -d rdm:/vmfs/devices/disks/naa.referencenumber
   
   
5. Edit the settings of the virtual machine and remove the original hard disk
6. Add an existing hard disk and point to the new cloned .vmdk file.
7. Power on the virtual machine.

This process powers up the new virtual machine successfully and the customization should proceed, if selected. After the virtual machine has been successfully created and validated, you can delete the original .vmdk file from the virtual machine's folder using the rm -f command.

Caution: The rm c command permanently deletes the .vmdk file.

Additional Information

Cannot deploy a template or mount an ISO image to a Virtual Machine.