BootRun Service may prevent power on of Virtual Machine deployed from a template

Products

• VMware vCenter Server
• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

• The BootRun Service fails to start in a Virtual Machine guest OS if it was deployed from a template using guest customization.
• You are unable to RDP to the Virtual Machine until the error is acknowledged.
• Once logged into the guest OS you confirm that the BootRun Service is not running or has failed.
• You see the following in the vpxd.log on the vCenter Server:
  
  Error occured while creating deploy package. Msg: C:\Program Files\VMware\Infrastructure\VirtualCenter Server\bootrun.exe
  
  

Environment

VMware VirtualCenter 2.5.x
VMware ESX Server 3.5.x

Resolution

When deploying a virtual machine from a template using guest customization, the Bootrun service may not be removed from the virtual machine once customization is complete.

To workaround this issue:

1. Click Start > Run.
2. Type services.msc into the Open: field
3. Click OK.
4. Right-click on the Bootrun Service.
5. Click Stop.
6. Power On the virtual machine

Alternatively, you can:

1. Remove the service by executing: bootrun -unregserver on the command line.
2. • This needs to be run in the directory where bootrun.exe is located. This can be found by looking at the properties of the service in Control Panel.
   • If the guest customization has removed the bootrun.exe delete the Bootrun folder from the following registry location:
     
     HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SYSTEM/CURRENTCONTROLSET/SERVICES/
     
     

Warning: Always backup the registry before making changes.