Virtual machine hostname differs within guest OS than that of the one specified during guest OS customization.

Products

• VMware vCenter Server 7.0
• VMware vSphere ESXi 8.0
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0

Issue/Introduction

Virtual machine hostname within guest OS being randomly picked and differs from the one specified during guest OS customization.

For example: If we specify the VM name as "Win11VM1" during guest OS customization. But after VM deployment, the VM hostname reflects different (eg. DESKTOP-XXXX) than that of the one specified as VM name. 

Environment

VMware vCenter Server 7.x

VMware vCenter Server 8.x

VMware ESXi 7.x

VMware ESXi 8.x

 

Cause

The installed applications within guest OS might be preventing to apply the guest OS customization settings and not allowing to change the hostname. 

Resolution

1. Deploy a new VM with required OS configuration without any applications installed and convert it into template.
2. Apply the guest OS customization (using VM name as hostname) when deploying VM from this template. 
3. Check whether the VM name is reflecting as hostname within guest OS post deployment.

Additional Information

Reference document:

Customize Windows During Cloning or Deployment

Creating and Managing Customization Specifications