Using VMWare templates to create new systems while preventing duplicate GUIDs in the Altiris database

Products

• IT Management Suite
• Client Management Suite

Issue/Introduction

We are deploying a lot of systems via VMWare template that are creating Duplicate GUIDs in the database.  How can we resolve this?

Environment

ITMS 8.x

Cause

VMWare Template contains registry values with unique identifiers for another machine

Resolution

Deploy the Template as a new VM.  Stop the Symantec Management Agent service and delete these 3 Registry Keys:

3 locations:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\eXpress
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\Altiris Agent
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Altiris\eXpress\NS Client

The VM can then be converted back to a Template.

If we see errors in the logs regarding Blacklisted hosts, please follow this KB: 157217 to truncate the AgentBlacklist table.  That's the easiest way to clear the messages up.