Windows Guest OS Customization does not assign a routable static IPv6 address during a VM deployment from a template

Products

• VMware vSphere ESXi

Issue/Introduction

While deploying a Windows VM from a template, the guest OS customization fails to assign a routable static IPv6 address, despite specifying the address to use.

In the C:\Windows\TEMP\vmware-imc\guestcust.log file, it appears that GuestCustUtil exits after connecting the VM's NICs and does not start back up again. 

Environment

• vSphere 8.x

Cause

During the VM deployment, errors in the hostd logs indicate the disk belonging to the newly deployed VM could not be opened because the disk file could not be found.

• The entries in the hostd logs may appear like the following example:
  • 2025-##-##T##:##:##.###Z In(166) Hostd[2101070]: [Originator@6876 sub=Libs opID=########-##-####-################] [NFC INFO]NfcFile_Open: session=########## hdl=########## Local filename = '/vmfs/volumes/########-########-####-############/<vm_name>/<vm_name>.vmdk'
2025-##-##T##:##:##.###Z In(166) Hostd[2101070]: [Originator@6876 sub=Libs opID=########-##-####-################] OBJLIB-FILEBE : FileBEOpen: can't open '/vmfs/volumes/########-########-####-############/<vm_name>/<vm_name>.vmdk' : Could not find the file (393218).
2025-##-##T##:##:##.###Z Er(163) Hostd[2101070]: [Originator@6876 sub=DiskLib opID=########-##-####-################] DISKLIB-DSCPTR: DescriptorOpenInt: failed to open '/vmfs/volumes/########-########-####-############/<vm_name>/<vm_name>.vmdk' with flags 0x400001: Could not find the file

 

Resolution

Investigate any issues that may be occurring on the datastore where the new VM is being deployed to, and verify if the storage is experiencing any performance or connectivity issues.