Today I deployed my new created Citrix XenDesktop 7.6 base image with Windows 8.1 u1 template and Customization file, during the customization process I received this error message:

Windows could not parse or process the unattend answer file for pass [specialize]. The settings specified in the answer file cannot be applied. The error was detected while processing settings for component [Microsoft-Windows-Shell-Setup].The computer restarted unexpectedly or encountered an unexpected error. Windows installation cannot proceed. To install Windows, click “OK” to restart the computer, and then restart the installation.

Cause

This issue can have multiple causes. Some common causes include, but are not limited to:

• Bad Product Key
• Invalid Device Drivers
• Invalid Computer Names
• Issue with the Admin Account being used
• An installed application breaks the unattended install process

Solution

This resolution is based on the source of the error, to troubleshoot this issue, review the Microsoft Setup log setupact.log file.

Note: The Microsoft Setup log file is located at c:\Windows\Panther\unattendGC\setupact.log.

To view the log file from a computer currently displaying the error, press Shift + F10 to open a command prompt and run this command: notepad c:\windows\panther\unattendGC\setupact.log

In my case I configured in the Customization Wizard a Windows 8.1 MAK license key, the configured template OS was an VLK edition…

sanderdaems

Sander Daems is founder and author of this blog and working as a Lead (Sr.) Consultant by UNICA ICT Solutions. Sander has over 15 years experience in IT, primary focus: virtualization and modern worksplace.

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Virtual Hardware (VMX) Template configuration

Virtual Machine BIOS configuration

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sanderdaems

Sander Daems is founder and author of this blog and working as a Lead (Sr.) Consultant by UNICA ICT Solutions. Sander has over 15 years experience in IT, primary focus: virtualization and modern worksplace.

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Virtual Hardware (VMX) template configuration:

Microsoft Windows Server 2008 R2 template configuration:

– Install always the latest VMware Tools (in my case: ESXi 4.1 build 260247)

– Change the CD/DVD Drive 1 from drive letter D:\ to X:\

– Install VMware display driver: VMware SVGA 3D (Microsoft Corporation – WDDM)

Driver located: C:\Program Files\Common Files\VMware\Drivers\wddm_video\

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sanderdaems

Sander Daems is founder and author of this blog and working as a Lead (Sr.) Consultant by UNICA ICT Solutions. Sander has over 15 years experience in IT, primary focus: virtualization and modern worksplace.

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Last week I was working on a new project, they asked me to install 5 new fileservers based on Windows 2008R2, I installed a new VM and converted it to a template, next I configured a template in “Customization Specifications Manager” with the following details:

Customization template:

Registration information: name company

Computer name: Use the virtual machine name (important)

Product key: Didn’t need it because I’ve configured KMS

Password: Company default local administrator password, selected: Automatically login as the Administrator: 2

Timezone: GMT+0100 (Amsterdam)

Runonce: none

Network: Typical settings

Workgroup or Domain: selected to auto join the domain with domain administrator credentials + domain name (important)

Operation System Options: Selected: Generate New Security ID (SID)

VM template settings:

Hard disk: 40 GB with only OS configured with company standard policy

VMware tools: Latest, this must be installed for Specification Template and NIC

Network: VMXNET3 (needed VMware Tools for driver)

Script: (saved as: FileserverDeploy.ps1)

-vmhost = Target host;

-Name = Name of new VM;

-Template: From wich template you want to deploy the new VM;

-Datastore: Target datastore to place the new VM;

-OSCustomizationspec = Wich “prep” template you want to deploy the new VM;

New-vm -vmhost esx04.vmpros.local -Name FS-SVR01 -Template WIN2008R2_Template -Datastore datastore2 -OSCustomizationspec WIN2008R2_Template
New-vm -vmhost esx04.vmpros.local -Name FS-SVR02 -Template WIN2008R2_Template -Datastore datastore2 -OSCustomizationspec WIN2008R2_Template
New-vm -vmhost esx04.vmpros.local -Name FS-SVR03 -Template WIN2008R2_Template -Datastore datastore2 -OSCustomizationspec WIN2008R2_Template
New-vm -vmhost esx04.vmpros.local -Name FS-SVR04 -Template WIN2008R2_Template -Datastore datastore2 -OSCustomizationspec WIN2008R2_Template
New-vm -vmhost esx04.vmpros.local -Name FS-SVR05 -Template WIN2008R2_Template -Datastore datastore2 -OSCustomizationspec WIN2008R2_Template

PowerCLI:

Running the script:

Final result:

The 5 fileservers deployed from template and joined the domain.. great!

sanderdaems

Sander Daems is founder and author of this blog and working as a Lead (Sr.) Consultant by UNICA ICT Solutions. Sander has over 15 years experience in IT, primary focus: virtualization and modern worksplace.

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