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Asked: 2011-06-29 22:29:35 +0800 CST

sysprep'd Server 2008 R2 VMware autocheck BSODs

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I'm trying to set up a template Server 2k8 R2 (Standard) VM in our VMware ESXi environment, we'll need to deploy a whole lot of them and I want to (a) streamline and (b) standardise the server build process.

Originally I built a sysprep answer file using WAIK and the Windows System Image Manager - once I'd run sysprep using this, restarting the machine resulted in a "autochk.exe not found - skipping autocheck" message, followed almost immediately by a BSOD. Rebooting just resulted in the same thing.

I first assumed it was my answer file, but have now checked this on a physical machine and it works fine.

I've reinstalled the OS on the machine (and NOTHING else), and run sysprep.exe (ticking Generalize) - this produces exactly the same result.

I've also attempted to use the Customisation Wizard built in to VMware - again, the same autocheck message and BSOD is the result.

Any ideas? Let me know any further information I need to provide...

vmware-esxi windows-server-2008-r2 sysprep

4 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    No idea at all about the cause, but creating a completely new VM from scratch (not just a reinstallation of the OS) has allowed sysprep to work.

    Must have been something oddly/badly configured in the original VM, but I don't know what. Stupidly, I've deleted it so can't compare.

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  2. http://briandesmond.com/blog/how-to-sysprep-in-windows-server-2008-r2-and-windows-7/ Found the below suggestion hat worked: Boot off the windows media and choose repair (will have to go into VM bios to change boot order) to get a command prompt to do it at.

    34 re: How to Sysprep in Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7

    Friday, April 08 2011 10:17 PM by Dan Same problem with "Autochk program not found. Skipping autocheck."

    Fixed by clearing nodefaultdriveletter volume attribute via:

    diskpart

    list volumes

    select volume 1

    attributes volume

    attributes volume clear nodefaultdriveletter

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  3. I ran into this problem after cloning an existing Windows 2008 R2 Server with VMWare vCenter when I used the VMWare customization wizard and when I used sysprep myself. Too bad vmware doesn't add this diskpart step to their customization wizard, as it would make it so much simpler.

    Why build a new server from scratch when you can clone it and apply a new license?

    And these instructions worked beautifully but I did notice the command should be list volume not volume***s***.

    diskpart
list volume
select volume 1
attributes volume
attributes volume clear nodefaultdriveletter
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  4. I had the exact same problem. But in my case it turned out to be MagicDisk (which allows .iso files to be mounted as a virtual CD) , sysprep for some reason sets the boot volume to that device so the server fails to restart. Disabled MagicDisk and problem disappeared.

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