Hello everyone.
I am experiencing some very frustrating issues when deploying a VM from my Server 2012 Template.
I created my initial VM with Microsoft Windows Server 2012 Standard installed and updated (it is not Server 2012 R2). Before CLONING to a template, I took the machine off of the domain and put it on a workgroup. I also renamed the machine to something basic.
The cloning to template completes without any errors. I then proceed to "deploy a VM form this template" and use guest OS customization. The only options I configure are the NetBIOS name (same as VM name), the Owner and Org names, the activation key, and setting the local administrator password. I am having it join the default workgroup, so I also left the network configuration as default (DHCP, even though we will go back and change the IP to static to work within our network then join to domain).
Once I have customized, I click finish, and again... it creates the VM without any issues. When I power it on, it doesn't enter any customization process. I read in another thread that you have to reboot the guest at least once to kick off the pending customization task. So, I reboot and it actually attempts to customize the OS. The black screen stating something like "VM customization in progress..." only stays up there for a quick second before it goes back to the Windows log on screen.
Alas, it didn't change anything. The new VM is the same machine as the original VM I cloned to template. Same name, etc.
I also read in another article that I have to disable the guest OS NIC adapters, which I tried on the original VM prior to cloning to template. Going through the same process above with disabled adapters in device manager, nothing changes - customization doesn't occur.
I attached the guestcut.txt to this post. Keep in mind that this attempt to deploy a VM from template was based off a template with the NIC adapters still enabled and with the machine not joined to a domain.
One more thing - we are having an issue getting our MAK key to activate over the internet. We do use a proxy server, but for some reason Windows either doesn't use the proxy when activating, or something else. We have to activate by phone.
I only say this because I know in the customization wizard it states that an activation key is required for server OS customization.
Please, any help on this would be great!