Having issue creating vmware windows2012r2 template using static IP

[Shyam J]

Hi,

Requesting help!!

I am trying to create vmware windows2012r2 template in ESXi machine. But Packer stucks at Waiting WinRM. The VM is getting created but mentioned IP is not getting assigned to the VM(attached screenshot) eventhough we can see the network card is connected. PFA JSON and autounattend.xml file along with logs ran in debug mode.

If the method I am following in autounattend.xml is wrong for static IP please mention the required one.

ESXi version: VMware ESXi, 6.0.0, 7967664

Packer version : 1.3.2

Thanks in advance

Shyam

[Rickard von Essen]

If you use a static IP you have to set it in:

1) autounattended.xml so Windows is configured with it. 

2) winrm_host in the packer template 

3) Maybe somewhere in vmx data to ensure that vSphere doesn't assign it some other IP. 

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[Justin DynamicD]

Waiting for WinRM simply means it doesn't see any activity on the IP at port 5985/5986 yet (depending if you set winrm_use_ssl to true or not).

Your problem most likely is that you haven't configured WinRM yet, as that's disabled by default in 2012R2.  In your autounattend.xml you need to include something like:

<FirstLogonCommands>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<Order>1</Order>

<!-- Enable WinRM service -->

<CommandLine>powershell –NoProfile -File a:\Setup_WinRM.ps1</CommandLine>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

</FirstLogonCommands>

You can then include that powershell script in the same directory as your autounattend.xml so it gets added to the dynamic A: drive to ensure it runs.  In that script you can setup WinRM with the correct port, transport, etc (or just do a /quickconfig if you prefer).

[Shyam J]

Thanks for Checking Justin. I have the below settings in my autounattend.xml file. Do you mean to say winrm still needs to be enabled? I have turned firewall off.

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>cmd.exe /c winrm quickconfig -q</CommandLine>

<Description>winrm quickconfig -q</Description>

<Order>3</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>cmd.exe /c winrm quickconfig -transport:http</CommandLine>

<Description>winrm quickconfig -transport:http</Description>

<Order>4</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>

cmd.exe /c winrm set winrm/config @{MaxTimeoutms="1800000"}

</CommandLine>

<Description>Win RM MaxTimoutms</Description>

<Order>5</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>

cmd.exe /c winrm set winrm/config/winrs @{MaxMemoryPerShellMB="800"}

</CommandLine>

<Description>Win RM MaxMemoryPerShellMB</Description>

<Order>6</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>

cmd.exe /c winrm set winrm/config/service @{AllowUnencrypted="true"}

</CommandLine>

<Description>Win RM AllowUnencrypted</Description>

<Order>7</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>

cmd.exe /c winrm set winrm/config/service/auth @{Basic="true"}

</CommandLine>

<Description>Win RM auth Basic</Description>

<Order>8</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>

cmd.exe /c winrm set winrm/config/client/auth @{Basic="true"}

</CommandLine>

<Description>Win RM client auth Basic</Description>

<Order>9</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

<SynchronousCommand wcm:action="add">

<CommandLine>

cmd.exe /c winrm set winrm/config/listener?Address=*+Transport=HTTP @{Port="5985"}

</CommandLine>

<Description>Win RM listener Address/Port</Description>

<Order>10</Order>

<RequiresUserInput>true</RequiresUserInput>

</SynchronousCommand>

Thanks

Shyam

[Shyam J]

Thanks Rickard for checking. 

1.IP is already mentioned in autounattednd.xml. 
2. Didnt understand about much in details here. This is the explanation in packer website. winrm_host (string) - The address for WinRM to connect to. So here which will be the host and destination?

3. Read in some vmware forums like VMX data cant be read by operating system getting installed in VM. Not sure whether its true. So do you know what parameters we can pass for the same?y

Thanks

Shyam

[Shyam J]

Did you get a chance to go through my below comments Rickard?

Thanks

Shyam

[Rickard von Essen]

Whatever IP is in the autounattended.xml must also be in winrm_host. I can't say much more, haven't used Windows in nearly two decades. 

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/packer-tool/1b56bf2b-795f-4a95-9cba-1f9f9cc38185%40googlegroups.com.

[Shyam J]

I see. I tried configuring winrm_host but didnt help. The given IP is not getting configured in windows VM (screenshot) so may be winrm_host is not going to help. Please keep this case open, I will wait for somebody who has worked on it the same way.

Thanks

Shyam

[Shyam J]

Hello All,

Thanks for looking into it. I got it working, so thought to share with you if this is going to help for someone.

I was using wrong <Identifier> name, when used "Ethernet" I got the IP configured. But <NextHopAddress> didnt help with configuring gateway, i had to use a script added to the autounattend.xml like below

cmd.exe /c powershell -File a:\SetGateway.ps1

cat SetGateway.ps1

$nac = get-wmiobject Win32_NetworkAdapterConfiguration

$nac.SetGateways("gateway_IP",1)

This case can be archived.

Thanks

Shyam